Materials
16 oz (450 g) baking soda
Cornstarch
Measuring cups
Pot
Stirring spoon
Cold water
Oven or hot plate
Plate
Damp cloth
Covered container
Rolling pin or any smooth cylinder
Christmas cookie cutters (simple shapes such as stars, bells, or trees)
Plastic straws (cut into thirds)
White paper
Tempera paints and brushes
Clear polyurethane, optional (adult only)
Yarn or ribbon
Instructions
1. Show the children pictures of islands and explain that islands are land areas
that are completely surrounded by water.
2. Give each child a piece of blue poster board or matte board and a small piece
of brown modeling clay.
3. Show them how to smear bits of clay on the center of the poster board.
Explain that the blue at the bottom of their boards will represent the sea and
the blue at the top will represent the sky. Encourage them to spread and
smear the clay to represent the size and shape of the island they are forming.
4. Continue adding smears of clay until the island takes shape. Remind children
to keep blue "water" all around their islands, and to avoid extending the clay
to the edges of the paper.
5. Encourage the children to add plants and bushes to their islands using very
small bits of green clay. Show them how to smear the green into the brown to
simulate foliage.
6. Stretch a cotton ball until the cotton is extremely thin, resembling wispy
clouds. With small dabs of glue, attach the clouds in the island sky.
7. If desired, add other features to the island, such as people, sea animals, or
boats using construction paper.
More to do
Dramatic Play: Place masking tape on the rug to create an island in the classroom.
Math: Sort various pictures of land scenes into two categories: islands and nonislands.
More Math: Tape an island to a rug and use a yardstick to measure it. Then
measure it with a meter stick.
Music: Sing "Down by the Bay."
Science: Provide objects for a sink-and-float activity. Encourage the children to
make predictions before dropping an object into the water.
Water Play: Provide containers, funnels, sifters, and water wheels in the sand
and water table.
