On Aztec Terraces

crayola supplies

Markers
Model Magic®
No-Run School Glue
Pointed Tip Scissors
Construction Paper
Giant Floor Pad

household supplies

toothpicks - wooden
recycled boxes

Why?

How did people grow their food long ago? Discover how much (or how little) farming has changed with a realistic diorama.

Steps

1. Find out about early farming methods such as terraces, fertilization, crop rotation, and irrigation. What agricultural practices were used in different areas? Which are still used today? Make a diorama showing one or more of these methods. Here’s how we made our sample of Aztec terraces.
2. Set the scene. Line the inside of the box with white paper. With Crayola® Markers, decorate the inside of a box to look like terrain in the area you are showing. Draw mountains, lakes, or other features.
3. Fold construction paper into stairstep terrace cornfields. Attach terraces to the box with Crayola School Glue. Air-dry terraces.
4. Add details. Cut corn stalks and ears from construction paper with Crayola Scissors. Glue on toothpicks. Air-dry before poking toothpicks into paper layers. Mold any extra people or landscaping with Crayola Model Magic. Air-dry sculptures overnight before gluing them into the scene.

adaptations

Create a tabletop display to contrast past and present farming practices.

Collect and display seeds from various crops. On a map, indicate the area in which they were first grown and the names of the indigenous people.

Find out about crops indigenous to your area. Who first grew them? What crops have been imported?

Assessment: Describe the diorama’s location, farming practices, and crops grown to classmates. How accurate and interesting is the presentation?

benefits

Children research the origins and benefits of early farming practices such as terraces, fertilizers, crop rotation, and irrigation.

Students find out which crops were grown with these methods and where they were introduced and used.

Students create a realistic diorama showing the terrain, crops, and methods used to grow the crop.

grades

Grades 1 to 3
Grades 4 to 6

subjects

Language Arts
Social Studies
Visual Arts

time

30 to 60 minutes
Multiple Sessions

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