Science Landform Project:
Due Date:
q Create a map and a diorama in a pizza box to demonstrate landform meanings.
q Show and label landforms on both the map and the diorama using artistic and creative design. The diorama can be made from paper, clay, or salt dough.
Basic Project Requirements: (Any additional will add to grade!)
Create a landform diorama with the basic features in the bottom of a pizza box. (Add other features for extra credit. ) Create a map of your diorama including a map key and compass rose. Attach the map to the lid of the box.
q Mountain /Volcano
q Sea
q Desert
q Plain
q Lake
q Island
q Valley
q River •
Materials Suggested:
• Flour
• Salt
• Paint
• Paint brushes
• Tooth picks
• Sand
• Rocks
Paint.
Buy the correct color paint or use food coloring in the dough.
• Blue, for rivers and sea
• Brown, for top of mountains
• Green, for land
• White, if you want snow capped mountains
• Red for lava. Also use red seed beads or red glitter glue. •
Other Supplies.
• Pizza box, or box of similar size.
• Cardboard base, slightly smaller than the bottom of the box.
• Paper cup to mix sand and glue.
q Salt Dough Recipe
2 cups white flour
1 cup salt
1 cup boiling water
3 teaspoons of vegetable oil
Mix flour and salt
Add boiling water and oil. Stir with a spoon.
Knead when it is cool.
Store unused dough in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator. Let it warm to room temperature before using it.
Take only what you need and leave it in a sealed container when you are making your project.
q Remember to make a map key!
Use plastic toys and dolls to add interest to your landform diorama!
Assemble:
n Dough. Mix the dough. Two cups of flour will be enough to make three mountains and the plains for a 12 x 12 landscape (30 x 30 cm).
n Draw Map. Draw a rough map the same size as the base of your box. Copy this map on the cardboard that will be used for the base. It will be used to guide you in painting and placing your features. Do not create your project in the box.
Here are some ideas of how to make the features. Be sure to include all the features for the landform you chose.
n
n Mountains. Mountains should not be taller than 6 inches (15 cm). For mountains higher than two inches (five cm), make a cone by folding a piece of cardboard. Staple and tape it. Stuff with paper. Make sure that it can stand upright. Roll a piece of dough flat and cover the outside. Place it on the base and arrange all the mountains together. Then fill in the spaces between with dough until you have shaped your mountain.
n Volcano. Make sure that there is a depression in the top. You can even place a straw or tube in the center for a central vein.
n Valley. The valley is automatically formed between two mountains. Fill up the space between the mountains from the base at least an inch (2½ cm)
n Plains. Fill in the spaces between the mountains and the valley, following a gentle slope down to the sea. Use small pieces of dough and press them in or spread them with your fingers. Use the boundary lines of the map to know where to place the dough. Do not cover the sea, lakes, ponds or the desert with the dough.
n River. Draw the main river in the soft dough. The tributaries can be painted following the natural curved lines created when you made the plains.
n Labels, Trees and Accessories. While the dough is soft, use a toothpick to poke deep holes into all the places where trees or labels will be placed.
n Accessories. If you have miniature items like animals, put them in the soft dough so that they will make a permanent mark where they will be placed. Remove them and leave the holes to dry.
Let it dry over night.
If you allow the dough to dry before making all your holes, then add more soft dough and paint. Insert your trees or other items and allow to dry. This reshapes your landscape, so be careful.
n Green. Paint all of the dough green for land forms. Do not worry about going over the edges. Let it dry. Dab light green paint on the dark green to simulate grass.
n Brown. Paint the tops of the mountains brown or white.
n Blue. Paint the sea and lake on the cardboard or glue blue paper.
Paint the rivers or use blue glitter glue.
n Coast Line and Beaches. The sand will be used to hide the imperfections in your painting between the water and the land.
Mix glue and sand. Pour on the edges. You can add sand over this to give a more natural look. Use a stiff brush to sweep away the excess sand. Use tiny brush strokes to remove sand.
n Desert. Glue sand to the bottom. Pour loose sand on top to get a more realistic effect.
n Volcano. Use red glitter glue or, mix sand, glue and red paint. Squeeze out of a tube or pour on the top and let it slowly run down. Pour it only on one side if you want the lava to flow only from one side.
Stretch out a cotton ball so that it is thin. You can use a it to simulate smoke coming from the mountain. Glue to the top or to a tooth pick so that it rises a little above the top.
n Map. Use the rough map to draw your finished map. Your map should have the following:
- Color with construction paper or colored printer paper.
- Map key
- Compass
n Labels. Make labels. Cut along the solid lines. Fold the label in half at the dotted lines and glue a toothpick behind the dotted line. This creates a label that can be read from both sides.
n Accessories. Place your miniature items in the locations that you have created for them.
n Box.
- Cover or paint the box so that it looks attractive.
- Attach the map to the lid of the box with a glue stick.
- Attach the labels with your name and the name of the landform.
- Insert your three dimensional landform.
- Add the labels for your features and any miniature accessories.
n Map Example
Grading Rubric
q Exploring Landforms
Project Rubric
q Student's project includes diorama and map _____
q Student's project correctly represents landform types _____
q Student’s project includes all required basic landforms _____
q Student's project includes more than basic landforms ______
q Student's project shows effort with neatness_____
q Student's project shows creativity in project _____
q Total ______
3=Wonderful effort
2=Satisfactory effort
1=At least I tried
0 = Did not attempt