Jay and Hector were making their way to the community center when Jay asked Hector,”What are you giving your father for Father’s Day”?

Hector looked surprised and then nervous and said, “Uh Oh…I need a Father’s Day gift for my pop”! Hector thought a bit more and then said, “I need one for my grandpa too! This is going to be expensive and I don’t have any money saved and Father’s Day is the 21st of June. That’s only a few weeks away. What am I going to do”?

“Take it easy, Hector”, answered Jay. “We can ask Miss Hattie, our crafts teacher, to help us make something for our dads and grandpas for Father’s Day.”

Just then they arrived at the community center and went to see Miss Hattie, the crafts instructor. Miss Hattie listened very carefully and said, “I have just the thing you can make for your dads and grandpas for Father’s Day. Something I know they will like…a decorated picture frame with a picture of you in it.” Hector looked concerned and said, “That sounds hard to do. I don’t think I can make a picture frame.” Miss Hattie smiled and said, “I have small wooden frames in my storage closet. You can each have two. All you need to do is decorate them with different shaped  pieces of small, dried pasta and dried beans.”

Jay asked, “Can we make them now Miss Hattie? Do you have paints and glue we can use”? Miss Hattie nodded and began handing the boys the supplies they needed: 4 small picture frames (one for a grandpa and one for a dad), containers of glue, dried beans, and small, dried pieces of pasta and non-toxic paints in different colors to paint the beans and the macaroni before gluing the pieces to the frame, and of course, the paint brushes.

Jay and Hector covered the crafts table with a plastic cloth. They chose the colors they wanted to use on the pasta and the beans and began painting. When the beans and pasta pieces were dry, Jay and Hector both laid out their pasta and beans and when they were satisfied that the frames looked the way they wanted them to, Miss Hattie guided them in gluing  each  piece in place.

Once the frames were completely dry, Miss Hattie gave each of the boys a box to put the frames in and take home with them.

Each of the boys thanked Miss Hattie and started for home feeling good about the gifts they made for their dads and grandpas for Father’s Day.