3D Manatee Ocean Poster

World Animal Day

World Animal Day 2012 – Day 6

Big A has been captivated by manatees ever since she saw them on Diego (TV Show) a year ago. After reading about the recent deaths of many manatees over the coast of Florida, we decided to create a project with manatees as the star. It’s also a great time to introduce newer animals to your pre schooler. Save the Manatees has a great 3D crafts for grade schoolers. With an adult help, younger kids would be able to complete it. We are going to send a picture of our finished to them.

• Poster board
• Blue Paint
• Grey Paint/grey markers
• Brushes
• Brown construction paper
• Cotton Balls
• Manatee printable
• Grass clippings
• Scissors

We started off making the ocean by painting the poster board blue. Painting the whole poster was such fun in itself. The different strokes and speed in which they painted clearly showed the kids’ zeal for anything paint.

Once the poster was set off to dry,we worked on painting the manatees with grey. Here is the grey we mixed.

We are still working on coloring within the lines.

While both the painting were drying, we hurried off to another activity since we already spend a good chunk of time on structured play.This is when I have learned to stop and do longer projects spread over the day sometimes days. After a good break, again the momentum regained while checking if their manatees were dry. I helped Big A cut out her colored manatees. Good scissors practice.

This is when you need to make a choice – not a big life altering one. Just stapler/glue? We went for stapler since I was supervising her away. We stapled around the manatee cut out while leaving just enough space for cotton ball stuffing. Once done, the fun part of making a 3D manatee. Stuff with cotton balls. Big A had a great time making a toy out of the manatee printable. She pretend played with their manatees swimming in their ocean.

To make 3D sand dunes, I drew some on a brown construction paper and Big A and I cut them out. Flipped them over and stuck cotton balls on them. Make sure you don’t stick any around the edges. Once the glue dries, attach the sand dunes to the poster board using glue or stapler.

Attach the manatees using glue. Run to the yard, and grab some grass clipping and stick them around the poster board. These are sea grass for your manatees to eat.

That’s your poster for an endangered species. Here are some final shots

We talked about how sometimes water pollution can kill some marine animals. Of course I put it simply – Make sure we don’t dirty the ocean, lakes, rivers, ponds etc because animals live in them. That’s their homes. One reason for manatees dying is pollution and major reason being hit by boats since they often come up for breathing.

The kid loves to talk period. While we do any project, there is constant chatter. These days, I initiate a few questions. Here are a few

• Critical question alert : If you want to color the entire poster faster, which brush would you choose? We had brushes of varying sizes and she quickly picked out the largest foam brush and said “ This one because it is the biggest”

• Critical Question alert : We have only dark blue. How can we make it lighter?

• Critical Question alert : In how many ways can we attach the sand dunes and the manatees to the poster? Like glue, tape, stapler etc.

• Question Alert : Manatees are marine animals that eat sea grass like---?

• Critical Question Alert : Manatees are mammals, so do they lay eggs?

• Manatees are mammals

• Manatees eat sea grass and water hyacinth

• They live in shallow waters

• One interesting fact that fascinated my kid

• They are the only marine mammals that are herbivores

• They are called sea cows

• Fine motor skills with scissors practice, sticking cotton balls and painting

• Animal Facts

• Responsibility of protecting other species’ habitats

• Respect for nature and environment

Thanks for reading!

Happy sharing!

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