Hello my Omschooligans! Have I got some fun summer enrichment activities for you today! We're going to create life-size habitat dioramas in the Omschool. Students will then write plays about nature and animals and plants in their life-size habitat diorama. They will create costumes for themselves as part of the diorama. We will then use these as sets to perform our plays.
These lesson plans address preschool science, art, math, creative writing and dramatic play in hands-on Montessori learning experiences. But they don't have to stop with preschool. You can use those with any age student. Homeschoolers you will love these activities! Kids at all ages can participate!
Life-size habitat dioramas also teach environmentalism by repurposing recycled materials from the recycle bin. And you know how a teacher Omi loves her recycle bin! Further, dramatic play develops reading, social, emotional, artistic, creative and communication skills. lend themselves to all content. Here are homemade costumes, props and settings
for life science theater. I call it bio-drama. Using recycled materials teaches
real-life environmental science!
Life-size habitat diorama sets
💡 Pro-Tips for "Bio-Drama" Dioramas
Use the Triorama Fold: If you want to make your sets quickly, look for "triorama" templates. They are essentially a single square of paper folded into a 3D corner, which makes for a very fast, effective stage-set for a play.
Layering for Depth: To make your habitats look "life-size" and professional for your plays, encourage the kids to glue background scenery to the back of the box, then place "mid-ground" items (like trees or rocks) in the middle, and "foreground" items (their characters or animals) at the very front. This layering effect will make the diorama pop during performance!
Lighting: As mentioned in one of the resources, poking small holes in the top or back of your diorama and inserting a cheap battery-powered tea light can instantly transform a static scene into a magical forest or a sunset-lit savannah for your plays
Creating the elements of the habitat
--Spider webs: Tie scrap yarn, rope, twine, crepe paper together. Weave it into a web. Attach it to both walls in a corner, with tape or putty. Festoon it across the corner so it drapes down.--Trees: Make tree trunks from large school paper rolls. You can also ask home improvement stores like Lowe's or Home Depot to save you the rolls from carpeting. If those aren't available, used saved oatmeal drums. Or cut flat cardboard and bend into cylindrical shapes.
--Foliage: Paint paper grocery bags green. Cut leaves from plastic or paper grocery bags. Make "floppy" leaves from plastic. Make blossoms from scrap office or construction paper, tissue paper, wallpaper samples or wrapping paper. Fold paper accordion style. Secure with twist tie in the middle. Fan out and snip edges.
🌸 DIY: Accordion Paper Blossom
Ingredients:
- Scrap office paper, construction paper, tissue paper, or wallpaper samples
- Twist ties (or thin twine)
- Scissors
Instructions:
- Fold: Accordion-fold your paper strip from end to end (about 1-inch pleats).
- Secure: Pinch the center of your folded paper and fasten it tightly with a twist tie.
- Fan: Carefully fan out the folds on both sides to create a circular bloom.
- Shape: Use scissors to snip the edges into rounded, pointed, or fringed petals.
--Seeds and fruit: Put dried beans or popcorn in recycled plastic bottles for seeds. Seal and paint or color to look like fruit. This is great for using up all those plastic bottles that accumulate! You can use any bottle that had loose or dry materials like water bottles, vitamins, pills and fragrance crystals.
--Land and water formations. Simulate sand and soil with brown or black blankets, sheets and towels. Use green or blue ones for rivers, ponds, lakes, oceans. Drape blankets over furniture to create hills, caves, plateaus, canyons and other landforms.
--Weather and precipitation: Use colored streamers and ribbon for rain and white for snow. Tuck ends under ceiling tiles (no holes poked or wasted staples). Use packing peanuts or wadded paper balls for ground snow.
* Recycle bin animal costumes: 
--Body coverings: Explore animal body covering patterns (stripes, shells, spots, fur, hair, feathers, scales) with kids. Draw or trace on cardboard boxes. Make wearables, folding into tubes for legs and sandwich boards for back and chest. Poke holes and tie arm loops from old cord, yarn, string or braided plastic bags. Cut head holes and arm holes in plastic bags and decorate to look like animal bodies. Fill with wadded paper. Attach paper cups for bumpy body coverings.
--Wings: Bend metal coat hangers to wing shape (insects have four wing sections). Stretch old tights or pantyhose over wire. Tie off and make arm loops from excess. Paint with patterns.
--Legs: Continue body covering pattern on two pairs of old tights or nylons. Draw feet (hoof, paws, claws, flippers). Use one pair for arms. Cut hole in crotch. Place over head. Cut waist band to fit. Pull legs over arms. For claws, cut toe and finger holes.
--Eyes: For bug compound eyes, poke small holes in foil scraps. Cover old sunglasses. Make glasses from rings cut from plastic container lids. Tie plastic bag strips to sides and tie in back of head. Use Styrofoam cups for protruding eyes (fish) or prey animals' side eyes.
--Faces: Cut old hats like animal masks. Staple or tie on antennae, whiskers, fangs. Make horns from twisted paper.
Free printable animal habitat lesson plans
🐾 Animal Tracks Resources
Animal Tracks Coloring Pages Animal Tracks Printable Book & Cards Tracks, Scat, and Sign Activities Animal Tracks Teacher Resources
🛡️ Animal Body Coverings Resources
Animal Body Coverings Worksheet Fur and Feathers Activities Animal Coverings Free Resources
🌍 Free Printable Habitat Diorama Resources
Little Bins for Little Hands: Savannah Diorama Teachers Pay Teachers (Free Search) DIY.org: Habitat Diorama Challenge TOCK Crafts: Habitat Diorama Guide
