Placemats: A Job Share

To have the children experience sharing a job with a partner

The children will work together to share ideas and responsibilities.

• Story of Saint Martin of Tours (see hints)
• 18" x 12" construction paper
• Old magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Markers

• Invite the large group to listen to the story of Saint Martin.
• Partner children randomly.
• Ask each set of partners to create a placemat for residents of a local nursing home.
• Pass out construction paper.
• Old magazines should be accessible for children to cut up.
• Encourage the partners to work together.
• When the children have finished, discuss how it feels to share a project and create something new.
• Tell the children where the placemats will be delivered.
• Later, provide the children with an account of the residents' reactions.

Art/Space Smart, Body Smart, People Smart

If they finish sooner than expected, encourage the partners to create a second placemat.

Move around the groups and listen to their ideas.

Story of Saitn Martin of Tours: Martin lived a long time ago. He became a soldier at a young age. Once cold night Martin met a man who was freezing. Martin cut his coat and gave half of it to the man. That same night Martin saw Jesus in a dream. Jesus was wearing half of Martin's coat. Martin became a Christian after his dream. Later he was made a bishop in France. As bishop, he helped many people. Saint Martin became on of the most important Church leaders of his time.

Make sure one child is not doing all the work or ignoring his or her partner's ideas. Laminate the placemats before delivering them.