Totem To Tell a Story
Kids are eager to learn about Canada's ancient and contemporary native artists. Here's how to sculpt a totem pole replica.
1. Totem poles traditionally are tall wood carvings of animal heads and/or bodies. They are used to tell stories or legends, as Native Peoples have for centuries. Only a few northwest Native Americans create these beautiful wood carvings, including the Canadian Haidas. Learn about Haida customs, their skill in carving beautiful and intricate totem poles, and how the wonders of nature inspire them to carve these designs.
2. To sculpt your own totem pole, use Crayola® Model Magic® to create four or five birds or animals. They might have beaks and feet, tails, or folded wings. If you use white Model Magic, color the totem pole using Crayola Washable Markers, either before or after sculpting.
3. Place the animals on top of each other, one at a time. For more stability, put toothpicks inside. At the top of the totem pole, you may wish to add a bird's wings, such as a thunderbird. Dry.
Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project.
Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough With Small Parts—
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—
- Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
- Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
- Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
- If the arts & crafts project involves making small objects, follow the small parts/choking hazards standards: WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years."
- The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
- Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
- Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient. Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic, and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Wood—By its nature, wood is rough and may contain splinters or sharp points
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