1. Read your first letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Talk about what you like and dislike. You could make two lists, one for your likes and one for your dislikes. Then explain what you like or dislike about some of the items on your lists.
• Tell about your friends. What do you do together? What do you like about your friends?
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Draw a picture for your grandparent's scrapbook.
• On a sheet of white paper, draw a picture of you and your grandparent doing something fun together.
• On the bottom or back of this picture, describe what you are doing together. Why is it fun?
• Mention other things you would like to do with your grandparent.

4. Mail your letter and any things you make to your grandparent. Your parents may need to help you with mailing.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.

5. Make a "me" mobile.
• Construct a simple mobile of things you treasure: family, friends, foods, special favorites.
• Attach your treasures (pictures, drawings, or small objects) with glue or tape to cardboard or heavy paper that you will cut into different shapes.
• Punch a hole in the top of each shape and attach a piece of yarn or string to it. On the back of each picture, write why it is special.
• Attach the shapes with yarn or string to a coat hanger.

6. Make a collage.
• Draw an outline of a shape (circle, square, etc.) on a piece of construction paper.
• Use drawings or magazine pictures to show your hobbies, interests, and places you like to visit.
• Paste these over the outline shape as a collage, overlapping the edges.
• Write a description of the pictures, if you wish.

1. Read the second letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Talk about growing up—tell about games you play, sports you like, school activities, and other things you like to do.
• Tell about your family. What kinds of things do you do together?
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Make a "family tree" for your grandparent's scrapbook.
• Draw a picture of a tree on a sheet of paper.
• Include the trunk, branches, leaves, and roots.
• On the back of your picture, write the names of family members who belong to your "family tree," including your parents, brothers, sisters, and other relatives.
• If you are not sure what a "family tree" is, ask your parents for help.

4. Mail your letter and the things you make to your grandparent.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.)

5. Decorate your scrapbook.
• If you have a scrapbook of things your grandparent is sending you, take time to decorate it.

6. Send a picture.
• Find a picture of yourself or your family that you can give to your grandparent.
• Attach it to a sheet of paper.
• Write about the picture.

7. Make a life line.
• On a long strip of paper, draw a heavy horizontal line representing "life."
• Mark "birth" and the date at the left end.
• Mark significant events, achievements, and other points along the line.
• If you wish, add pictures, mementos, or brief descriptions to explain these points.

1. Read your third letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Talk about people in your life who make you feel special because they care about you and do nice things for you.
• Tell about times when you gave to others or shared with them and how you felt about doing this.
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Make a "love flower" for your grandparent's scrapbook.
• Cut a circle out of construction paper and write your grandparent's name in the middle.
• Make a flower by adding petals, leaves, and a stem.
• On each of the leaves and petals, write something you like or appreciate about your grandparent.
• Glue this "love flower" to a piece of paper.
• Briefly explain your flower on the back of the paper.

4. Mail your letter and the things you make to your grandparent.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.)

5. Make a puzzle as an exchange gift.
• Paste a picture of yourself, your house, your pet, or something else of interest to you onto heavy paper or lightweight cardboard.
• Cut it into a variety of shapes to use for puzzle pieces.

6. Make a bookmark from felt.
• Paste on your grandparent's initials.
• Or make a bookmark mouse by cutting an oval of felt and making felt eyes and ears. Glue on a strand of yarn for a tail.

7. Paint a picture on a scrap of wood.
   
8. Create a poem or a short story.
• Describe an experience you have had with giving.
• Illustrate it with your own drawings or with pictures cut from magazines.

1. Read your fourth letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Tell about a time when you acted courageously. How did you feel about what happened?
• Talk about the chores you are responsible for.
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Make something for your grandparent's scrapbook.
• On a sheet of paper, complete a sentence such as, "It takes a lot of courage to…" or "Responsibility is important because…"
• Illustrate your statements with drawings or pictures from magazines.

4. Or write a poem or a short story about courage.
   
   
5. Mail your letter and the things you make to your grandparent.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.)

6. Make up a fantasy about the future.
• Draw a picture or write a story about something you would like to do in the near future or when you grow up.
• Write a brief explanation of how courage or responsibility may play an important part in this dream.

7. Make a picture about responsibilities as you grow.
• Cut out pictures from magazines of challenges you may face as you grow up.
• Glue these pictures to sheets of paper.
• Under these pictures, describe how you feel about these challenges.

1. Read your fifth letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Describe what you think are the major changes in a person's life as they become older adults. Identify problems you think grandparents may have. What skills might actually improve with age?
• Tell about elderly people you know who have special skills or who are very active. What is special about your grandparent?
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Make a picture for your grandparent's scrapbook.
• Draw a picture of some activity you think is interesting or would like to see your grandparent try.
• Write a brief explanation of your drawing.

4. Mail your letter and the things you make to your grandparent.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.)

5. Make a mosaic.
• Save eggshells; wash and dry them. Dip the shells into food coloring, using several colors. Spread them out to dry. Crush the eggshells after they are dry. Draw a design on a sheet of paper and glue the crushed, colored eggshells onto the paper to make a mosaic. To do this, glue them with their edges almost touching each other.

6. Make a "grandpicture."
• Draw a portrait of your grandparent, using pictures you have of him or her. On the back, write things you like about your grandparent.

1. Read your sixth letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Tell about a time when you lied or wanted to lie. How did you feel about lying?
• Describe a time when someone lied to you. How did you feel about this?
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Make a drawing for your grandparent's scrapbook.
• Draw the outline of several balloons on a piece of paper.
• Inside each balloon, write a truthful statement, such as, "I really like you," or "I am your grandson."

4. Mail your letter and the things you make to your grandparent.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.)

5. Tell a "tall tale."
• Write your own tall tale. Be outrageous in your descriptions by making up a wild story. You could describe something that really happened to you or you can invent something.
• Ask your grandparent to guess whether your story is true or is a tall tale (false).

6. List your special commitments.
• Make a list of ways you keep special commitments to your friends, showing them you are a true friend.

1. Read your seventh letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Make a list of helpful things you do for your parents, neighbors, teachers, and friends. How do you feel when you do these things?
• Describe things that people do for you that help you. How do you feel when people help you?
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Make a drawing for your grandparent's scrapbook.
• Draw a picture of you helping your grandparent with a task.
• At the bottom of the page, tell what is happening in the picture.

4. Mail your letter and the things you make to your grandparent.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.)

5. Go for a nature walk.
• Collect interesting twigs, rocks, leaves, or other nature objects.
• Arrange the rocks and other things to make "helpful" people or objects.
• Add decorative touches with paint to indicate eyes, nose, hair, and other body features.

6. Make a print of "helping hands."
• Paint (with washable kind) the palms of your hands and fingers.
• Make a print on a sheet of paper.
• Explain at the bottom of the page the ways these hands can be helpful.

1. Read your eighth letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Talk about competing, maybe in sports or exhibiting at fairs. Describe how you feel about competing.
• Tell about times when you won and lost. Were you a good or a bad winner or loser?
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Make a drawing for you grandparent's scrapbook.
• Enlarge the illustration (below) of the first-place ribbon on a piece of construction paper. Cut it out and write #1 or 1st Place in the center.
• Or gather a length of ribbon and cover a button with ribbon, making a #1 in the center. Attach the gathered ribbon to the bottom to make a rosette. Attach streamers at the bottom with glue.
• Attach the ribbon to a piece of paper for the scrapbook.
• On this paper, write the reasons why you think your grandparent is #1 for you.

4. Mail your letter and the things you make to your grandparent.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.)

5. Compare collages.
• See if you can improve upon the collage your grandparent sent you. If you can, explain on the back of the picture what improvements you made on his or her collage.
• Or make your own collage. Cut small, angular pieces from assorted colors of tissue paper. Glue an overlapping collage design on paper or cardboard. Frame it. Explain your collage on the back.

6. Improve in competition.
• Make a list of activities that you compete in.
• After each item, write a brief explanation of ways you can improve in this activity.

1. Read your ninth letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Tell about a time when you were involved in a fight or disagreement. What happened? How did you resolve the conflict?
• Discuss ways to resolve conflicts. How do you resolve your conflicts or problems with parents or friends?
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Make a drawing for your grandparent's scrapbook.
• Draw a picture of a time when you were in a fight or hurt by someone. At the bottom of your picture, describe what happened to you and show how you resolved the conflict.

4. Mail your letter and the things you make to your grandparent.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.)

5. Make up a secret code.
• Your grandparent may send you a secret code for the first 13 letters of the alphabet. If so, you can finish the code by making up the last 13 letters. For example, if the letters L=1, E=9, V=!, and O=&, then what does this say in code—1&!9?

6. Make a peace banner.
• You need fabric or felt, colored or plain paper, and crayons or watercolors.
• Decide on a peace design, such as illustrated here.
• Create a banner using your design.

1. Read your last letter from your grandparent.
   
2. Write your return letter.
• Talk about some of the times you were sad and what you did to deal with your feelings.
• Talk about things that make you feel happy.
• Tell your grandparent what you liked about your letter exchange. What did you learn about yourself and your grandparent? Tell your grandparent how you feel about him or her.
• Include anything else you think is important or interesting.

3. Make a drawing for your grandparent's scrapbook.
• Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner across a sheet of paper.
• Paste a yellow construction paper sun in the upper half and a blue construction paper cloud on the lower half.
• Cut out pictures from magazines that show something that brightens or saddens you.
• Paste these pictures onto the upper or lower parts of the page, depending on the feelings you assign them.
• On the back of the page, explain why these things brighten or sadden your day.

4. Mail your letter and the things you make to your grandparent.

Additional Optional Activities

(Choose as many as you want.)

5. Make "feelings" badges.
• Design badges of various sizes and shapes.
• Attach labels of feelings, such as "sad," "mad," "scared," and "happy," to them.
• Find pictures in magazines to match these feelings.

6. Make a "tree of life."
• Design the trunk and branches of a tree on a large sheet of paper.
• Make some leaves of construction paper.
• Label some of the leaves with names of living things.
• Attach these to the branches.
• Label the other leaves with names of things that have died, and place them on the ground under the tree.