Fun & Games
“Old Ironsides” Activity Book
Prepare to set sail on a seafaring adventure. Explore the life of a young sailor on board USS Constitution during the War of 1812 from recruiting to battle to victorious homecoming. Tie a knot, try a sailor’s recipe, tell a tall tale, and test your courage in battle.
Come join USS Constitution‘s War of 1812 crew. All healthy, strong, and brave souls are welcome to apply and sail against the enemy for “free trade and sailors’ rights.”
USS Constitution is a massive and complex fighting machine and it takes 450-500 men to keep her at sea. Meet your shipmates and find out how you compare to the average 1812 sailor.
Discover the skills and teamwork required to operate USS Constitution 24 hours a day. From the cook to the topman, everyone’s job on a warship is interrelated and important.
An enemy ship has been spotted! Prepare for battle and learn how USS Constitution gains her lasting nickname of “Old Ironsides” against the British ship, HMS Guerriere.
News of Constitution‘s victory spreads quickly. Receive a hero’s welcome and learn about the fates of your fellow shipmates after the War of 1812.
Hands-On Activities
Explore USS Constitution‘s 1812 Captains and the battles they fought in this rythming crossword puzzle.
Part of the Midshipmen’s education on board was navigation, or learning to determine Constitution’s location and direction at sea. Make your own navigation tool to measure the height of an object above the horizon.
Try your hand at commanding a crew like Captain Hull with this fun nautical version of “Simon Says.”
Are you ready for a promotion? Test your seafaring knowledge in this family-friendly board game.
Cook up this sweet treat that sailor’s enjoyed when they had leftover ship’s biscuit and molasses.
Color and send your love across the sea – or town – with this postcard version of Gordon Grant’s popular 1925 print of USS Constitution.
Another popular sailor dish with flour, raisins, molasses, and sugar. Sailors would have made this themselves, but had to be patient since this doughy mixture takes four hours to cook.
Print out and cook your own ship’s biscuit – a hard piece of bread that stays good out at sea for years.
Midshipmen had to keep a copy of the Ship’s logbook. In each logbook entry, they recorded the date, weather, and major events that happened that day. Print out and make your own logbook to record what’s going on in your life!
A ship would be nothing without its crew! Print and color in your own LEGO® Constitution crew members.
Build USS Cassin Young out of LEGO® bricks with step-by-step instructions created by the USS Constitution Museum.
Build USS Constitution out of LEGO® bricks with step-by-step instructions created by the USS Constitution Museum.
Are you ready to have a blast? Make your own miniature cannon with an old film container and some Alka-Seltzer® tablets. Note! Adult supervision required.
As early as 1797, Marines wore a stiff collar called a “stock.” Keep your head held up high by making your own version of this important uniform piece.
Separated from family and friends ashore, sailors considered the ship, home, and their shipmates, family. Try your hand at origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, to create a model of the sailors’ home afloat.
Try your hand at origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, to create this paper ship model that floats!
Follow along to create your own paper boat that will float in water! For extra waterproofing, cover the outside with tape.
Make the Museum’s mascot, Guerriere the Terrier, using these origami directions. Once you finish, make sure to give him a personality by coloring his eyes and nose.
To be effective in battle, Marines learned to work and move together. Gather a group together and practice marching like a Marine!
From stars to wood, USS Constitution is built and uses several materials found in nature to sail. Can you find these items in your own backyard?
Add your own flare to one of the USS Constitution Museum’s most treasured set of paintings – George Ropes’ Constitution vs. Guerriere battle scene.
Constitution’s officers wore fancy hats called “chapeau-bras.” Make your own paper version of this impressive hat and show your friends who is in charge!
“Going to Boston” was a popular dice game on land and at sea. It’s a simple game that can be played almost anywhere.
Create your own poppy flower out of paper to remember and honor those who sacrificed their lives in military services to their country.
Say “Forever Yours” with this color-your-own greeting card based on a popular 19th century souvenir – the sailor’s valentine.
Sailors are known for spinning yarns (telling tall tales) about dramatic adventures they’ve had and outrageous things that they have seen. Work with a friend to fill in these stories and then have fun reading your new tall tale.
Print out our Signal Flag Decoding Chart and start challenging your friends and family to decode your encrypted message.
Development of the Old Ironsides Activity Book was made possible through federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Illustrations copyright Stephen Biesty, 2009-2010. Text copyright USS Constitution Museum and Richard Platt, 2009-2012.
