hab·i·tat (h
b
-tt
) n.
So we have studied up a bit on animal habitats recently for science and I was super excited to introduce the kiddos to one of my most favorite things to make as a kid in grammar school...the diorama!! Yes for some it may have been the most dreaded project, for myself it was most loved! Everything about creating a unique and tiny scene in a box brought me happiness as a kid. My mind felt as though it could literally jump into the little world, and experience it for myself. I was a very visual learner, so that is probably why I enjoyed it so much. That might be one of the biggest benefits to creating a diorama, is that it reinforces the concept or story being learned and kind of pulls it all together with a visual guide.
I figured the best starter concept using this project would be lessons on habitats. It’s pretty easy and basic enough to engage them with ideas and simple enough to approach. Ella chose the ocean. Here she is completing one of her worksheets on habitats.
Gavin decided that he wanted to do the desert. Here they are painting the outside of their boxes.
Gavin obviously was too excited to sit still… This project is also great because you can pull it together using so many various things that you might have on hand. We used everything from play-doh, paint, pipe cleaners, to bendaroos, shells and rock collections we have, dirt from outside, cotton, and beads. The possibilities are endless of course!
Gavin’s desert was coming together! So goes the normal course of one subject leading into another, as we were able to discuss the concept of a cactus referring to the singular and cacti in terms of more than one. Ella was quite perplexed over this fact, her mind has to know the who, what and why of it all. It’s just another one of those things!!
You can’t have too many snakes!
Ella was very thoughtful and particular about how she wanted her diorama to look. Gavin on the other hand just wanted to go for it. Doing these projects with them really brings out how much their minds differ at such a young age. Ella really likes to be guided through a lot and enjoy’s the one on one thing, while Gavin is the do-it-himself kind of kid. Just like his mama :). Once you tell him about it or he see’s something, he just runs with it!
Ella has a huge and beautiful imagination, which I just love about her. She does require more attention though when it comes to certain things. This fact has definitely helped me grow with patience! We literally made a big colorful mess this day but what’s the fun in a project if you can’t make a mess right?!
Ellas imaginative juices were flowing, and she decided that her box was actually a TV. She wanted to pretend that its her own underwater show to watch. We then had to equip it with an antenna and a remote for changing channels. Love her little mind!!
This desert looks dry enough to me!!
A fun and successful project for us, as agreed. They have a blast now watching their shows at the breakfast table in the morning…No commercial interruptions to top it!!
Now we will be following up specifically on the ocean habitat with a field trip down to Sea World with their Auntie and cousins down in San Diego! 🙂
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