Polar Habitat Diorama

E made a polar region diorama as an extension of our polar region unit and to launch Project: Recycle & Create. This month's material was a cardboard box.

When I saw this box in the pile of trash to be discarded after Christmas, I grabbed it. I knew it would make a perfect diorama.

We have been discussing where polar bears live and how they travel during our polar ice simulation. We made a Thanksgiving diorama. After looking at images of polar bears in their natural habitat online, I showed E the materials I had set out as her invitation to create.

I provided a variety of textures and the polar bear for scale, but added no direction or ideas as to how the materials should be used. I really wanted to see what my girl would create on her own.

She glued...

cut...

mixed colors...

and painted all at her own direction. The end result was beautiful and all her own. I'd say she loved this freedom as she said, "You are the BEST momma I's ever had!" She created a home for the toy polar bear out of what otherwise would have been trash and proved in the process all she was learning from our polar life unit of study.

This post is part of Project: Recycle & Create which is a monthly blog collaborate and link up to inspire and show what we can make out of materials that would otherwise be thrown away. Please check out the following co-hosting bloggers:

P is for Preschooler

Powerful Mothering

Afterschool for Smarty Pants

Lemon Lime Adventures

Creative World of Varya

Mama Miss

There's Just One Mommy

Little Bins for Little Hands