8/7/2019 Kids Make Pop-Ups! Ideas for Natural Science Lessons

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Animal Pop-Ups for Kids to Make!Three fun and educational lessons in the natural sciences

Designing pop-up illustrations of birds, animals,reptiles and insects can enliven a students studyof nature and the environment. Kids can eitherdraw their own animal images or use found photosof creatures and creature parts (eyes, beaks, ns) tocollage onto pop-up forms. For information on howto construct the necessary pop-up structures, followthe step-by-step instructions in Carol Bartons ThePocket Paper Engineer workbooks.

Talking Mouth CreaturesYounger children can document their early encoun-ters with animals and insects by drawing picturesof cats, crows, caterpillers and other creatureswith pop-up mouths and beaks. The talking mouthpop-up consists of two simple cut-and-fold trianglesas described in Volume One ofThe Pocket PaperEngineerworkbook (Popular Kinetics Press, 2005).Mouth edges can be shaped to suggest teeth or lips.The form works wonderfully as a birds beak orcrocodiles jaw, for example. Stories or factual infor-mation on the animals can be added, either in theform of a running text below the animal pop-upsor as speech bubbles. This reinforces writing andliteracy skills. Kids will love this project!

A Lesson in Animal Classication

Children can begin to learn about scientic methodsof classication by initially grouping animals accord-ing to their general shapes. Creatures with large,at body surfaces such as ounder, turtles, atworms

and crabs can be constructed as oating platformpop-ups described in Volume Two ofThe PocketPaper Engineer. Coiled creatures, or those withcurling tentacles and tails (snakes, octopuses) canbe illustrated using spiral pop-ups as described inthe same workbook. Making these pop-ups can leadto a discussion about how animals are grouped bytheir characteristics into classes and subclasses. Kidscan then design pop-ups of several animals within adistinct group: mammalia, sauropsida, and so forth.

A Lesson in Animal Habitats

Scenes showing animals within their natural habitatscan be created using the pop-up prop format. Propsare pop-up pictures connected to the page withhidden paper tabs. Props can be layered togetherto create a theatrical diorama with background,ora, and fauna. Creating these types of pop-upenvironments encourages students to learn aboutthe world around them and discuss how naturalelements work together to create viable ecosystems.

Narrative text can be added, covering such variedsubjects as food sources, plant types, climate, geog-raphy, and the traits of animals illustrated within thepop-up construction. Props are covered in VolumeTwo ofThe Pocket Paper Engineer.

Creating pop-ups is an ideal cross-curriculumactivity. It encourages kids to think and experimentwithin a fun, playful medium. It also can serve toteach them valuable lessons in the natural sciencesand other subjects.