How to Make a Canoe Out of Construction Paper
The Native Americans of the northwest coast made long wooden canoes with squared ends. The Reverend Charles Moser, an early missionary to the area, said, "... most of these Indian canoes are so true and so well shaped and proportioned that not even an expert could detect the least flaw or imperfection." These canoes were carved from cedar logs by skilled craftsmen. You can make a paper replica of these canoes.
Instructions
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Fold a sheet of construction paper in half. Draw a straight-sided canoe with a flat bottom. The bottom of the canoe should be 1/4 inch above the fold in the paper. Draw a line along both sides of the canoe 1/4 inch beyond edge. Draw a short, horizontal mark from these lines to the top and bottom of the sides of the canoe. Also draw short lines between the ends of the bottom of the canoe and the fold. You now have a drawing of a canoe with added 1/4-inch tabs on both sides and the bottom.
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Cut out the canoe and the tabs, cutting through both layers of paper. You will have two flat canoes joined at the bottom. Flatten the first fold you made, and fold the canoes up along their bottom edge so that they stand up on each side of a flat bottom.
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Cut the side tabs off one of these canoes. Fold the side tabs on the other canoe in. Glue the tabs to the sides of the other canoe, forming an open boat.
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Cut 1/8 inch off the ends of two toothpicks. This gives the toothpicks blunt ends. Measure the widest point of the canoe. Cut the two toothpicks this length.
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Put the first toothpick into the canoe across the width, 1/4 inch below the top edge. Move it gently forward, keeping it perpendicular to the sides of the canoe, until the pressure of the sides holds it in place. Insert the second toothpick in the same way. Move it backwards until it is held into place. Decorate the canoe with markers.
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References
- Photo Credit canoe's image by Lee O'Dell from Fotolia.com
