Train Picture Frames

This one is an example of me using what is around. I tend to do so much better with figuring out what is around to use and then making a project, instead of thinking of a project and then getting the stuff for it. I'm the same way with cooking. I open up all the cupboards, and the fridge, figure out what I have and then come up with an idea of what I'm making for dinner.
I'm going to keep talking about that Transportation unit I did way back when. After cars we did Trains. Not that a lot of kids were going on trains over the holiday vacation, but it was a good way to tie in The Polar Express. I live in an area that recreates the Polar Express every year and at least half my class was talking about it. Now this is also the time of year that parents like gifts. I always kept to the rule, one holiday gift and one gift with a picture.
This was the one for the picture. A Train picture frame.
At the time I had a director that would come up with stuff that she got for free, and give it to me to do something with. She had just gotten these boxes of letters on circles. I think they were to personalize cards, or something like that.

I figured out (with help from Google image search) how to make some simple geometric pieces into a train. I cut out the pieces and made the big square piece into a frame. I then picked out all the letter for each child's name and put them in cups, all scrambled. I game them a cup with all the pieces and a cup with their name and a visual of how I made my own.

The then got to put them together. They did an amazing job, they got to use their deductions skills on what piece went where. They got to unscramble their name, putting each letter in the right order. And they got to build a train, all in the same project. Needless to say they were super excited to give them to their parents.

On the card that went with, I quoted each on what they wanted to say to their parents. Many commented on how cool the train was that they were bringing home or where they wanted to hang it. This was my favorite holiday project, especially because you wouldn't even know it was for the holidays.