Children generally love it when they are taken to zoos or sanctuaries since the proximity to different species excites them. By making a habitat diorama, we can take children closer to animals and their living conditions, while deepening their understanding of animal adaptations, vegetations specific to a habitat, etc. In this activity, each group picks one habitat type and recreates the habitat as creatively as possible!
Jump to Instructions
Time Needed:
60 minutes
Materials Required:
Shoebox with a lid
Cardboard
Paint
Crayons/colour pencils
Scissors
Glue
Paintbrush
Other simple objects such as cotton, sand, sticks, stones, etc., that can be used to replicate a habitat.
Concept(s) Taught:
Habitat types | Animal adaptations | Geomorphology
Skill(s) Focussed:
Upcycling | Resource frugality
Aligned Profession(s):
Environmental conservationist | Geomorphologist
Instructions for Students:
Step 0:
Each group picks one habitat from the five common habitat types (desert, forest, grassland, ocean, mountain).
Step 1:
Prepare the shoebox such that the base of the box forms the floor of the habitat and the lid forms the backdrop that denotes the habitat.
Step 2:
Now, the box needs to be painted such that it represents the common conditions of the habitat picked.
Step 3:
Make the animals, trees, or the other attributes of the habitat using cardboard, paint them, and place them on the habitat. Get as creative as possible and add any other decorative objects that might belong in the habitat.
Step 4:
The diorama is now ready to be presented to the rest of the class!
Instruction Video:
Special Instructions for Teachers:
Explain all the habitat types
Since one group of children will work on one habitat type, they might not pay attention to the other types or learn its attributes. Therefore ensure that each group’s presentation explains their habitat, the subcategories under each habitat, the common animals found, the vegetation, etc. for the rest of the class to understand.
Explain the formation of habitats
Talk to students about geomorphology, which is the study of the formation and change of earth’s surfaces by rivers, mountains, oceans, ice, etc., and explain how these changes affect the earth’s topography.
Discuss habitat fragmentation and destruction
This activity would be the perfect time to bring up discussions around habitat destruction and fragmentation, and how these changes affect the animals that live here since their homes are destroyed.
Discuss habitat conservation
Get children acquainted with the fact that laws and legislations are passed by the government to ensure that our habitats are not further destroyed. Talk to children about national parks, forest reserves, etc. that are set up for this purpose.
Explain animal adaptations
Talk to kids about how animals that belong in a certain habitat might not survive if there are in a different habitat. Give examples of animals that have evolved to adapt to their surroundings. Make sure that you further reinforce the importance of habitat conservation while explaining this.
Have fun making and share the works of your students with the hashtag #projectprayogshala to get featured!
#habitats #geography #environment #stem