This project is great to do when you are ready to study colonial times. It can be done by younger grades, but you must be aware that ink stains and the younger the children the more likely they are to make a mess that isn't going to clean up well.
You will need the following items for this project:
- Raspberries (either frozen or fresh)
- Vinegar
- Baby food jars
- Salt
- Old Tin Can
- Plastic Gloves
- Quill or Calligraphy pen
- Paper
- Newspaper
- Aprons
You will need to follow the steps below to begin writing like a colonial boy or girl:
- Lay out some newspapers on your work area. If at all possible you should try this project outside. If you have an apron, you wil want to put it on as well as a pair of plastic gloves. You can get these gloves at any grocery store really cheap. They are on the isle with the cleaning supplies.
- Place your old tin can in front of you and set a strainer over the top of it.
- Pour your raspberries in the strainer and use your hands to push down on them. This will cause the raspberry juice to go in to the tin and it will leave all of the raspberry skin and pulp in the strainer. Scoop out your raspberry left overs in to a plastic bag and throw in the trash. Clean off your strainer as soon as possible if you don't want it to stain.
- Pour 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar in to your tin with the raspberry juice. Do you dye Easter eggs? If you do you many notice that they require you to add vinegar to your dye. This helps the dye stick to things like your paper or an egg.
- Mix together with a stick. You can find one outdoors. If you are going to only use this ink today then you are finished. If, however, you want to make the ink last like they would have in the olden days, you will need to add a little salt. Salt is a preservative and will keep your ink from becoming useless.
- Pour the ink in to little baby food jars for storage. Pretend the jars are ink wells.
- Use a quill or calligraphy pen to dip in to the ink and begin writing on your paper. If you only have a few pens you will have to share and take turns. Get a feel of what it was like to write a letter.
How long does the ink last on the pen before you have to dip it in and add more? How long do you think it would take before you have to make some more ink? Is writing easier or harder than your ball point pens? These are good questions to ask your students. Point out that today's technology has made everyday tasks a whole lot easier and that we should be grateful that we don't have to work at hard to get as much done. We should also appreciate what individuals had to do in order to get what they needed.
