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hands-on

8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

July 30, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m sharing 8 facts about moths and a fun contact paper nature elephant hawk moth craft. Also, you may love Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids.

Typically, we think of moths as dull nighttime flyers and butterflies as beautiful bright creatures, but many moths are colorful and beautiful like the Hawk Moth.

The Garden Tiger Moth, the False Tiger Moth, the Oleander Hawk Moth, the Luna Moth, and the Comet Moth, to name a few, rival the most colorful butterflies in their beauty.

8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

There is much more to moths than what you see flitting around your porch light in the evening.

They are just as fascinating as butterflies.

Moths are very important in food webs as a food item for songbirds, mammals, and other insects.

Too, moths are also crucial pollinators, especially those that are active after dark when other pollinators are sleeping.

8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

In honor of the poor unappreciated moth, we are making a fun and pretty giant moth to decorate the window.

We get to combine two activities for this piece, a lovely relaxing nature walk with an indoor art project to preserve some finds and recreate a moth that stays put.

This craft is typically one that is done with preschoolers or toddlers.

 But I am sure an artistic or nature-loving older child would also love this and could be challenged to make an even more intricate design than a younger sibling.

8 Fascinating Moth and Hawk Moth Facts

Next look at these facts about moths.

  1. Moths far outnumber butterflies. For every butterfly that you see flying around, there are over nine times as many moths.
  2. Hawk Moths are from the Sphingidae family of moths, also known as Sphynx moths.
  3. Many of their caterpillars are known as “hornworms” and are a nuisance to tomato plants.
  4. Hawk moths have the longest tongues of any other moth or butterfly, some of them are as long as 14”.
  5. Moths range from small, like the tiny Stigmella Maya with its forewing measuring just .04 inches to large specimens bigger than a human hand, like the largest moth, Hercules Moth at 14”.
  6. They have an amazing sense of smell. A male emperor moth can smell a female from about seven miles away.
  7. Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History has over 25,000 different specimens of Hawk Moths, which are closely related to butterflies.
  8. Not all moths fly only at night, some moths are nocturnal, but others are diurnal.
8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

Next, look at some of the books to add to your unit study or learning day.

Books and Resources For Learning About Moths

Add a few of these books about moths to your unit study or for hands-on activities.

Image for Moths: A Complete Guide to Biology and Behavior

Moths: A Complete Guide to Biology and Behavior

Moths are a crucial insect group encompassing more than 160,000 species, and they are among the most ancient of Earth's inhabitants, with some fossils believed to be 190 million years old. This richly illustrated guide to their biology, evolution, and history demonstrates the incredible diversity of these winged insects and reveals the ruthless survival tactics used by some--including blood-sucking moths, cannibalism in the cocoon, and carnivorous caterpillars. The book also explores their extraordinary life cycle, charting development from egg to larva to cocoon to airborne adult, as well as the surprising variations of color and wing patterns that moths have evolved. Engaging narrative and specially commissioned photographs of moth specimens make Moths: A Complete Guide to Biology and Behavior a perfect gift book for scientists and science enthusiasts alike.

Image for Peterson First Guide To Butterflies And Moths

Peterson First Guide To Butterflies And Moths

Peterson First Guides are the first books the beginning naturalist needs. Condensed versions of the famous Peterson Field Guides, the First Guides focus on the animals, plants, and other natural things you are most likely to see. They make it fun to get into the field and easy to progress to the full-fledged Peterson Guides.

Image for BicBugs Actias luna REAL FRAMED LUNA MOTH GREEN USA

BicBugs Actias luna REAL FRAMED LUNA MOTH GREEN USA

  • REAL framed luna moth!
Image for Peterson Field Guide To Moths Of Southeastern North America

Peterson Field Guide To Moths Of Southeastern North America

Southeastern North America is home to an incredible variety of moths, from drab browns to bright yellows and pinks, the small and simple to the flashy or bizarrely shaped. Just a few are common house and garden pests; thousands more harmless species live hidden in woods and meadows. This comprehensive guide of more than 1,800 common species is the best tool for identifying and appreciating these ubiquitous insects.

Image for The World Encyclopedia of Butterflies & Moths: A Natural History And Identification Guide To Over 565 Varieties Around The Globe

The World Encyclopedia of Butterflies & Moths: A Natural History And Identification Guide To Over 565 Varieties Around The Globe

Butterflies and moths captivate nature enthusiasts with their beauty and variety, but in addition to being attractive they are also of huge biological importance. This superb book, in a sumptuous new edition, covers the lifecycle of these creatures, with information on anatomy, feeding, flight and breeding. It then profiles some of the world’s best-loved and intriguing butterflies, moths and skippers, with a geographically-split directory of detailed entries, each containing useful identification summaries and quick-reference panels on distribution, habitat, food and wingspan.

Image for Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.

Image for Peterson Field Guide To Moths Of Northeastern North America

Peterson Field Guide To Moths Of Northeastern North America

There are thousands of moth species in the northeast of North America, and while it might seem that they are all drab grays and browns, there is actually a startling variety. They come in a rainbow of colors, from brilliant oranges and pinks to soft greens and violets. There are moths with colorful leopard-like spots, and ones that look more like B-movie aliens; some that are as large as your hand, and others the size of a grain of rice. With helpful tips on how to attract and identify moths, range maps and season graphs showing when and where to find each species, and clear photographs that use the unique Peterson arrow system for easy identification, this guide provides everything an amateur or experienced moth-watcher needs. Sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute.

Also, add some more hands on ideas about moths.

More Moth Resources

Here are a few more beautiful moth crafts, resources, and activities to help you learn more about these mysterious creatures.

  • Sweet little Pinecone Moths are pretty enough to leave all around your home.
  • Make the pretty bright Luna Moth Craft.
  • These Paper Moths would be a great project for middle and high schoolers.
  • I just love these DIY Moth Wings for dramatic play and a unique art project.
  • A young artist will enjoy learning How to Draw a Moth.
  • Have your child research the differences between butterflies and moths.
  • A budding lepidopterist (an entomologist who specializes in studying butterflies and moths) might enjoy a moth specimen to begin or celebrate finishing up a moth study
8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

Finally, look how to make this fun contact paper hawk moth.

How to Make A Contact Paper Nature Elephant Hawk Moth

This is a fun simple activity that can also be used to teach your child about the anatomy of a moth, colorations, and simple vocabulary.

You will need:

  • Clear contact paper
  • Painters tape
  • Permanent marker
  • Flowers and leaves
8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

First, find and print out a picture of the moth you would like to create. We chose the Elephant Hawk Moth knowing we had pretty pink flowers in the yard to create some of its lines.

Then head outside for a nature walk, gathering fresh or dried leaves, flower petals, and other lightweight nature items.

8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

Next, cut a piece of clear contact paper out as large as you would like to make it and tape it down to your work surface with low tack tape like painter’s tape, backing side down (do not peel it off yet).

8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

Use a permanent marker to draw the outlines of the moth.

8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

Peel off the tape and move to the window you want to use, slowly peel off the contact paper backing and tape the contact paper to the window, sticky side facing outward.

8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

Set their nature walk finds nearby and have them press them into the sticky side of the contact paper.

8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

For younger children, you can let them get creative and cover their moth in whatever pattern and gathered materials they like.

For older children, challenge them to try to recreate the colors and patterns of their chosen moth.

Tips:

  • Add a moth photo or two to your window as inspiration.
  • Be sure that they press firmly to be sure their items are attached.
  • Small light pieces will adhere the best.
  • If you want to preserve their picture just lay another piece of contact paper over it, sticky side to sticky side, and cut out around your moth.
  • They don’t have to complete this activity in one sitting, you can leave it up and let them come back and forth.
8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, moth, science

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

July 28, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have 6 facts about mountain lions and a fun mountain lion diorama. Also, you may love the ideas on my post 6 World Wildlife Day Activities to Learn About African Lions.

Today, we’re making an upcycled mountain lion diorama that pairs perfectly with a mountain lion unit study.

Mountain lions have 40 different names. For example, look at these names.

  • Cougar
  • Mountain Lion
  • Puma
  • Panther
  • Catamount
  • Colorado Cougar
  • Texas Lion, and
  • Patagonian Puma to name a few.
6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

They have the widest range amongst all the wild cats in the western hemisphere, covering parts of Canada, the United States, and most of the South American countries.

They make a beautiful and interesting subject for our latest diorama.

One thing I really love is a craft that uses recycled materials that we’re going to end up in the trash bin.

They’re likely to end up there eventually anyway but this gives a little bit longer life and saves a lot of money because we had to buy almost nothing for this project.

I used a science board I already had on hand from Dollar Tree but you can just use leftover cardboard from a delivery box.

You might need some small plastic animals if you don’t have any. I have a suggestion below that can be used for many things.

Before we jump in let’s learn a few facts about the mountain lion and what sets them apart from other cats in the wild.

Mountain Lion Diorama – 6 Facts To Pounce On

  1. Because their larynxes are different from those of other big cats, they never roar. Rather they sound more like a person whistling, a bird chirping, or even a woman screaming. You can listen to that eerie scream here. How eerie!
  2. The young look very different from mature cats, mountain lion cubs have blue eyes and dark spots when they are born.
  3. When you think of mountain lions you may think of slow, slinking creatures but they can run up to 50 mph.
  4. A mountain lion’s preference for prey is deer but as opportunistic predators, they will eat raccoons, elk, moose, antelope, mountain goats, horses, and bighorn sheep.
  5. They are amazing jumpers; they can jump as high as 18 feet off the ground.
  6. Mountain lions are not considered “big cats”, but they are the largest of the “small cats” at 90 to 175 pounds and standing 2’-3’ tall at the shoulder.

First, I like to grab my handy dandy anatomy books.

I was able to find information on panthers and mountain lions for comparison in our Wildlife Anatomy book.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

In Nature Anatomy you can see a small excerpt on the mountain Lion but also information on mountains, some of its prey animals, and more.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Next, look at some more ideas for lion activities.

More Mountain Lion Activities

  • Mountain Lion Printable Craft.
  • How to Handle a Mountain Lion Encounter
  • How to Draw Cougars, Mountain Lion
  • Mountain Lion Coloring Craft
  • Mountain Lion Mask
  • Bobcat vs Mountain Lion: How to Tell the Difference
  • Here is a great National Geographic documentary on The Secret Lives of the Mountain Lion Family.
6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Finally, look how to make this mountain lion diorama.

How to Make a Mountain Lion Diorama

You will need:

  • Trifold science board
  • Brown paper bag/brown shipping paper
  • Styrofoam packaging
  • Green construction paper
  • Small pebbles and twigs with leaves
  • Green, blue, and tan craft paints
  • Hot glue gun
  • Small plastic animals
6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Once you have decided where your mountain lion is living, cougars like dense forests, coastal swamps, rocky cliffs, and mountain ranges as their habitat you can begin building.

I am walking you through creating a mountain diorama.

First, cut a trifold science board into half and then cut off half of that so you have just half of one flap and half of the center.

Next, cut off the other half of the centerpiece. We will use that for the base.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Paint the top blue like the sky and the bottom third a tan like your mountain color, tan for this model. Allow it to dry.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Grab the piece of cardboard you are going to use for your base and cover it in glue.

Crinkle up the green paper, smooth it, and press it into the adhesive on your board.

Crinkling gives your “grass” some nice texture.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Add additional color and texture with dabs of green paint if you like.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Once your background is dry, bend it so that it creates an L shape and adhere it to the base with a generous line of hot glue. Hold it in place until it sets.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Now, cut up your styrofoam to resemble mountain shapes.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Glue to the board.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Crinkle up a big piece of brown paper and then smooth it out as you did with the green.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Press all over the styrofoam to cover, glue in place, and add more as needed, trim off the excess.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Gather up the stones, moss, and twigs you have collected and glue them on the ground as well as up the mountain.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Add a water source coming down the mountain across the land, animals always like to stay near a good water source.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Place your mountain lion and a prey animal or two.

I think our mountain lion is stalking the thirsty raccoon who stopped for a drink.

6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: animals, diorma, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, lions, science

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

July 27, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a fantastic Amelia Earhart craft to go along with any study you might be doing about the famous trailblazing pilot. Also, look at Amazing Facts about Amelia Earhart and Fun Aviator Goggle Craft.

Amelia Earhart broke records opened the world of aviation for women and inspired many to push flying to its limits.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

To honor her life while we learn about her accomplishments, we are making a bottle buddy Amelia Earhart craft.

It is perfect for an at-home project or would be great as part of a co-op presentation.

“I lay no claim to advancing scientific data other than advancing flying knowledge. I can only say that I do it because I want to.”– Amelia Earhart

7 Fun Facts About Amelia Earhart

  1. Amelia was the first president of the organization the Ninety-Nines, an organization for women aviators.
  2. Amelia Earhart was just the 16th woman to earn an international pilot’s license.
  3. She was the first female passenger to fly across the Atlantic.
  4. Amelia was the first woman to fly across North America and back on a solo journey.
  5. She was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
  6. She set a world altitude record of 18,415 feet.
  7. If she had succeeded in circumnavigating the globe, Amelia Earhart would have been the first woman to manage the feat.

“Some of us have great runways already built for us. If you have one, take off! But if you don’t have one, realize it is your responsibility to grab a shovel and build one for yourself and for those who will follow after you.”- Amelia Earhart

Also, look at some of these resources about Amelia Earhart.

6 Fun Amelia Earhart Resources

Bring your aviator unit study to life by adding some of these fun resources.

Image for Who Was Amelia Earhart?

Who Was Amelia Earhart?

Amelia Earhart was a woman of many "firsts." In 1932, she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1935, she also became the first woman to fly across the Pacific. From her early years to her mysterious 1937 disappearance while attempting a flight around the world, readers will find Amelia Earhart's life a fascinating story.

Image for Amelia Earhart (Inspired Inner Genius)

Amelia Earhart (Inspired Inner Genius)

Then, you will love our child-friendly biography of Amelia Earhart! Use this exciting biography book to instill timeless values & principles in your child.

Image for I am Amelia Earhart (Ordinary People Change the World)

I am Amelia Earhart (Ordinary People Change the World)

Amelia Earhart refused to accept no for an answer; she dared to do what no one had ever done before, and became the first woman to fly a plane all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. This biography follows her from childhood to her first flying lessons and onward to her multi-record-breaking career as a pilot. This friendly, fun biography series inspired the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. One great role model at a time, these books encourage kids to dream big. Included in each book are:   • A timeline of key events in the hero’s history   • Photos that bring the story more fully to life   • Comic-book-style illustrations that are irresistibly adorable   • Childhood moments that influenced the hero   • Facts that make great conversation-starters   • A character trait that made the person heroic and that readers can aspire to 

Image for Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Sky! (Show Me History!)

Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Sky! (Show Me History!)

When Amelia Earhart became the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932, she immediately became an American icon and a subject of endless fascination for generations to come. In Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Sky!, the story of the bold and daring aviator’s life is presented in graphic novel format, with full-color illustrations and historically accurate details. From her hardscrabble childhood to her final flight—and mysterious disappearance—Earhart’s journey will entertain, captivate, and inspire readers of all ages.

Image for The Story of Amelia Earhart: A Biography Book for New Readers

The Story of Amelia Earhart: A Biography Book for New Readers

Amelia Earhart became the first woman pilot to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane―and she broke many other flight records before her mysterious disappearance. Before she made history and changed the world for pilots everywhere, Amelia was an adventure-loving kid who wasn’t afraid to be different. She worked hard and learned how to fly airplanes at a time when many people didn’t think women should be pilots. Explore how Amelia Earhart went from being a young girl growing up in Kansas to an American hero and a celebrated pioneer of flight.

Image for Safari Ltd In The Sky TOOB

Safari Ltd In The Sky TOOB

In the sky themed figurines by Safari Ltd. Airplanes, blimp, helicopter, hot air balloon, space shuttle and more replicas have been handpainted and researched for accuracy. Pieces come in a clear """"toob"""" with a globe top and facts on the inside. These figures are perfect for displays, playing pretend, and more! 12 pieces per package.

Next, look at some more resources and activities to learn about Amelia Earhart.

More Amelia Earhart Resources and Activities

Add some of these fun activities to your post.

  • Amazing Facts about Amelia Earhart and Fun Aviator Goggle Craft
  • How to Draw Amelia Earhart Tutorial
  • Women’s History Month Craft – Amelia Earhart’s Airplane
  • Amelia Earhart Fact File
  • How to Make a Paper Airplane Launcher
  • How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft
How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Next, look how to make this fun bottle buddy craft.

You can use any size bottle that you have on hand from a 16 oz to a 2 liter for this project. This is all about low stress.

We are not using a template; it will be quick and easy to measure right on the bottle.

I have seen these in the past made with a foam ball for the head, you could certainly do that, but this was a very frugal and no-fuss way to make it with things you probably already have on hand.

Because we may all be using different size bottles, I am not going to give exact measurements.

I measured mine simply by holding the felt up to the bottle, marking and cutting as needed.

How to Make A Bottle Buddy Amelia Earhart Craft

You will need:

  • 20 oz, 1 or 2-liter bottle
  • Craft felt-brown, black, tan, white, red
  • Paper bag
  • Google eyes
  • Light brown/yellow yarn
  • Hot glue gun/glue sticks
How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

First, remove the label from the bottle and wash it out well.

You can add back in a few inches of clean water to act as a weight because your bottle buddy will be a bit top-heavy.

Because we have layers, we are not going to wrap each color felt all the way around so want to cut a piece of tan felt (pants) that wraps around the base of your bottle and is about ¼ of the height.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Cut a rectangular piece of white (shirt) that goes from the top of the tan to an inch or two below the neck of the bottle and wraps around about 1/3rd of the bottle.

You can tape them down temporarily with low tack tape to make sure that your whole bottle will be covered.

Next, wrap a piece of dark brown (bomber jacket) around the bottle so that it just overlaps the white and the tan pants at the bottom, and has an inch or so of excess at the top.

We are not going to glue them down yet because we must put her head on first. Set these pieces aside for now.

Make a head by stuffing a brown paper bag with scrap felt or paper, squeezing and moving it around until you are happy with the shape.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Bottle Buddy Amelia Earhart Craft

Draw on a mouth, nose, and eyes or use google eyes if you like.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Use hot glue to attach a few short pieces of yarn that will be coming out of her pilot’s cap, you don’t have to do the whole head unless you want to.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Trim the excess off the bag then wrap it around the neck of the bottle and tie it on tightly with a piece of string. We are ready to start putting her together.

Hot glue the shirt and pants in place and use a marker to draw the center leg line on the pants.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Wrap the dark brown piece of felt you cut to use as a jacket and glue it in place, leaving some excess at the top, fold this down to make a collar.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Cut a long piece of skinny red felt and make little fringes on either end.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Wrap and hot glue into place around her neck.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

To create her pilot’s cap, center an entire piece of 8×12 fabric onto her head letting some of the hair peek out. At this point, you can add more if you feel like it needs it. Hot glue the center down.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Cut the flaps and any excess off then continue gluing it in place all the way around.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

To finish off Amelia’s’ pilot costume we need to make her flying goggles.

Start by cutting a rectangle long enough to wrap over the top of her head from one side of the cap to the other.

Use a black marker to draw the eye openings.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Cut eye holes out.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Affix to the top of her cap with hot glue.

How to Make a Fun Bottle Buddy of the Trailblazing Pilot Amelia Earhart Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: Amelia Earhart, aviation, crafts, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

July 26, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have 7 facts about the Incan Empire and your kids will love this Incan ruins model hands-on activity. Also, you’ll love my Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas.

In a learning journey to South America, you must be sure to visit the Incan Ruins with a fun hands-on activity or two.

We are making a unique Incan ruins model with a little paint and a handful of unfinished blocks.

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

Also, you’ll learn a few important facts about the ruins, and discover a few more activities to help your child know more about this culture that helped shape future civilizations.

While creating your Incan ruins you can watch a video about their history or talk about the architecture that they are well known for.

This is a culture rich with history, from its architecture to the symbols, traditions, food, and its rise and fall.

And this is an interesting period of early history that lends itself wonderfully to many crafts and activities.

 7 Facts about the Inca and the Incan Ruins

  1. At Machu Picchu, each stone was perfectly cut to fit together so tight that mortar was not needed to keep the walls standing.
  2. The Inca Empire lasted for just one century, with most scholars believing it started around the 13th century.
  3. The highly advanced Incan Road system, which is known as Qhapaq Ñan (“royal road” in Quechua) was over 25,000 miles long.
  4. The Incas had a unique communal concept Called Ayni, which translates today for you, tomorrow for me. They believed in an interdependent society and that every individual must give before receiving. The Inca pooled together all they had and made sure everyone was taken care of.
  5. The Incas were mostly vegan, only eating special meats for special occasions.
  6. Inca was the largest pre-Columbian empire in the Americas, it covered 770,000 square miles.
  7. The Inca Empire fell to the Spanish conquistadores under the rule of Francisco Pizarro in 1533 CE.

Next, add some of these books and resources to your South America unit study.

13 Resources for a Study of South America

Add some of these fun books and resources to your study of South America.

Image for South America (Rookie Read-About Geography: Continents)

South America (Rookie Read-About Geography: Continents)

An incredible variety of climates and biomes span the territory of South America. As a result, the continent contains some of the greatest biodiversity on Earth.

Rookie Read-About: Continents series gives the youngest reader (Ages 3-6) an introduction to the components that make each continent distinctive and exceptional. Readers will get to know each continents' geography, history, and wildlife. In this book readers learn about the continent of South America, including the geography, native animals, people and more.

Image for Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas!: With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids (Explore Your World)

Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas!: With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids (Explore Your World)

A full-color, compelling book for ages 7 to 10 offers a deep dive into the three sophisticated ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica―the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas― through hands-on STEAM projects, essential questions, and loads of fascinating facts!

Why were there more than 3,000 steps built at Machu Picchu? Why did the Aztecs roam Mexico for nearly 200 years before finding a place to settle? How did the Maya study the movements of the stars and the planets? Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas! With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids takes kids ages 7 to 10 on a guided tour to experience the history, culture, economics, and daily life of the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas.

Image for Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia

Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia

A man, his burros, and his books bring joy to children in remote Colombian villages in this inspiring book based on a true story by celebrated picture book creator Jeanette Winter.Luis loves to read, but soon his house in Colombia is so full of books there’s barely room for the family. What to do? Then he comes up with the perfect solution—a traveling library! He buys two donkeys—Alfa and Beto—and travels with them throughout the land, bringing books and reading to the children in faraway villages.

Image for Secret of the Andes (Puffin Newberry Library)

Secret of the Andes (Puffin Newberry Library)

An Incan boy who tends llamas in a hidden valley in Peru learns the traditions and secrets of his ancestors. 

Image for My Mama's Little Ranch on the Pampas

My Mama's Little Ranch on the Pampas

In the sequel to On the Pampas, the author recalls her first year on the small Argentinian ranch purchased and managed by her mother, in an account that includes a visual dictionary of the Spanish words and geographical terms used in the text.

Image for Tales from Silver Lands

Tales from Silver Lands

Atmospheric woodcuts illustrate this Newbery Award–winning collection of 19 South American folktales. Charles J. Finger heard the tales firsthand from native storytellers, whose fables of talking animals, witches, giants, and ordinary people in supernatural settings provide remarkable insights into regional values and culture. The first of the stories, "A Tale of Three Tails," tells of an age when the rat had a tail like a horse, the rabbit had a tail like a cat, and the deer's tail was plumed like the tail of a dog. "The Magic Dog" recounts an act of kindness to a stray animal that helps overcome a witch's curse. In "The Calabash Man," the creatures of the jungle assist a suitor in winning his bride, and in "El Enano," a greedy troll's insatiable appetite leads to his downfall. Packed with adventure and full of surprises, these and other stories emphasize the importance of hard work, courage, and loyalty.

Image for Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time

Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time

In 1911, Hiram Bingham III climbed into the Andes Mountains of Peru and “discovered” Machu Picchu. While history has recast Bingham as a villain who stole both priceless artifacts and credit for finding the great archeological site, Mark Adams set out to retrace the explorer’s perilous path in search of the truth—except he’d written about adventure far more than he’d actually lived it. In fact, he’d never even slept in a tent.

Image for Journey to the River Sea

Journey to the River Sea

With the memorable characters and plot twists she brings to her best-selling fantasies, acclaimed author Eva Ibbotson has written a hair-raising novel, set in turn-of-the-last-century Brazil.Accompanied by Miss Minton, a fierce-looking, no-nonsense governess, Maia, a young orphan, sets off for the wilderness of the Amazon, expecting curtains of orchids, brightly colored macaws, and a loving family. But what she finds is an evil-tempered aunt and uncle and their spoiled daughters. It is only when she is swept up in a mystery involving a young Indian boy, a homesick child actor, and a missing inheritance that Maia lands in the middle of the Amazon adventure she's dreamed of. Readers of every generation will treasure Ibbotson's lush historical adventure that harkens back to the beloved classics of Frances Hodgson Burnett and Louisa May Alco

Image for This Place Is Wet

This Place Is Wet

Can you imagine living in a place where there is so much water some houses need to be built on stilts to protect them when the river rises? Or where it is so wet that some plants can grow on the sides of trees with their roots gathering water from the air? In This Place Is Wet, you'll find out all sorts of things about what it's like to live in the rain forest of Brazil. Try to imagine living there!

Image for Bolivar: American Liberator

Bolivar: American Liberator

It is astonishing that Simón Bolívar, the great Liberator of South America, is not better known in the United States. He freed six countries from Spanish rule, traveled more than 75,000 miles on horseback to do so, and became the greatest figure in Latin American history. His life is epic, heroic, straight out of Hollywood: he fought battle after battle in punishing terrain, forged uncertain coalitions of competing forces and races, lost his beautiful wife soon after they married and never remarried (although he did have a succession of mistresses, including one who held up the revolution and another who saved his life), and he died relatively young, uncertain whether his
achievements would endure.

Image for Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay

Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay

Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash

Image for Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book: Coloring Pages of Ancient Mexico Civilizations for Adults and Teens

Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book: Coloring Pages of Ancient Mexico Civilizations for Adults and Teens

Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book – Fun And Education For Adults and TeensMake the perfect gift for anyone who loves coloring! Enjoy this Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book for Adults and Teens. Click the cover to reveal what’s inside!About this book:

  • 40 original pages drawings of Symbols, Warriors, Masks and Mandalas.
Image for The Inca Empire (A True Book: Ancient Civilizations) (A True Book (Relaunch))

The Inca Empire (A True Book: Ancient Civilizations) (A True Book (Relaunch))

Explore the Inca empire, including how the Incas survived in the mountains, how the empire was built, and why it disappeared.

A True Book: Ancient Civilizations series allows readers to experience what makes each ancient civilization distinctive and exceptional as well look at its influence on the some of the practices of the modern world. This series includes an age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study.

More Incan Empire and Ruins Resources

  • Watch The Rise And Fall of The Inca Empire to learn more about the Inca, this is a great video for late elementary through middle school.
  • How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day
  • Another interesting video centers around Machu Picchu,  Guide to Machu Picchu for Children: Lost City of the Inca for Kids on YouTube.
  • 9 Free South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages
  • Make a simple Metal Foil Inca Sun as you learn about the importance of this symbol to the Incas.
  • 9 Free South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages
  • Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
  • Make a Peruvian Weaving Project and learn how important the different patterns were to each tribe.
  • An important part of the Inca history was their textiles, which were called tocapus which had checkered layouts, filled with repetitive geometric patterns. Here is an example to color on Incan pattern coloring page.
  • These stuffed Crinkle Paper Llamas are perfect for preschoolers learning along with older kids.
7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

Finally, look how to make a fun Incan ruins model.

How to Make an Incan Ruins Model

You will need:

  • Small unfinished blocks
  • Grey paint
  • Black Paint
  • Sand
  • Green cardstock or model grass
  • Cardboard or wood piece for the base
  • Paintbrush
  • Tacky glue or hot glue
7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

Start with a rectangle of wood or cardboard for the base.

I had a scrap of long balsa wood I used. Cover with glue and press your model grass or green cardstock down over it.

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

Trim off the excess so it just fits the base.

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

Use library books or search Google to find an image of Incan ruins that you want to recreate.

We went for the Sacsayhuaman Terrace Gateway because it seemed easy and interesting enough to recreate with our wooden blocks.

You can use tacky glue which is a little quicker drying than school glue or hot glue to affix your “stones” in the design you have chosen.

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

Be sure to not only glue the top and bottoms together but to give it good structure add glue to at least some of the side touching pieces.

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

To create longer stones glue 4 or 5 pieces together and let them dry before placing them atop the doorway.

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

Mix up 3 parts gray paint to 1 part sand to get a gritty sandy texture.

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

Paint your mixture all over the structure you built with a heavy hand, allowing some to completely fill in the cracks.

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

You can brush off some of the excess when it’s partially dry.

Before the gray is completely dry dab on a bit of black paint to age it.

Allow everything to dry completely.

7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolhistory, Inca, south america

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

July 23, 2023 | Leave a Comment
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I have 7 Wyatt Earp and the cowboy facts and a fun gun holster handicraft. Also, your kids will love this Free American History Lapbook The Old West Through the Life of Wyatt Earp.

Too, today is a tribute to National Day of the Cowboy which is the fourth Saturday in July. It really began in the heart of Texas.

However, we’re also learning about Wyatt Earp.

One thing about Wyatt Earp and the cowboys is that they always had a gun in a holster at their side in the wild untamed west.

Many boys and girls love pretending that they are taming the Wild West, protecting their wagons, etc. So, I thought the perfect craft for this theme is a diy gun holster.

We are going to fashion a quick but serviceable holster with just felt and embroidery thread so our little gunslingers can get on the move.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

But let’s learn more about Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys before we make our holster.

Grab your favorite add-on activities, games, and books from my resources below.

One side was lawmen, the other outlaws.

You have likely heard of the Gunfight at the Okay Corral in Tombstone, Arizona between them.

However, that was just one story in the long hard life of Wyatt Earp.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts

  1. Wyatt Earp was larger than life indeed. He stood 6 feet when the average height was only about 5 feet 6 inches, his brothers were also tall.
  2. The 1881 Gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone is believed to only have lasted 30 seconds.
  3. Wyatt’s life was a restless one. At various times throughout his life, he held many different positions, such as a constable, city policeman, county sheriff, Deputy U.S. Marshal, Deputy Sheriff, teamster, buffalo hunter, saloon owner, gambler, mine owner, bouncer and a boxing referee.
  4. Earp was the last surviving participant of the OK Corral shootout, dying at home at the age of 80 years old.
  5. At just 17, Wyatt left his home and went to work hauling freight and grading track for the Union Pacific Railroad.
  6. After he left Tombstone, Wyatt Earp moved around the West, and he ended up settling in California with Josephine Marcus.
  7. At age 62, Earp was hired to work for the Los Angeles Police Department to perform tasks considered “outside the law”.

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7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

Next, look at more hands-on activities about Wyatt Earp and the cowboys.

More Activities for Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys

  • I think it would be really fun to also add this Printable Sheriff’s Badge craft to go along with your DIY holster.
  • For older kids, this version of Wyatt Earp on Amazon Prime might be a good option for your family.
  • You could also create your own “Wanted Poster” for crimes like stealing cookies from the cookie jar or unlawful noise level.
  • Free American History Lapbook The Old West Through the Life of Wyatt Earp
  • Set the mood with a little wild west backdrop in the form of a Desert Sunset Painting.
  • Free Printable History Board Game – American History Through the Life of Wyatt Earp
  • Learning American History through the Life of Wyatt Earp – Hands-on Activities
  • I have a Children’s Encyclopedia of American History that had several wonderful pages on the expansion West, Wild West celebrities, and settling the West.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft
  • Not Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys specific but What Was The Wild West is a great supplement to learn all about the wild west.

Also, add some of these books and fun resources.

American History Through the Eyes of Wyatt Earp Resources

Add one or two of these books to your unit study about Wyatt Earp who lived between 1848 and 1929.

Image for Wyatt Earp : U. S. Marshal (Landmark Books #67)

Wyatt Earp : U. S. Marshal (Landmark Books #67)

- Possibly the greatest gunfighter the Old West ever knew.

Image for Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell (Frontier Lawmen)

Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell (Frontier Lawmen)

On the afternoon of October 26, 1881, eight men clashed in what would be known as the most famous shootout in American frontier history. Thirty bullets were exchanged in thirty seconds, killing three men and wounding three others.The fight sprang forth from a tense, hot summer. Cattle rustlers had been terrorizing the back country of Mexico and selling the livestock they stole to corrupt ranchers. The Mexican government built forts along the border to try to thwart American outlaws, while Arizona citizens became increasingly agitated. Rustlers, who became known as the cow-boys, began to kill each other as well as
innocent citizens. That October, tensions boiled over with Ike and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Claiborne confronting the Tombstone marshal, Virgil Earp, and the suddenly deputized Wyatt and Morgan Earp and shotgun-toting Doc Holliday.

Image for History for Kids: The Life of Wyatt Earp

History for Kids: The Life of Wyatt Earp

Of all the colorful characters that inhabited the West during the 19th century, the most famous of them all is Wyatt Earp (1848-1929), who has long been regarded as the embodiment of the Wild West. Considered the toughest and deadliest gunman of his day.

Earp symbolized the swagger, the heroism, and even the lawlessness of the West, notorious for being a law enforcer, gambler, saloon keeper, and vigilante. The Western icon is best known for being a sheriff in Tombstone, but before that he had been arrested and jailed several times himself, in one case escaping from prison, and he was not above gambling and spending time in houses of ill-fame.

Image for Wyatt Earp Dots Lines Swirls Coloring Book: Wyatt Earp Stress Relief An Adult Color Puzzle Activity Book Creativity & Relaxation

Wyatt Earp Dots Lines Swirls Coloring Book: Wyatt Earp Stress Relief An Adult Color Puzzle Activity Book Creativity & Relaxation

This book is designed for anyone who loves Wyatt Earp. Put all of your stress behind, have a nice seat, then find out what will amaze you inside this fascinating coloring book!

This coloring book is a perfect collection of stunning images and perfect artworks of Wyatt Earp film. Besides that, bleeding is no longer a big problem in this book because all pages are printed on high-quality papers.

With a balance of design and simple elements, these images will satisfy adults and experienced colorists without being overwhelming to a beginner.

Image for Wyatt Earp: Wild West Lawman (Best of the West Biographies)

Wyatt Earp: Wild West Lawman (Best of the West Biographies)

A biography of the lawman who helped to bring order to "The Wickedest Town in the West," Dodge City, Kansas.

How to Make a Kids DIY Gun Holster

You will need:

  • Felt or leather sheets
  • Scissors
  • Cardstock
  • Embroidery floss
  • Embroidery needle or regular needle
  • Child’s belt
  • Toy gun for template
7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

Start by laying your child’s toy gun on a sheet of cardstock, tracing around it leaving about 1 12/” of space all the way around.

You want the handle portion to stick out above the holster.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

Next, cut out the cardstock template.

Now fold over your felt and lay the template on top.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

Trace and cut out both layers.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

On the back piece fold the felt over about 2” down from the top and cut two lines 1 1/2” or so apart. This is where they will thread the belt through.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

It is totally up to you if you want to mark or let your child mark every ½” around for the thread holes or if you want to just let them sew it as near as they can.

But since you will be going in and out of each side you will need to do it on both sides. We just laid a ruler alongside and made a tiny pin mark.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

Thread a long piece of embroidery thread through the needle.

Even though it is a bit harder to push through the felt I recommend using the dull embroidery needle with young or first-time sewers.

Kids DIY Gun Holster

Otherwise, you can just pull out 1 or 2 threads from the floss and put on a regular needle.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

Be sure that both sides are lined up perfectly, you can hold it in place with a few pins if you like.

We are going to use a whipstitch to sew all the way around.

Don’t worry about perfection, this is a great beginning handicraft for young children to learn how to hold a needle and sew.

While they are running around the yard playing Wyatt Earp, they won’t notice their imperfect stitches.

Stitch from one corner all the way around, rethreading as you need, knotting, and cutting off excess each time.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

Slide the belt through the loops you made in the back to secure it and it’s ready for action.

This activity could also be done with older children using a thin piece of leather, a piercing tool, and leather cording following the same directions but “threading” the cording through the holes by hand.

7 Wyatt Earp and the Cowboys Facts And Kids Gun Holster Handicraft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: cowboy, handicraft, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, homeschoolhistory, Wyatt Earp

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