Dragonology
/I've been doing a big station-based activity for elementary school students every January since I started. I started with Spy Academy, then Space Camp, Grossology, Egyptology and this year DRAGONOLOGY!
I kept it relatively simple this year - 5 stations with mostly self-directed activities.
First station: Translation. Translate the dragon messages using a dragon script decoder. All you need: a white board and a copy of Drake's Comprehensive Compendium of Dragonology (or the internet really).
I had 3 messages up - the first two were warnings ("Beware the yellow tongued flame" and "Drink not from this hole. An acid spitting dragon lives within") and the last was a riddle ("The beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of every end and the end of every place") because dragons LOVE riddles (and tacos).
Second station: Aerodynamics
You can study the dragon's flight by creating dragon paper airplanes! I used this pattern and had crayons and markers out. The kids could color their own dragon, cut him out, glue him together and give him a test flight. NOTE: The dragons fly better with a paper clip on their snout.
Third station: Target Practice
I sewed together a really rudimentary slingshot out of two pieces of felt and two long strips of elastic. I made some fake rocks from felt and polyfill. I printed off some dragon pictures and let the kids work together to launch the rocks. I was surprised that this is one of the least popular stations (but that's okay, less fighting, less getting hit with fake rocks).
Fourth Station: Dragon eggs
This is the project that started the program. Through the librarian twitter grapevine I found this Fantasy Dragon Egg craft. I knew that we could do this and it would be easy and super fun. So my hacks: We definitely used the tinfoil base - get lots of tinfoil because you'll need it. I bought Model Magic instead of airdry clay because I didn't get my butt in gear early enough to get white air dry clay. Model magic worked JUST FINE (probably a little better than airdry clay because it's easier for small hands to manipulate). We colored it with food coloring in advance. This was a bit of a strenuous process and I'm glad I did it in advance and with gloves. We used rhinestones, sequins, and glitter to decorate. WORTH IT! Everyone loved the egg project, even the boys.
Here are two samples.
Fifth Station: SLIME
Alright, I admit, I was riding the trend a little on this one, but it worked. We made all kinds of dragon slime - clear slime with colors, white slime with colors, all slime with glitter, you name it, we made it. I did use a traditional recipe with borax ONLY because I was at the table measuring out ingredients and helping them put it all together. And honestly, I hadn't had good luck getting the non borax recipes to work.
It was messy as hell, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.