A landform is a geographic feature on the surface of the Earth. Some examples include mountain or valley. An island is another type of landform. Learn how to make your own model island here!
How to Make am Island Landform
Before you do this project at home or in your classroom, review the definition of a landform and different types of landforms such as peninsulas, islands, valleys, hills and mountains. If you have chosen an island for your topic this guide will give you tips on completing it. Review the characteristics of an island and compare and contrast another landform with islands. For example, you could explain how peninsulas and islands are similar and different–a peninsula has water on three sides whereas an island has water on all sides.
Materials
This is how to make a landform island project out of paper, and you can make it 3D. Here are the materials you’ll need:
- Construction paper: brown, blue, green, and various colors
- Tape
- Glue
- Markers
- Scissors
- Posterboard or cardboard
Directions
Follow these simple directions to make your own island:
1. Cover the posterboard or cardboard with blue construction paper.
2. Create the island. In order to make it 3D, cut out two of the same shapes for the island out of brown construction paper. You can create a round island or a long, skinny island. It doesn’t matter the shape as long as it can fit on the posterboard and blue paper surrounds it at each edge, so you make an island.
3. Cut out four strips of brown paper that are about one-inch wide and eight inches long. Fold these accordion-style. You will use these to connect the two island shapes you cut out of the brown paper in step 2.
4. Glue one of the large shapes that represent an island onto the blue paper. Next glue the accordion strips around the island. Attach the second cut-out island on top. Now you have a 3D island.
5. Use green construction paper to create plants on the island. Use various colors to create flowers. people, houses or anything on the island.
Conclusion and Variations
Use index cards to write some facts about your island. You can name your island, write what makes this landform an island, and what the island has to offer its citizens or tourists. Is there tourism? Farmers’ crops? Mining? Do any people live on the island? If so, who? How do they get all the supplies they need? Once you have written up a short description of your 3D island, you can share it with classmates.
Instead of using paper for this island project, you could use salt dough to make an island. Here’s the recipe: 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of salt, 1/2 cup of water (or until the right consistency to form your island). You will also need cardboard and paint. First, you can paint your cardboard or posterboard blue for the water, and then create an island out of the salt dough on top of it.
How did yours turn out? Were these tips helpful?
References
- Easy-Child-Crafts.com: http://www.easy-child-crafts.com/salt-dough-recipes.html
