Unknown Soldier Diorama
Honor Unknown Soldiers with a memorial. Make a replica of a landmark tomb or design an original structure.
1. Research the Internet for information about tombs for unknown soldiers in countries including Canada, France, the United States, and Australia. Sketch your design for a memorial to an unknown solder with Crayola® Colored Pencils, or use a picture for reference if you are making a replica of a tomb.
2. Cover your art area with newspaper. On white construction paper or watercolor paper, use Crayola Watercolors and Watercolor Brushes to create a background or base for your diorama. You might choose a park-like scene with trees and bushes, an open sea, or some other setting. Dry.
3. Using white Crayola Model Magic, create the structure to honor an unknown soldier. To create a marbled effect, lightly knead color from a Crayola Washable Marker into some white Model Magic. For a granite effect, add marker color and some aquarium gravel. Experiment with creating other stone looks. Dry.
4. With Crayola Fine Tip Markers, write the inscription found on the tomb on white construction paper. Cut it out with Crayola Scissors. Attach it to the tomb with Crayola School Glue.
5. On white construction paper, draw details of the memorial. For example, in the U.S. there are three marble slabs found on the Memorial Plaza in front of the Tomb, representing WW II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
6. Create a memorial wreath of flowers with Model Magic. To create different colors, rub a marker on it and knead the color into the Model Magic. Continue this process several times to achieve the shade you wish. Glue the wreath to a piece of round cardboard to add stability. Glue it to cotton swabs to create a stand. Dry.
7. On white construction paper, sketch and color an honor guard dressed in the style of military uniform worn in the country where the tomb is located. Cut out the guard.
8. Place a recycled box on its side. Glue the watercolor painting inside the box. Glue the other parts of the memorial in place. Dry.
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.
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.
- Offer pictures for reference and if possible plan field experiences for students with special needs or those who may be unfamiliar with these structures. Encourage them to make sketches or take photographs to record what they see.
- Students sculpt other memorials to historic figures such as the Washington Monument or Lincoln Memorials using Crayola® Model Magic®.
- Students create a watercolor picture of a large cemetery showing thousands of graves.
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