The circus and the zoological garden are always centers of interest to little children and may be used to great advantage to furnish the point of departure in the study of animal life. Making the animals in some form crystallizes the interest in the animals represented, and awakens interest in their habits and home.
The handwork may be used as an ill.u.s.trative factor connected with geography and nature study, or the making of the circus may be the starting point, and incidentally furnish subject matter in several fields.
For example, geography and nature study grow out of the search for facts concerning the animals themselves, _i.e._ size, color, food, home, value, etc. The desire for such information gives purpose to reading. Oral and written descriptions supply subject matter for practice in English.
Reducing the actual proportions of animals to a definite scale and problems relating to their commercial value make practical use of the knowledge of number. Art enters into the making of free-hand sketches, cuttings, and patterns for wooden models.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 55.--A circus parade.]
A good circus or "zoo" may be worked out in a variety of materials. Paper, cardboard, clay, and wood all serve well.
To get the best value from the problem it should be as free as possible from copy work. The children should consult the best sources of information at their disposal, which may range all the way from ordinary picture books to natural history and encyclopedia descriptions. They should find out, unaided, as much as possible concerning the animal in question: his size, color, food, home, values, etc.,--the teacher supplementing with interesting and necessary items not at the disposal of the cla.s.s.
Free-hand cuttings and pencil sketches should be compared with the best pictures obtainable and the real animal whenever possible. Such patterns as are needed should be made by the children themselves. Ready-made patterns will produce better proportioned animals, but more dependent, less observant children also.
METHODS IN DETAIL
=Realistic Animals in Three-ply Wood.=--Secure necessary items of measurement and decide upon scale. One inch for each foot is best for younger children.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 56.--Three-ply wooden animals.]
Draw rectangle proportioned to the extreme length and height of the animal. Draw into the rectangle a _profile_ sketch of the animal, being careful that it comes to the line on each side. _All four feet must_ touch the base line. Considerable practice may be needed before a good sketch can be drawn. The animal may be represented as standing, walking, or running, but must be drawn in profile.
Cut out the sketch and make by it three patterns: one of the head, body, and tail; one of the body and right legs; one of the body and left legs.
Care must be taken to get good lines at shoulder and rump. (See Fig. 56.)
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 57.--Detail of three-ply animals with movable parts.]
Lay the pattern on the wood so that the grain runs lengthwise of the legs and other frail parts and draw outline carefully. Use ba.s.swood one fourth inch thick, or other soft wood.
Saw out the parts with a coping saw. Be careful in sawing to keep the blade in a vertical position in order that the edges may be true.
Nail or glue the parts together. If the animal does not stand perfectly, rub the feet on a piece of sandpaper. Use water color or crayon to give proper color.
_Three-ply Animals with Movable Parts._--To make the head movable, saw the part from the body on a curved line, as shown in Fig. 57. Fasten with a single nail through the shoulder. The curved line must be a part of a circle and the nail must be at the center. The edges should be smooth to allow easy action. The tail may be adjusted by a similar plan. The parts may be made to move automatically by suspending a weight on cords which are attached to the movable parts, as shown in Fig. 57. If the weight is to be used, cut off the body part on the double dotted line to allow room for the cords to swing.
A figure of this sort must be fastened on a pedestal or platform which will extend over the edge of the table. A slot must be cut in the pedestal wide enough to allow the cords to swing freely. (See Fig. 56.) The pedestal may be a long board or piece of heavy cardboard which can be tacked to the table or held firm by a clamp, or it may be a thin board fastened to a U-shaped block which is held firm on the edge of the table by a wedge.
=Cardboard and Paper Animals that Stand.=--For younger children who cannot handle the saw easily cardboard or stiff paper may be used.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 58.--Notched rest for animals.]
To make the animal stand the feet may be tacked to a small piece of wood about one inch square on the end and as long as needed, or a cardboard brace, such as is used on easels, may be glued to the back. A realistic effect is given if the animal is cut with two legs and the brace made to represent the other two, or a piece of cardboard cut as in Fig. 58 may be used as a brace, the body of the animal fitting into the notch.
_Clay_ makes an excellent medium, but it requires more skill in clay than in wood to get an equally good effect. Clay animals should be modeled with a pedestal, and the separations between the two forelegs and the two hind legs merely indicated. If each leg is modeled separately, the figure is likely to be frail.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 59.--Balancing figures.]
=Balancing Figures.=--Design such figures as a prancing horse or dancing bear and saw from a single piece of wood. A little below the center of the figure insert a curved wire, on the other end of which is a ball of clay or other weight. The wire must be fastened firmly so that it cannot turn.
Adjust so that the figure balances.
Figures of people in foreign costumes, children running and jumping, as well as all sorts of animals, are very fascinating problems of this sort.
(See Fig. 59.)
=Seesaw Figures.=--Such groups as two boys chopping wood, two chickens drinking, two dogs tugging at a string, wrestling boys, and similar groups are interesting problems of the seesaw type. (See Fig. 60.)
_Detail._--Cut the figures from cardboard. Make with a long pedestal.
Color with crayon or water color. Use two light sticks for the seesaw, to which tack one figure in a vertical position and the other on a slant.
Fasten to each stick with one tack. If a central figure is used, tack firmly to lower stick. Work the figure by moving the upper stick while the lower one is held firm.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 60.--Some simple toys.]
=Toys.=--A box of carpenter"s sc.r.a.ps of soft wood will supply material for a variety of toys which may be made by the children themselves, thereby more than doubling the fun. A few suggestions are given in detail. The making of these will suggest others. (See Fig. 60.)
_Doll"s Swing._--A heavy block for a base, two tall uprights, and a crosspiece will make the frame. Make a seat from cardboard or use the end of a small box and suspend from crossbar.
_Doll"s Teeter._--Use a heavy block for a base. Two uprights with double-pointed tacks or notches in the top. Drive two double-pointed tacks in lower side of teeter board at center. Slip a small rod through the tacks and rest in the notches on the uprights. Suspend a weight by cords from the lower side of the board, adjust until the board balances. The ends of the board should be provided with box seats for the doll"s comfort.
_Railroad Train._--For cars, saw pieces from a square stick. For engine, use pieces of broomstick or other cylinder. Soft wood is better if obtainable. For wheels, use pieces of small broomstick or dowel rod. (See Fig. 56.)
Let the children study real trains and make the best imitation they can work out.
_Jumping Jacks._--Cut the figure from light weight cardboard. Make head and body in one piece. Cut two arms long enough to reach well above the head. Make the hands very large. Cut two legs either with or without a joint at the knee. Color with crayon or water color.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 61.--Adjusting jumping jack in frame.]
Fasten the legs and arms to the body with a string tied loosely to allow free movements. Make a frame of two light stiff sticks and a crosspiece fastened between them near the lower end of the sticks. Fasten with a single nail at either end of the crosspiece. Cut notches near the upper ends of the sticks. Fasten the figure to the frame by a stout thread. Use a coa.r.s.e needle and carry the thread through the hands twice, leaving a loop on each side to slip over the ends of the sticks into the notches. A small block or folded bit of cardboard between the hands to keep them apart will improve the movement of the toy. Adjust the figure so that the threads are parallel when the figure hangs below the inverted frame. (See Fig. 61.) When the frame is held upright, the figure will hang between the sticks and the threads will be crossed. Press the lower ends of the frame together to make the jumping jack perform.
_Merry-go-round._--Use a heavy block for a base. Bore a hole in the center and insert a square stick, about 10 in. long. For arms, use two pieces about 3/8 in. thick and 10 in. long. Fasten these together in the form of a cross and nail to the top of the upright with a single nail. An awl may be used to make the hole a little larger than the nail so that the arms will revolve easily. Suspend a box seat of wood or cardboard from each arm to complete the toy. (See Fig. 59.)
=Games.=--_Ring Toss._--Use two square pieces of board at least 1/2 in.
thick, one piece larger than the other. Bore a hole in the center of the smaller piece with a 1/2-in. auger bit.
For the upright use a stick 1/2 in. square and about 12 in. long. Whittle the corners of the stick until it fits firmly into the hole in the small board. Nail the small board to the large one.