Westward With the Vikings!
Leif Ericson and his Vikings may have been the first Europeans to come to Newfoundland. Sail on a legendary journey in your own sturdy ship.
1. In about 1000 Leif Ericson traveled from Norway to Iceland to Greenland and on to the shores of today’s Newfoundland. The Vikings undoubtedly endured rough seas as they explored unknown waters. Imagine the ingenuity of those long-ago Norse shipbuilders! Find information and pictures of Viking ships and then create a replica. Here are a few suggestions.
2. Build the ship. Fold poster board in half. Use Crayola® Erasable Colored Pencils to draw the ship’s body. The stems and sterns of Viking ships always were carved figures, usually dragons. Cut out your ship with Crayola Scissors. Color it with the colored pencils and Erasable Colored Pencils. Erase to create details and highlights such as wood grain and carvings.
3. Add oars. Color craft sticks with Twistables. Attach oars on both sides of the ship with Crayola School Glue.
4. Hoist the sail! Draw, color, and cut out a large paper sail and several flags. Glue flags to both sides of the ship. Glue the sail on a craft stick or plastic straw. Glue it in middle of the ship. Glue the ship’s ends together. Air-dry before you sail the high seas!
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.
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
- If possible, visit museums to see replicas of early sailing ships. Children with special needs may especially benefit from seeing 3-D models.
- On a map, plot the route the Vikings may have taken. How long would the voyage have taken in ideal weather?
- Research the Viking people to find out about their lives as merchants, navigators, shipbuilders, artists, explorers, and warriors.
- Find out about L’Anse aux Meadows, a Canadian national historic site. It is where remnants of Norse sailors and their camp where discovered in 1960 by Helge and Anne Ingstad.
- Assessment: Look for accurate details, evidence of problem solving in the construction, and use of erasures to create design highlights.
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