Child not communicating- Need quick model

[rosefaeries]

My youngest son neglected to mention that he is doing an animal project at school. This project includes a written report AND a model. Now I have just this week to come up with and help him complete a model of a red tail hawk. Paper mache takes too long to complete. And needle felting is not something he can do by himself. (If he had just picked an owl to do instead. I have owls made.) The teacher has given him a few more days. But it has to be turned in this week. Any suggestions?
Oh did I mention that he has been working on the report at school for a few weeks?

I will so be having a discussion with him about bringing home and giving me all the handouts the school sends home.

[Mistress Morigianna]

is there a model of a hawk he can paint out there?

[rosefaeries]

Nothing available in this town.. This town is small and not much available for shopping. All the good stores are about an hour drive for me, one way. But thanks for the idea. Too bad that shopping is non existent here. (Other than grocery, fishing, and an art gallery.)

[Mistress Lisette]

Does the model have to be 3D? If not, what about a drawing/painting of the bird with the parts labeled, etc, and in various settings? You can get some really good info here (http://www.desertusa.com/aug96/du_hawk.html).

[rosefaeries]

Yes unfortunantly the model does have to be 3 D. He was supposed to have worked on this over spring break. But he didn't bring the handout home. Needless to say I am not a happy camper. I really don't want to risk my fingers needlefelting with him. I do enough damage on my own without him harpooning me too. He can either do a 3d model of the bird by itself, or a model of its enviroment. I wish you could all hear him talk about what he wants to do. Floating hawks above a tree with a nest with eggs in it. :roll: Too bad I have only 3 days to help him pull off a miracle.


Thanks for the link. I am printing up the information. He had to redo his report tonite too. By the time this is done, I am going to be an expert on red tailed hawks. :unamused:

[Mistress Lisette]

By the time this is done, I am going to be an expert on red tailed hawks. :unamused:
Heh heh. Isn't that the way it usually is, though?;-)

Okay, what about a good-sized poster board drawing with parts of the bird in varying textures? For example, the feathers can be real feathers glued to the poster board, twigs & leaves can be glued to the board and can be part of the environment section, etc. It's not as grand as a 3D model that you can walk around and see from varying angles, but it's still 3D because it's no longer flat thanks to the feathers, leaves, twigs, etc., that are sticking out... And you're not alone. Been there done that with my rit when he was in school...

[Alianne]

What about using styrofoam balls and gluing feathers and whatnot so it ends up looking like a hawk?

(or, the mom in me says better yet, let him take his lumps for not planning and doing what needed to be done in a timely manner. Yeah, it would suck, but odds are it might not happen again and teach him that he's not going to get bailed out by Mom when he doesn't take responsibility for his assignments.

BTDT. Own the wardrobe, btw....)

[Mistress Morigianna]

if you cover thiswith hawk pictures it flaps....
http://www.ornithopter.org/birdflight/freebird.shtml

or
http://grail.cs.washington.edu/projects/flight/wu2003realistic.pdf

bbc's bird model stuff
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/search/search.shtml?q=bird+model&uri=%2Fcbbc%2Fart%2Fsmart%2Fmakes%2Fbird_macquette s.shtml

or how about on a computer?
http://www.creativecow.net/show.php?page=/articles/labelle_jannis/Flight_Tutorial/index.html

[Dmitri]

First, beat your son.

Second, make wire armatures out of a coathanger (hell cut it in half) and stick them into a small nerf football, and a triangle in the back. Then cut felt in the shape of the wings (4) and glue/sandwich the wire between two 'wings' on both sides... Cut the tail (2) and do the same. Use a styrofoam ball for teh head, and cover the body and head with more felt. Get eyes and stick them in and use some kind of uncooked pasta for the beak...

Viola!

[I'Cin]

First, beat your son.

Second, make wire armatures out of a coathanger (hell cut it in half) and stick them into a small nerf football, and a triangle in the back. Then cut felt in the shape of the wings (4) and glue/sandwich the wire between two 'wings' on both sides... Cut the tail (2) and do the same. Use a styrofoam ball for teh head, and cover the body and head with more felt. Get eyes and stick them in and use some kind of uncooked pasta for the beak...

Viola!

D - people like you just kill me . . . . I can see it, but I would NEVER have thought of it. You are a creative genius. But you left off nuber 3. Beat your son again.

Rosefaeries, my kids do (have done) this crap all the time. For instance, my 13 y/o 8th grade dau went to school today without her art "materials". She asked me at 10:15 last night for a shoe box and "oh, do you have any pretty wrapping paper?" Uh, NO. However, she also claims the art teacher gives every other class except hers supplies (can't decide if I care enough this close to the end of school to investigate, especially since its art class). She had the shoe box but it wasn't wrapped. She'll take her lumps.

I'Cin

[Dmitri]

D - people like you just kill me . . . . I can see it, but I would NEVER have thought of it. You are a creative genius. But you left off nuber 3. Beat your son again.

Wel Vel would've come up with better, and if it was me doing it I be doing something crazy hard... BTW, hotglue guns cut your work time by two thirds.

But you left off nuber 3. Beat your son again.

And number 4. Punishment... I'd think 2 weeks, Save for school work, no TV, computer or video games (and no going to friends houses so he can sneak some...) and adding a week for each time you catch him using the above things.

yeah... I'm a harsh parent when it comes to schooling...

[Emrld]

D- That does not make you a harsh parent. It makes you an educated and caring parent. The world would be a better place if more took the job of parent as seriously as you do.

as for the project . . . .what about cutting out two pieces of felt in the shape of the Hawk - having him hand sew the edges (top stich not hidden) and the stuffing it - kinda like a home made plush . . .he can decorate with fabric markers.
It won't end up looking as grand as he wants . . .but it should help teach him a lesson

[Lady Anisette]

Dmitri -- as an educator I have to say you came up with a great idea. And you are so right about the glue gun. Speeds things up. Even I wasn't thing along these lines... I was thinking about clay. Where were you when I was trying to make a trout pinata with my campers? Hope you don't mind but I am going to steal your suggestion to use as a craft during my wildlife camp this July.

[Calimaryn]

If you have a Walmart with a craft department or better yet a Michaels, try finding floral styrofoam and cutting (with a butter knife) it to the proper shape then covering it with felt.

Or you can use clay. Crayola has clay out there or pick a hardens when dry kind that you could wrap around a crumpled newspaper form and then stick (or glue) feathers to it.

Popcicle sticks can be glued together to form wings then covered in fabric or even paper before feathers attached.
Brown paper trash bags can be crumpled till soft then stuffed into the proper shape and taped together. He could then color it with markers or paint it.
Homemade playdough could be dyed the proper color and made into a small hand sized bird.

Good luck! I hate having to help on projects at the last minute that could have been started or done weeks in advance. hehe I once had to help my daughter make a totem pole in one evening, rather than three weeks. Needless to say her own play clay got used in that project. I helped her with the concept of making a paper inner structure, stability and attaching the various pieces.

[Savantage]

He was supposed to have worked on this over spring break. But he didn't bring the handout home.
You mean he was down here at my place laughing at Zac, playing with Daniel and Matt outside, while his brother was doing all his back homework, Hunter knew he had an assignment due? and to think all of us adults could have helped him? I think I could have talked Chip out of some of his feathers (provided Leeza hasn't strung them all over). Frank has all sorts of things we could have used for a 3D affect on a model. I mean Heck when we lived in So. California the family helped Mark get an A+ on his 3D model of a California Misson made out of recyclables(sp?) when he was in 3rd grade. I guess he's in for a talking to from this end too.

[Dmitri]

Dmitri -- as an educator I have to say you came up with a great idea. Where were you when I was trying to make a trout pinata with my campers? Hope you don't mind but I am going to steal your suggestion to use as a craft during my wildlife camp this July.

You better not, in the time since I posted the idea I patented it. Feel free to contact my Lawers; Dewey, Skruem & Howe.

[rosefaeries]

lol Dmitri, this is a first for this particular child. Sigh my older boy. Well, let's just say it has been a fight with him. We don't have tv reception up here and I refuse to pay what they want for cable. Besides, I have already grounded both of them from movies and video games because they weren't putting them away when they were done. (And that will last until I am not mad about it. Going on week 2 now.) Though I will admit to seriously considering calling a friend and seeing if her chicken coop still needs to be cleaned out.


I will tell my son his options for the project today after school. Looks like I will be making a speed trip into Wal-mart tomorrow. Great just what I need with my class. (Living an hour away from everything is the pits.)



*rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl* Dannele, Dorothy is going to talk to him too. I am not sure who concerns him more, you or her. (Probably her. She's older and has far more experience with boys. After all she raised 18 of them.)

[Psyche]

After all she raised 18 of them.) 18?

*passes out*

[rosefaeries]

18?

*passes out*


*rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl*


And only one of them was biologically hers. :lol: Even better, she would make a great role model for older wenches. She is in her 70's. (She's the one that got me inot ren fairs.)

[Savantage]

*rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl*


And only one of them was biologically hers.
sounds familiar I have three of my own and yet all the friends of the two teens all call me mom! and come to me with their girl problems and grumbles.

[Lady Anisette]

You better not, in the time since I posted the idea I patented it. Feel free to contact my Lawers; Dewey, Skruem & Howe.

*rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl* *rotfl*

*gets on knees to beg.....

Pretty please? ::bateyel: I'll pay royalties. Promise....

[Eric McTavish]

if you cover thiswith hawk pictures it flaps....
http://www.ornithopter.org/birdflight/freebird.shtml


You found it!!! I was trying to find that most of the evening lastnight!!! For just this reason good going!