Building Boats

crayola supplies

Model Magic®
Pointed Tip Scissors

household supplies

toothpicks - wooden
craft sticks

Why?

"Sail away" on miniature Crayola® Model Magic boats you research and create yourself!

Steps

1. Sailboats have been used for at least 5000 years. Ancient Egyptians drifted down the Nile with the current, then raised their sail to go back up the river. The Chinese invented a way to change wind. Canoes (kenu means dugout) were developed by the Carib Indians and other Native Americans over thousands of years. Rafts, kayaks, and many other types of early boats are also still used today.
2. Choose any type of boat that interests you. Research information about the boat's origins, the materials with which it is made, variations in design, and other details. Find photographs that show the boat's interior and exterior construction.
3. Sculpt a model of your boat with bright colors of Crayola Model Magic. Use your fingers to shape its basic structure and shape. Attach smaller pieces to the boat with a dampened finger. Use a craft stick to etch designs or shape parts of the craft.
4. To make sails, cut red (the traditional sail color) or white construction paper into a triangle or rectangle with Crayola Scissors. Push wooden toothpick masts through the sails. Press the toothpick into a mound of Model Magic in the boat. For large sails, use dowel sticks to hold up the sails.
5. For oars or paddles, flatten Model Magic, using toothpicks or craft sticks for supports if needed. You may also need to make paddlewheels, smokestacks, small lifeboats, or other designs to create an authentic replica.

adaptations

Pretend you are the captain of your boat, the pilot of your ship, or a fisher on a small craft. Write an imaginary journal about your career. Tell about your adventures on a river, lake, or the high seas.

Visit a marina, ferry station, or a military or commercial port. Watch the boats come and go, unloading cargo and people. What jobs are people doing? What equipment do you see on the boat? On shore? Can you find an anchor? Compass?

Interview a sailor, boat builder, canoeist, or other boater. What safety precautions do they take? How do they prepare their boat for the water? What is their most memorable moment on the boat?

benefits

Students research different types of boats in various time periods and cultures.

Students locate photographs and information about construction details of one type of boat.

Students use their research as the basis for designing and modeling a 3-dimensional boat.

grades

Grades 1 to 3
Grades 4 to 6
Grades 7 to 12

subjects

Math
Science
Social Studies
Visual Arts

time

Less than 1/2 hour
30 to 60 minutes

curriculum standards links

US: Research U.S. Standards
UK: Research UK Standards
Canada: Research Canada Standards

safety guidelines

Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—

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.
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.

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.

Wood—By its nature, wood is rough and may contain splinters or sharp points