Keilor Downs Pre School

How To:

Kindergarten children at Keilor Downs Kindergarten culminated a 10 week project learning about dinosaurs through making their own dinosaur model.

• They began by using posters and books to choose which dinosaur they wished to make.
• They then sought empty boxes, paper plates, egg cartons, cardboard tubes, cones, tubs and other assorted 'junk' materials' to emulate the various characteristics of the dinosaur they had chosen and created their model by sticking the items together with masking tape.
• Some adult assistance was needed to help with holding materials together while masking tape was applied.
• Once all the models had been assembled (and some imagination was required to 'see' the dinosaur), this took a week
• The children were taught how to take a small piece of 'modroc', dip it into the water and spread it over their model.
• Many learnt this skill with ease and enjoyed the experience of working with such a messy material.
• It took another week for all the children to cover their dinosaurs with the modroc
• Then hung to dry from the ceiling to dry (we used fishing line which we attached prior to the dinosaur hardening completely).
• When the models were thoroughly dry, the children were able to paint them.
• Another week passed as all the children carefully painted their masterpieces.
• The final week of term was 'sealing' the paint and ensuring a glossy finish to their model which was achieved through entirely covering the model with pva.
  

Diana Heatherich
Teacher