Paper Mache Globes; A Favorite Classroom Activity

This past May I wanted to blog about my Paper Mache Globes.  It is by far one of my favorite activities that I do every year. I know it is time consuming and messy, but it is well worth it.  Map and Globes is our last unit in social studies. So this makes a great end of year fun activity to fill up those last days of school.

The end of the school year is always busy, and I never got the chance to blog about my globes.  So when I saw Mrs. Madden’s Favorite Classroom Project I thought now would be a good time as ever to do blog on this topic.   You know I won’t have time next may either.

 

I wish I had taken the time to snap a few photos of the project.  I am really bad about remembering to take pictures.  This school year I plan to do a better job of that.

How to make Paper Mache Globes

balloons

Glue mixture (2 cups water to 1 part glue- I actually use a little more water)

Newspaper strips (I use old telephone books.) cut into 1 or 2 inch strips

Blue tempera paint/brushes

Yarn/string

  Directions:

1.    Blow up the balloon. 

2.  Apply paper strips by dipping the paper strips into the glue mixture and place them around the balloon.  Continue until the entire balloon is covered.  (make sure the strips are not dripping wet)

3.  You may want to do another layer to make sure there are no holes/gaps.  (This is why I like to use old telephone books yellow strips one layer/white for the 2^nd layer.)

4.  Attach a string labeled with the child’s name and hang to try

5.  Use a large paintbrush to paint the entire globe blue (for water). 

6.  Color and cut out paper continents.  Glue them onto the globe in the correct place.

7.  Label the continents and oceans.

Hints:

This project is time consuming but it is a lot of fun.  We have found that it works well to get a couple of parent volunteers.  It is messy so please instruct everyone to wear old clothes.

 **If you don’t want to mess with the Paper Mache part.  You can use dark blue tissue paper to cover the balloon and cut out continents from green tissue paper.  This method is much faster but globes do not last very long.

This is always a favorite project of my students.  I even have students come back and visit years later and they tell me they still have their Paper Mache Globes. 

Here’s the link to the Continents that I have students glue to the globes.  Arthur’s Balloon Globe

Hopefully next year I will have some pictures to use in my blog posts about this fun globe activity.