How to Make a Model Tee-Pee for a School Project

Actual tepees were approximately 12 feet tall and had flaps for ventilation at the top.

A tepee is a Native American temporary dwelling resembling a tent that was favored by the tribes of the Great Plains. The structures were typically 12-feet high or more and constructed with long, straight poles propped into a cone covered by hides that served as an outer shell. A flap or open hole was left for an entryway. Building a model of this structure is relatively simple if you have the right materials, most of which can be found at a craft or hobby store.

Things You'll Need

• Foam core board or foam insulation sheets
• Hobby knife
• Six to ten 1/8 inch dowel rods
• Florist's wire or thin twine
• Wire cutters
• White glue
• Scissors
• Plaster wrap
• Basin
• Acrylic paints
• Paint brushes

Instructions

1. Cut a base in any shape desired from the foam board or foam insulation with a hobby knife. The base should be at least 10 inches wide on all sides.

2. Cut the dowel rods using wire cutters or a hobby knife to between 8 inches and 10 inches long.

3. Form the dowel rods into a cone-shaped structure by pressing them into the foam at an angle and allowing the sticks to cross over each other at the top by about 1 inch.

4. Tie a small amount of wire or twine around the point where the dowels cross at the top to hold them in place. Clip off the excess with the wire cutters.

5. Glue down the anchor points with white glue to the foam base and allow to dry fully.

6. Cut strips of plaster wrap into rectangles, soak them briefly in water and apply them to the outside of the tepee structure to represent the hide covering.

7. Smooth over the plaster with your fingers until the structure is covered. Allow it to dry.

8. Paint the tepee and base as desired with acrylic paints in earth tones.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with sections of newspaper before you cut your plaster wrap to find the best shapes to use on the tepee you've built.

• Remember to put an entrance way in your tepee. You could cut one with a hobby knife after you've applied the plaster wrap or you can leave an open section while building the model and attach a piece of plaster wrap as a flap.

• If you are ambitious, try to create ventilation flaps at the top.

References

• Native American Houses