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Creative Shoebox Diorama Ideas
for the School Season
Shoebox Dioramas
are a part of every school year and in just about every
grade they serve as a wonderful learning tool. They are used
to learn the arts and crafts of making things and they are
used to also learn about subjects. This article shows you
some creative ideas from both the arts and crafts aspect and
the learning aspect.
The Arts and Crafts of Shoebox Dioramas
There are a lot of
common ways to make a shoebox diorama and they include tape,
glue, construction paper and all the regular assortment of
arts and crafts stuff but there are a few things you can do
to make a diorama just a little bit special. Here is a list
of ideas: If you are doing an underwater scene you can
cover the front of the box with Saran Wrap or thin plastic.
This gives the diorama an underwater feel Use string to
utilize the full three dimensions inside the box; suspend
objects from strings or tie strings from side to side and
top to bottom and attach objects to the strings. This works
well for flying objects like bird, pterodactyls or even
clouds and stars. Cut slots in the back and top of the box
and use this to insert objects that you can move across the
diorama. Make a bird, boat, comet or some other type of
moving object then attach a tab to the back of it. Insert
this tab in the slot then you can grab the tab from the back
and slide the object across the diorama. This adds a nice
little interactive element. This works well with all kinds
of things from a rising sun, flying bird, erupting volcano
or just about anything else that would move. Think outside
the shoebox! There is no need to run out and buy a new pair
of shoes if you dont have a shoebox. A more than adequate
box can be made from scraps of cardboard or even a few
cereal boxes cut and taped together. And there is no need to
make a typical shoebox shape. Be creative in the shape you
make. It adds a dimension of interest to the project. Half
round, amphitheatre shapes are commonly used for dioramas
and look great. Achieving Depth The most common trait of
an average shoebox diorama is that it has a decorated
background and objects placed on the bottom surface. You can
add an attractive touch by decorating a strip of paper that
is about two inches wide with a foliage pattern then attach
this to the inside bottom of the diorama about an inch from
the back wall - it reaches all the way from the left side to
the right side. This adds a lot of depth and makes it look
much more interesting. Using alternate materials You
dont have to use cardboard or boxes. As an example, if you
are doing a polar bear or penguin diorama you could use
white packing Styrofoam. If you are doing a desert scene you
can apply glue to the bottom of the diorama and sprinkle
real sand on it.
Theme Ideas and Learning Tools
The biggest point
of a shoebox diorama is to show a natural habitat of
something. In the process of drawing and cutting out the
various objects a child is learning about the habitat. This
is great but you can take it to new levels with a little
thought and a little creativity. Freezing a moment in time
A diorama is a moment in time and you can focus on this.
Some good examples are you can have a meteor streaking
across the sky of a dinosaur diorama; this explains a theory
of extinction. Or you can show a large predator fish about
to eat a smaller fish as it is eating something even
smaller. This dramatic moment in time is a good display of
the food chain. Interactions in a habitat The focus of a
diorama is often to correctly identify and place the right
objects for a natural habitat but you can take this to a new
level by focusing on the interactions within the habitat.
The upper layer of canopy in a rainforest blocks out
sunlight from the lower layers and this is an important
aspect of the rainforest. A coral reef provides shelter for
many creatures in the sea and a diorama can display this.
Adding a Fact Sheet This is a great tool that should be
added to every diorama. You should make a fact sheet that
can be glued to poster board and stood up near the diorama.
The sheet explains the basic facts of what the diorama is
about.
Diorama Ideas
Here are some
ideas you can use as a theme for your diorama The Natural
Habitat of just about any creature like fish, polar bears,
black bears, penguins, wolves, humans, dinosaurs, camels,
lions, tigers, monkeys, elephants, dolphins, and well you
get the idea! A Desert theme complete with pyramids,
mummies and camels is fun A Rainforest is a good diorama
for teaching about diversity and the interaction of species
An astronomy diorama complete with sun, planets, comets,
and stars in the background A medieval Castle scene
complete with catapult or dragon Underwater scenes are
always popular Arctic themed dioramas are fun because of
the creative options for snow and icebergs. Whatever diorama
you choose to make you should take a little time to make it
different and unique and there are lots of creative ways to
do that. Have fun with your project! Visit the authors
diorama site where you can find lots of videos, tutorials,
and ideas for making dioramas.
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