This activity was such a fun addition to our China week that I think we’re going to use it for part of our Geography Fair display! We decided to use FloraCraft Styrofoam Bricks and they worked so well, I think we’ll use them again just for fun! Are you tempted? Want to make one? Here’s how:
Supplies:
- FloraCraft Styrofoam Bricks (I used 1 ENTIRE bag for this wall)
- White Craft Glue
- Foam Poster Board
- Fake greenery
- Cardboard (for the floor of the wall)
- Toothpicks (to secure stairs on ends of Wall)
Directions:
STEP 1: Draw 2 parallel curved lines across your poster board and then trace over that with a strip of glue. Place blocks along curve.
STEP 2: Put another bead of glue on top of bottom layer of bricks and stagger so bricks aren’t right on top of each other. Repeat until wall is to desired height.
STEP 3: Cut cardboard to fit curves of wall and glue on top of the brick layer.
STEP 4: Put another layer of bricks on top of the floor (cardboard) layer. And build up castle on both ends of wall.
Since the bricks are foam, you can cut them in half to put the smaller castle tops on each end.
STEP 5: Let bricks dry then cut doorways in foam castles. Use toothpicks to secure bricks inside the natural stair form created from staggering each layer of bricks when making the wall.
STEP 6: Glue fake greenery to edges of wall for decoration.
STEP 7: Test out your wall with various figurines, then take it to your Geography Fair for display!
Click here to see the rest of our China Activities!
Click here to learn more about the Expedition Earth Geography curriculum!
Erica,We just finished up China in your Expedition Earth. We loved it. We built our Great Wall of China out of Nuudles. Boys thought it was great. Do you feel it is a push to fit in a country per week? We stretched it to two because we were strapped for time. Maybe I just need to be more organized?
this is amazing!you have been featured on the Montessori Goldminehttp://themontessorigoldmine.blogspot.com/2010/10/weekend-round-up.html
Yeesh. It look so good it's hard to believe little kids made it. Fantastic job!I'm linking this on my Ancient China lens.
Where did you purchase the styrofoam blocks?
Anonymous: The link to the bricks is in the supplies at the top of this post, here's a link to Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HMI6W8?ie=UTF8&tag;=confofahome-20&linkCode;=as2&camp;=1789&creative;=390957&creativeASIN;=B002HMI6W8
I can't wait to try this. I ordered the bricks today. Thought about sugar cubes but can't find any and they would cost as much as the bricks anyway.But I am assuming you mean parallel lines in Step 1? If I am wrong then I am confused. :-)Kori
KORI: Yes, LOL! Thanks, I fixed it, I did mean parallel!
We’re in the middle of our Great Wall and my boys (4 and 7) are LOVING it! We found the craft bricks at Michael’s, thank goodness, since I didn’t plan enough ahead to order them online 🙂 Thanks for a GREAT craft!! (Oh, we’re still working on where to store it :-P)
hi can you make me one
i love it
This is a great model. We are currently studying Ancient China and may do something similar. Thanks for the idea.