Making Lady Liberty’s Torch

I cannot imagine what it must be like for immigrants to see the Statue of Liberty on their journey toward U.S. citizenship. To help my son understand all that Lady Liberty symbolizes, we read a few great books.

The first story, a fiction book by Eve Bunting, did an amazing job of talking about the symbolism of this great landmark. (It was hard for me to get through the book without choking up.) A family takes an annual ferry ride to Liberty Island at the request of the grandmother to commemorate the Statue of Liberty's birthday with a picnic.

When we were finished, I pulled out Marion Dane Bauer’s Ready-to-Read Level 1 Wonders of Americabook. Unlike the first book, this easy reader talked about the history and construction of the statue. My son was amazed to read that American schoolchildren donated dimes and nickels to buy the pedestal on which Lady Liberty stands!

After reading, we made our own version of the Statue of Liberty’s torch. I got this idea from Judy Press’ book Around-the-World Art & Activities.

What you need:

An empty paper towel tube

A small disposable cup

Aluminum foil

School glue and gluestick

Orange construction paper

2 toothpicks (optional)

1 flameless tealight

Cut a hole in the bottom of the disposable cup, the same diameter of the paper towel tube. Have your child slide it down the tube (1). Then, poke toothpicks in an X configuration through the top of the paper towel tube (2) about ½-inch down from the top of the tube (this will be what the tealight sits on). Clip off the ends of the toothpicks that are sticking out. Add school glue to the ends to secure them.

Tear pieces of orange construction paper. Glue the jagged paper to the inside of the top of the tube for the torch’s flame (3). Now, cover the tube and cup with glue, wrapping wide strips of aluminum foil over the entire torch (4). When the glue dries, add the flameless tealight to the top.