Creative Activities For All To Enjoy
The below activities compliment the Peace Crane Project. We have something for everyone from creative book awards, to the Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki. Current activities are listed first and are followed by past activities.
Current Activities
Student T-Shirt Design Competion 2019!
Are you a student that would like to test your creative skills? Or are you a teacher or group leader of children aged between 5 and 18 years old? If so, then the Peace Crane Project T-Shirt Competition is for you! NEW for 2019, the Peace Crane Project invites students all around the world to design our official t-shirt.
Winners will be rewarded with an official shirt featuring their design in print!
FULL GUIDELINES AND TERMS:
Creative Book Awards!
The Creative Book Awards are designed to recognize books and book kits that promote creativity in kids. The awards are offered in two key categories:
- ages 6 to 12 years old
- ages 13 to 18 years old
Here are some past winners.
Winning books will be promoted to our 175,000+ followers on Facebook!
FULL GUIDELINES AND FAQ:
In 2017, we collected peace cranes folded and decorated by students all around the globe and launched them on a tour of the USA. The cranes have visited many schools, libraries, and community spaces and continue their journey today. They can currently be seen at Lotusland in Montecito, California and will be at the Mohonk Mountain House in New York this Fall.
Would your students like to contribute their creations to the Cranes Take Flight project? We choose ONE CRANE from each region of the world to include in the exhibit. Please send ONLY ONE CRANE to be included. If you would like to share more cranes, please join our Peace Crane Exchange. Thank you.
The Peace Crane Project
Cranes Take Flight
455 Por La Mar Circle
Santa Barbara CA 93103
Are your students reading The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki? Masahiro Sasaki, Sadako’s brother and the co-author of the book will be answering questions from your students. Videotaped questions preferred, but written questions are also welcome. Please contact us for more information.
When I launched the Peace Crane Project, I had never heard the story of Sadako. As teachers began to sign up, they told me they were reading Sadako’s story along with exchanging cranes through me. I ordered every book I could find about her and also searched through the websites in Japan, learning her life story. I was surprised to discover that the story most often told in the USA did not match the version her family told, or that the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum taught. This discovery launched a years-long quest to bring her true story to the English speaking world.
In 2017, our mutual friend, Miyuki Sohara introduced me to Masahiro Sasaki, Sadako’s older brother. I flew to Japan to meet him, spending as many hours as I could interviewing him and meeting with the staff at the Hiroshima Peace Museum. Masahiro and I decided to collaborate on a new book, working together to bring the Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki to the USA and beyond.
Now available online and at bookstores everywhere, you can read more about the book and Masahiro on our website.
Sue DiCicco
Past Activities
In 2015, Armed with the Arts Inc hosted a Poetry Slam, encouraging teens to perform their original poems.
Here’s our winner, Shaun D’souza from Bangalore, India.
In 2014, we decided to produce a sing-a-long, inviting all the students folding cranes to also sing for peace. Rubia Braun wrote an original song for the event! Over the course of many months, schools, community groups, and individuals uploaded clips for us to edit together. Here are the incredible results. Don’t miss our notations in the corners, alerting you to the countries these amazing kids (and a few grown-ups!) come from.
Huge thanks to everyone that participated. We can’t wait to create another one someday!
In 2015 one of our participants asked us to create a project to celebrate the new year. We considered snowflakes at first, but too many of our students were in the middle of summer! One of the challenges of a global project is how school schedules and seasons vary around the world. After some thought, we did a riff on a paper snowflake and designed this project to unite the children of the world.
While we do not actively promote this activity now, you are welcome to watch this instructional video and download the template anytime. These make a great item for exchanging, or just sharing with family and friends.
In 2018, we held a tiny crane folding contest to celebrate the launch of “The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki.” After WWII, paper was in short supply in Japan. In order to assure she had enough paper to fold the 1,000 cranes required to make her wish come true, Sadako never used a piece of paper bigger than 3” square. And some cranes she folded were no bigger than a grain of rice! We decided to challenge our participants in a tiny crane folding contest and WOW were we surprised by the many, many tiny cranes that arrived here.
Thanks to everyone that participated. Maybe we’ll do it again sometime. Meanwhile…
Here are the Winners!
Robbie Fernandez and Zachary Green, Ms. Krudzlo’s Class at DeMasi Elementary School in New Jersey USA
Aaron, Maya’s class in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Isabella Delany Scheirer, Ms.Kleppinger’s Art Class at Ritter Elementary School in Pennsylvania USA
and our Runner Ups:
Donald Rothman, Alaska USA
Nathan Goucher, Ms. Z’s Class in South Carolina USA
Kristin Poole, Texas USA
Ms. Avery’s Class at Long River Middle School in Connecticut USA
