Royal Letter Seals

Send off top-secret, highly classified letters with a royal flair! Seal them like kings used to do, with bright red seals.

• 1.

  Long ago, people’s letters were hand-carried to recipients. To keep their words private, they folded the letter and put a spot of melted red wax over the edges. To prove they were the sender (and to reveal if the letter had been opened before it was delivered), they pressed their insignia or seal into the wax. Find examples of this practice in myths and history, such as in royal and military correspondence.

• 2.

  To make your own seal, roll a tiny ball of Crayola® Air-Dry Clay. Press it flat with your hands. Then press objects, such as a marker cap, coin, or leaf into the clay to make a pattern. Air-dry your seal at least 24 hours.

• 3.

  Cover your art area with newspaper. Paint your seal red with Crayola Tempera Paint and Brushes. Air-dry the paint.

• 4.

  Write an important letter with Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils. You can easily make corrections! Address the envelope and insert the folded letter.

• 5.

  Use Crayola School Glue to attach your red seal to the flap for maximum security. Air-dry the glue before you give your letter to a friend to deliver it.

Benefits

• Children research the history of wax seals.
• Children write a letter and address the envelope.
• Children simulate wax seals with contemporary media.

Adaptations

• Write letters in a language that children are studying rather than their first language.
• Recreate historical correspondence using sealed messages between military or government leaders.
• Write fiction about the adventures of ancient letter carriers.
• Research current postal systems in your own and other countries. How are they funded? Organized? How is mail delivered? How long does it take for letters to get to different destinations?
• Compare the use of wax seals to Internet security. How are they similar? Different?
• Assessment: Ask students to describe how they impressed a pattern on their seal. Review letters and envelopes for spelling, grammar, or other conventions.