Tropical Island Flora & Fauna
Create a replica of a tropical island, complete with palm trees, coral reefs, and other wildlife.
1. Find out details about a specific tropical island such as its weather, natural resources, and culture. Locate the island on a world map. What plants grow there? Which ones are delicious to eat? Does it have beautiful sandy beaches? A barrier reef? Create a replica of the island with authentic flora and fauna.
2. Work on a clean, dry surface such as a paper plate. Flatten a handful of Crayola Air-Dry Clay. Pinch the edges with your fingers to form a wavy shoreline. Then add realistic details. These are a few ideas to try. Use craft sticks or other tools to cut the clay. To attach pieces to each other, scratch with a toothpick and press. Add a few drops of water if the clay starts to dry.
3. Show the plants that live on your island. Make a palm tree by rolling out a log of clay. Flatten the trunk slightly. Make bark texture by pressing a clothespin end into it. Attach the tree to your island. Cut out oval palm leaves, score with a toothpick, add cross hatching for palm fronds, and attach. Form tiny balls of clay to make coconuts. Hang near the palm fronds. What other plants grow in abundance on your island? Create them, too.
4. Many tropical islands have coral reefs and other animal life. Make yours authentic! Roll out coral in short tubes and attach around the beach. Use a real shell as a mold to make sea shells. Press clay into it and gently pull off. Make fish by cutting ovals in flat clay. Add fins and tails. Add eyes with a toothpick. Cut out starfish and texture them. Add other miniature animals that live on or near your island. Air-dry your scene for at least 3 days.
5. Paint with Washable Watercolors and brushes to give your diorama a tropical look. Air-dry the paint. Add another coat for darker colors.
6. Spread Crayola Texture It! Tempera Mixing Medium to add roughness to sand and coconut shells. Cover sand with Glitter It! to make it glisten. Use Pearl It! on water or shells for a natural look. Air-dry your diorama before displaying.
Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.
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.
Crayola Washable Paints—Not for use as body/face paint.
Modeling Tools—Use the least dangerous point or edge sufficient to do the job. For example, craft sticks, plastic knives and forks, and cookie cutters can cut or carve modeling materials.
Wood—By its nature, wood is rough and may contain splinters or sharp points
- Find out how ocean currents affect your island’s climate.
- Taste a variety of fresh tropical fruits. Mark where they come from on a world map. What climate conditions are necessary for them to grow? How are they exported?
- Compare the differences in fish that live in colder and warmer water. Why are some more colorful? Make a compare and contrast diorama.
- Plant life is an integral part of ocean ecology. Even some larger fish species thrive only on plant life. Discuss the importance of the ocean food chain. Make a mural showing the food chain in one area of an ocean or for one large species.
- Assessment: Children create an authentic replica of the island they chose, including flora and fauna.
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