This project complemented the classroom topic of Geography, exploring topography and contour lines of hills and mountains on maps, to then make a 3D model from cardboard or foam.
I gave the students the choice of cardboard from boxes, Styrofoam in thick and thin sheets, or coloured foam sheeting. I had so much Styrofoam in the Art store room and figured this would be a good activity to put it to use and clear some space! BUT, when the Styrofoam is cut into, it makes a terrible mess of small foam balls that stick to everything! None the less, the models made were effective, though a little tricky to paint.
We began by looking at contour lines on maps that represent gradients in the landscape. Students drew a model in their scrap books- either a single mountain/hill or one with twin peaks. After choosing their material of choice to make their model they cut out the smallest shape first (the peak of the mountain). They then traced around that shape to get the next shape (or slice of the hill) and so on, until they had 6 or more layers. The cardboard could have more layers, as it didn’t stack as high.
Once all the pieces for the model are cut out, they traced each layer onto white paper with a pencil, beginning with the bottom largest layer. Each layer is traced inside the last, until the smallest one- the top or mountain peak. Pencil lines are traced over with a thick black permanent marker.
All the foam or cardboard pieces are then together (with PVA glue or hot glue gun) from the bottom up. Students chose a colour value scheme, and mixed paints from light to dark to paint the layers.
Coloured foam sheeting: with foam spacers in-between the layers to create height.
After a display on a table top, the models and contour drawings were displayed vertically on a wall!
Lesson plan with success criteria, useful YouTube video links, lesson activities, photos, rubric for evaluation.
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