Make Your Paper Plate Rat Daughter

Have you ever heard the ancient Chinese story of “Rats Marrying Off Their Daughter?” Once upon a time, there were rat parents who wanted the best husband for their daughter. They started by suggesting the sun, but clouds could cover it. So, they proposed clouds, but the wind could blow them away. This continued until they thought a rat would be the most powerful groom. However, in many versions, the story ends with the daughter marrying a hungry tomcat who eats her. The moral is to be happy with what you have. Let’s make a rat bride, and think about if she were to marry to a cat, how would she escape and get free?

Materials

• paper plates
• watercolor palette
• paint brush
• scissors
• water cup
• markers
• white paper
• pencils
• pipe cleaner
• scissors

• Paint the centers of your plates in various colors.
• After they've dried, cut out these painted circles. Make a small hole in the center.
• Draw the upper body of the rat daughter, cut it out, and glue it onto the front of your pipe cleaner.
• Layer the paper plates onto the pipe cleaner to create a skirt for the rat daughter.