Designed for Dad's Door

Designed for Dad's Door lesson plan

Delight your dad with the perfect gift. This door hanger will guarantee him extra naptime, uninterrupted hours in the workshop, or some solitary tinkering in his garage.

  • 1.

    In W. Durham, North Carolina, from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, some houses displayed Do Not Disturb signs advising that a third shift mill worker slept there during the day. In most hotels today, Do Not Disturb signs are still used to give travelers extra time in their rooms with no interruptions. Here is one way to create a personalized sign your dad can hang on his door.

  • 2.

    Read about, then list and compare the many activities done by dads today who cook, clean, fix, read, play, and nap. Select one or more activities to represent on your Dad’s sign. Decide what your sign will say. You can warn people away, encourage them to come back later, or use the classic Do Not Disturb wording.

  • 3.

    To make a sign that hangs from a doorknob, use Crayola® Scissors to cut a file folder in half. Cut a short slit in the top exactly in the middle. With Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils, trace a circle below the slit, using the bottom of a plastic cup as a pattern. Cut out the circle.

  • 4.

    Choose a size and shape for your sign. Sketch it. Cut out your sign. Erase any extra pencil marks. Add colorful, multilayered frames to your sign. Use Crayola Washable Markers to draw several lines around the edges. Color between the lines with contrasting Crayola Twistables.

  • 5.

    Experiment with various letter forms and sizes. When you arrive at a pleasing arrangement of words, trace the letter outlines with markers. Fill in the letters with bright stripes or bold colors. Embellish some letters with additional colored dots and squ

  • 6.

    Decorate the sign with symbols reflecting your words, such as tools on a workshop sign or books on a library sign. Have fun adding your own personal touches. To complete your gift, wrap the door hanger, make a personalized card, and give your best to Dad!

Benefits

  • • Students compare and contrast various activities, roles, and responsibilities handled by their dads. </P>
  • • Students design Do Not Disturb signs as gifts for their fathers. </P>

Adaptations

  • • In 2004, Switzerland’s Jean Francois Vernetti owned the world’s largest collection of Do Not Disturb signs. Find out about his and other unusual collections. Start your own collection of items. </P>