Explore Alaska’s amazing features with a biome triorama watercolor project. Also, look at my page Trioramas: How To Create Engaging Visual Narratives For Kids for more ideas. Too, you’ll love my page 4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas.
This triorama is a fantastic way to highlight the uniqueness of 3 different biomes.
Alaska is a state of stunning natural beauty, from the tundra to the forests to its rich coastline, there is rich variety all over its land.
We are going to explore some of it a little deeper, including 4 amazing biomes with their unique features, flora, and fauna.
Then, we are recreating 3 of them in a biome triorama using watercolor paper, watercolors, and 1 or 2 small plastic animals to represent each one.
First, look at these books.
BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT ALASKA
13 Alaska Books for Kids Who Love to Be Read to and Love to Read
Add some of these books about the beautiful state of Alaska to your learning day or to your unit study about Alaska.
To live in a pristine land unchanged by man...to roam a wilderness through which few other humans have passed...to choose an idyllic site, cut trees, and build a log cabin...to be a self-sufficient craftsman, making what is needed from materials available...to be not at odds with the world, but content with one’s own thoughts and company...
Thousands have had such dreams, but Dick Proenneke lived them. He found a place, built a cabin, and stayed to become part of the country. One Man’s Wilderness is a simple account of the day-to-day explorations and activities he carried out alone, and the constant chain of nature’s events that kept him company. From Dick’s journals, and with firsthand knowledge of his subject and the setting, Sam Keith has woven a tribute to a man who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond.
Ten-year-old Frederika (Fred for short) doesn't have much faith that the new teacher in town will last very long. After all, they never do. Most teachers who come to their one-room schoolhouse in remote, Alaska leave at the first smell of fish, claiming that life there is just too hard.But Miss Agnes is different -- she doesn't get frustrated with her students, and she throws away old textbooks and reads Robin Hood instead! For the first time, Fred and her classmates begin to enjoy their lessons and learn to read and write -- but will Miss Agnes be like all the rest and leave as quickly as she came?
The Alaskan wilderness is a lonely place for Mark Andersen, especially after the death of his older brother, Jamie. But in time Mark finds someone else to love--Ben, an Alaskan brown bear so huge that no one else dares come near him. Gentle Ben has been a favorite of readers of all ages for 25 years, and is a timeless story of a rare friendship.
It's 1934, and times are tough for Trip's family after the mill in their small Wisconsin town closes, leaving her father unemployed. Determined to provide for his family, he moves them all to Alaska to become pioneers as part of President Roosevelt's Palmer Colony project. Trip and her family are settling in, except her mom, who balks at the lack of civilization. But Trip feels like she's following in Laura Ingalls Wilder's footsteps, and she hatches a plan to raise enough money for a piano to convince her musical mother that Alaska is a wonderful and cultured home. Her sights set on the cash prize at the upcoming Palmer Colony Fair, but can Trip grow the largest pumpkin possible--using all the love, energy, and Farmer Boy expertise she can muster?
After severely injuring Peter Driscal in an empty parking lot, mischief-maker Cole Matthews is in major trouble. But instead of jail time, Cole is given another option: attend Circle Justice, an alternative program that sends juvenile offenders to a remote Alaskan Island to focus on changing their ways. Desperate to avoid prison, Cole fakes humility and agrees to go.
While there, Cole is mauled by a mysterious white bear and left for dead. Thoughts of his abusive parents, helpless Peter, and his own anger cause him to examine his actions and seek redemption—from the spirit bear that attacked him, from his victims, and, most importantly, from himself.
Set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart -- he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone -- but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.
It is November, and for the gray wolves of the Toklat Pass in Alaska, the hunt is on. It is time to harvest the sickly, weak, or old caribou as the herd migrates through the pass. It is also a time to test the survival skills of the young wolf pups.
In Thirteen Moons - a spellbinding wildlife series - Newbery Award-winning author Jean Craighead George has captured 13 North American animals in their natural environments and chronicled their fight for survival. From the lush Florida Everglades to the fertile Canadian east, this series explores the intricate relationships among animals, plants, and the ever-changing environment in which they live. A favorite of adults and children alike, George's entertaining and educational tales of nature alive and in action - Julie, Shark Beneath the Reef, and Julie of the Wolves - have thrilled listeners for a generation. Barbara Caruso's inspired narration captures the vitality and harsh reality of life on the hunt.
In the far northern parts of the world, near and above the Arctic Circle, summer days are very long. In Barrow, Alaska, for example, the sun rises in May and sets 83 days later, in early August. During this time, the sun shines all through the night. People call it the midnight sun. When the midnight sun is shining, people and animals stay active even at night. This sweet poetic narrative, illustrated by award-winner Jeremiah Trammell, showcases the many pleasures of this unique time as a little girl dances, fishes, plays games, watches moose and fox, and communes with family and nature.
Based on an actual real-life encounter with a bull mouse, author-illustrator Jim Arnosky provides music for read-aloud rhymes and entertaining illustrations of his adventure in the woods.
Focuses on the land, animals, plants, and climate of Alaska, presenting it as an example of a place where it is so cold your hair can freeze and break off.
Based on the true story of the heroic dogs who saved countless lives in Alaska in 1925, this classic tale is a thrilling adventure and a history lesson all in one.Togo wasn't meant to be a sled dog. He was too feisty and independent to make a good team member, let alone a leader. But Togo is determined, and when his trainer, Leonhard Seppala, gives him a chance, he soon becomes one of the fastest sled dogs in history! His skills are put to the ultimate test, though, when Seppala and his team are called on to make the now-famous run across the frozen Arctic to deliver the serum that will save Alaska from a life-threatening outbreak of diphtheria.
Next, let’s learn about each biome and what makes it unique in Alaska.
THE TUNDRA OF ALASKA
The Alaskan tundra, a vast and seemingly barren expanse, stretches across the northern and western parts of the state. This cold, windswept landscape is characterized by permafrost. That is a layer of permanently frozen ground that severely limits plant growth. Despite the harsh conditions, a surprising array of life thrives here.
Flora: Low-growing plants like mosses, lichens, sedges, and dwarf shrubs dominate the tundra, their shallow roots adapted to the thin layer of thawed soil above the permafrost. During the short summer, wildflowers like Arctic poppies and saxifrages can be found here, giving the tundra vibrant colors.
Fauna: The tundra supports a wide array of wildlife, including species like caribou, reindeer, musk oxen, and polar bears. These animals have developed remarkable adaptations to survive in the harsh climate, from thick fur and blubber layers to seasonal migration patterns. Smaller
THE LUSH FORESTS OF ALASKA
In stark contrast to the tundra the southern and southeastern regions of Alaska have lush forests that are rich with life. These forests are a mix of boreal and temperate rainforests.
Too, they are dominated by massive conifers like Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and yellow cedar.
Flora: The forest floor is carpeted with ferns, mosses, and a variety of understory plants. In the temperate rainforests, epiphytes like lichens and moss drape the trees are part of the atmosphere.
Fauna: These forests provide habitat for a wide array of animals, including brown and black bears, wolves, moose, deer, and a variety of smaller mammals and birds. Salmon-rich rivers wind through the forests, supporting both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
THE COASTLINE OF ALASKA
Alaska’s coastline stretches over 6,600 miles and is a dynamic and diverse environment that is shaped by the forces of wind, waves, and tides. This intricate network of beaches, cliffs, fjords, and islands supports a rich variety of marine and terrestrial life.
Marine Life: The cold, nutrient-rich waters off Alaska’s coast teem with marine life, including whales, sea lions, seals, seabirds, and a variety of fish and invertebrates. These waters support vital commercial fisheries and provide critical habitat for numerous species.
Coastal Habitats:The diverse coastal habitats, from rocky shores and sandy beaches to estuaries and kelp forests, support a wide array of plants and animals. Seabirds nest on cliffs and islands, while intertidal zones teem with life adapted to the ebb and flow of the tides.
THE GLACIERS OF ALASKA
Glaciers in Alaska cover about 5% of the state, ranging in elevations of below sea level to almost 4 miles high. They are found in the mountains.
Also, they are found in the southern part of the state, and along the southern coast.
Alaska is home to more of these icy giants than any other state in the United States. Two of the most famous are the Mendenhall Glacier, with shimmering blue ice caves, and the Exit Glacier, accessible by a scenic trail.
Flora: Moss balls,
Fauna:Tardigrades and rotifers
Then look at these other themed ideas.
MORE TRIORAMA IDEAS
- How to Make an Easy Rainforest Triorama With Kids
- How to Make a Water, Land, and Sky Animal Habitat Triorama
- How to Make an Amazing Shakespeare Triorama Book Report
- How to Make a Cool Greek Mythology Triorama With Kids
- How to Make a Giant Triorama Project About Cherokee Culture
- How to Make A Desert Triorama About the Gobi, Sahara, & Antarctica
- Amazing Geography Landforms: An Engaging Triorama Tutorial for Kids
- How to Make a Triorama Teaching the Primary Colors with Dollar Tree Supplies
- How To Build A Water Habitat Triorama With Kids
- How to Craft a Stunning Wolf Animal Triorama
- How to Make a Biome Triorama That Explores Alaska’s Amazing Features
- How to Make a Native American Triorama Highlighting Tribes in 3 Regions
- How to Make A Pyramid Diorama For States Of Matter
- The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama
Finally, look at how to make this Alaska biome triorama which features three biomes.
HOW TO MAKE A BIOME TRIORAMA
You Will Need:
- Watercolor paper
- Watercolor paints
- Pencil
- Wooden craft stick
- Scissors
- Plastic animal figures
First, fold your watercolor paper at an angle from corner to corner to form a triangle like this, then press along the fold with a craft stick to give it a deep crease.
Unfold the paper and repeat the same steps in the opposite direction.
Open and cut off the excess piece like this, you know have a perfect square that you will need for your triorama.
Cut one of the tips along the crease right up to the center point.
Mark one side of the line with an x to identify the piece that will be glued under. It doesn’t need to be decorated.
Before folding it up you will want to create each of your biome scenes, this is much easier to accomplish on the flat model.
Use a pencil to sketch the animals or features you want to include in each one.
Use small watercolor paint brushes to add color and depth to your animals and the rest of the scene.
Allow to dry completely.
Add labels to some of the flora and fauna as well.
