Globe Craft - Enchanted Learning Software

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Our subscribers' grade-level estimate for this page: 3rd - 4th

Enchanted Learning Software's
Papier-Mâché Globe
More Kinder Crafts

Make your own globe of the Earth from a balloon covered with newspaper, flour-water glue, and paint. Although this is a messy project that takes days to complete, the results are very nice and teach a tremendous amount about geography.

Supplies needed:

A round balloon
Lots of newspaper
Flour and water glue (instructions below)
A container for mixing the glue (old plastic containers work well)
A spoon or stick to stir the glue
A printer
Pencil
Blue and green tempera paint
Paint brushes
A dark marker

Make a simple, thin glue from flour and water. Mix 1 cup of flour into 1 cup of water until the mixture is thin and runny. Stir into 4 cups of boiling water (the heating gives the glue a nice consistency, but is not necessary). Simmer for about 3 minutes, then cool.

Tear a lot of strips of newspaper. Strips should be about 1 inch wide; the length doesn't really matter.

Blow up and tie a round balloon for each student.

Papier-Mâché: Dip each strip of paper in the flour glue, wipe off excess, and wrap the strip around the balloon. Have at least three layers surrounding the balloon. Let it dry (at least overnight) after each layer.

Let the globe dry completely (it may take a few days). When the papier-mâché is dry, the balloon usually pops by itself, and separates from the outer papier-mâché skin.

Print out maps of the Earth (or use a commercial globe or maps).

If using our printouts, choose color map printouts (Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere) or black-and-white map printouts (Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere).

Draw the Continents on the Globe:

Using a pencil, draw a line around the midsection of the balloon representing the equator, and draw a dot for each of the poles.
Draw the continent you live in. To draw each continent, show the student the shape of that continent, how big it is in relation to the globe, and where it is positioned (with respect to the equator, the poles, and the other continents). Using a pencil, draw that continent on the globe.
Repeat this process for the other continents.

Work on a bed of newspapers; this is pretty messy. Paint the seven continents green with tempera paints.

When the continents are done and the paint has dried, use blue paint to represent the oceans, seas, and lakes. Let the paint dry.

Using a dark marker, have the student label the major features on the globe and also where the child lives. The student can mark and label the equator, the seven continents, the oceans, the poles, etc. (depending on the student's grade level).

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