A Star Wars Special Blog Post from Courtney and Jennifer
Greetings young Jedi’s, the force is strong with you all on this day. Jennifer shows us how to build our own lightsaber, recreate an Oga’s Cantina favorite floating Nobu fruit, and how master the ancient art of calmness with meditative yoga. Courtney brings us recycled droids, galaxy oobleck, a star wars lego building challenge, and a delicious Tatooine Treat!
Recycled Droids
A droid is a fictional robot possessing some degree of artificial intelligence in the Star Wars science-fiction franchise. Coined by special effects artist John Stears, the term is a clipped form of "android", a word originally reserved for robots designed to look and act like a human.
Grade Level: K-5
Materials: Any recycled materials you can find around the house (bottle caps, egg carton, k-cups, bottles), glue, paper, tinfoil
Location: Anywhere with a large flat surface
Further instructions or accommodations:
Step 1: Create the “body” of your droid. Think about what this droid does, what it’s job is. Does it move on wheels? Or have legs?
Step 2: Once you have moved all your pieces around and decided on your structure, glue all of your pieces together. Take a break for five minutes so the glue adheres to all of the pieces. Remember if a piece comes off you can always glue it back on!
Step 3: Use foil, paper, or markers to decorate your droid. Choose a color scheme - dark, light, metallic. Did you make a worker droid? Dark side droid? Cut different shapes of paper for different buttons, stripes, or a face.
Pool Noodle Lightsabers
Materials:
Pool Noodle, any color you want the “light” portion of the saber to be, Silver Duct Tape, Black Electrical tape, Parent with tools to cut a pool noodle.
Lightsaber color ex: Kylo Ren/Darth Vader = Red, Obi-Wan = Blue, Yoda = Green, Mace Windu = Purple, Rey = yellow, Princess Leia/Luke = Blue
1. Cut your pool noodle in half (adult supervision only)
2. Cover about a quarter of the noodle starting from the bottom by wrapping it with silver duct tape
3. Wrap three rings of black electrical tape around the top of silver tape
4. Take two pieces of black electrical tape and stick them at the bottom of saber to look like buttons.
5. Use imagination to active your new lightsaber! Beware the dark side.
Star Wars Galaxy Oobleck
Grade Level: K-5
Materials: 2 cups cornstarch, 1/2 cup water, 10 drops black gel food coloring ( you can also use blue/purple), 1 tsp white pearl sprinkles (or white beads), 1 1/4 tbsp glitter (or tiny beads), Lego Star Wars people
Location: Kitchen Table
Further instructions or accommodations:
Step 1: Mix the cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water. If the mixture is too dry, add more water. Keep adding water until mixture is wet in appearance, but solid when touched.
Step 2: Add 1 tbsp glitter and spread gel food coloring in several locations.
Step 3: Mix well, swirling the color throughout.
Step 4: Put your Oobleck in a large tray where you want to play with it.
Step 5: Sprinkle on the 1/4 tablespoon of glitter and sprinkles.
Step 6: Drop the lego people on top.
Get ready for some galaxy-fun!
Floating Nobu fruit Drink
What you will need:
Clear cups, plastic or glass
Seltzer water- plain or flavored as long as it’s clear
Round fruit such as grapes, blueberries, raspberries.
Straw
1. Pour your seltzer water into your clear cup(s) half way to the top
2. Wash and dry all fruit. Do not cut it up, keep it whole!
3. Slowly drop fruit into seltzer water
4. Fruit will sink to the bottom of cup - then will rise up with the aid of bubbles from seltzer water. Try different flavor combinations.
5. Place straw in drink, watch the fruit dance in cup, sip, enjoy!
Star Wars Cantina tunes while you craft:
BLUE MILK PUDDING, A TATOOINE TREAT
A special, sweet treat from Tatooine! As always make sure to check the ingredient list for allergens!
Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
½ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1½ teaspoons vanilla
Blue food dye gel
Whipped cream
Shredded coconut
Directions:
Step 1: In a saucepan stir together the milk, powdered sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 2: Turn heat to medium-low, stir in vanilla and one drop of blue food dye gel.
Step 3: Simmer for 3-4 minutes, whisking until thickened.
Step 4: Spoon into cups, place a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and chill in the refrigerator.
Step 5: Top with whipped cream, coconut, and a dash of cinnamon, to serve.
Star Wars Lego Challenge
Grade Level: K-5
Materials: Legos and Star Wars Lego Challenge Prompts
Location: Any large space where you can build and spread out your legos.
Further instructions or accommodations:
Step 1: Gather your legos and bring them to your work space.
Step 2: Pick your first Lego Challenge Prompt.
Step 3: Get Building!
You can add a challenge by using a time or making bags of legos and only using what is inside to make you creation!
Lego Challenge Prompts:
-Build a Hut for Yoda
-Build a ship to beat the Millenium Falcon, remember to give it a name!
-Build a hideout for Rebels
-Build Anakin's Pod Racer
-Build a Fueling Station
-Build a Droid
-Build a Double Lightsaber
-Build a restaurant for Aliens
-Build an Ewok Catapult
-Build a Jedi Training Course
Finally, the last of your Jedi training is to get moving with some Cosmic Kids Yoga. Help Luke Skywalker destroy the death-star, and bring peace to the universe.
Runtime: 25mins, kid friendly
