Olympic Torch Craft

Today's craft is inspired by Mr. Giannetto's Olympic torch craft, my MLK Day peace craft, and my core belief that people around the world are valuable, important, and deserving of basic human rights. I love that the Olympics focuses on the best of what each country has to offer athletically, where all who compete, regardless of their place of origin, have overcome obstacles and demonstrated determination, commitment, and dedication. The Olympics is so much more than sports. It's about our global community coming together and celebrating talent and hard work.  

Mr. Giannetto's craft features hands holding up the Olympic torch. Mine is about the passing of the torch, the connection of one person to the next. That together, we make up one human race. 

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Olympic Torch Craft

Materials:

• cardboard tube (paper towel size)
• silver paint
• construction paper
• scissors
• tissue paper (red, yellow, orange)
• tape
• glue

Steps:

1. Cut the paper towel tube so that it is about 6" long. This will be the main part of the torch. Use the scrap to cut a piece that is about 1" long. It will form the top of the torch. Discard the rest of the tube.
2. Paint the cardboard tube pieces silver. Set them aside to dry. 
3. Trace your hand on construction paper that matches your skin tone and cut it out. 
4. Trace a friend's hand on construction paper matching his or her skin tone and cut it out. 
5. Tear pieces of tissue paper to make the flame. Tape the bottom of the tissue paper together to form a bundle. 
6. Assemble the torch by cutting vertically through the 1" piece to open it up. Flatten it slightly, then glue it to the top of the main portion of the torch. Glue the tissue paper bundle in place. Wrap the fingers and thumb of one cut-out hand around the torch and glue it in place. 
7. Glue the torch to the background paper. Fold the extra portion of the arm that extends beyond the edge of the background paper and tape it securely to the back. 
8. Glue the receiving hand to the background paper. Again, wrap the extra portion of the arm around the back and secure it in place. If you want to add dimension, use foam dots or built-up construction paper scraps to pop the hand off the page instead of gluing it flat.