Moai Statues

I recently discussed Easter Island with my third grade students to fit in with our current culture unit. They were amazed by the huge Moai Statues that cover the tiny piece of land off the coast of Chile. There is not much recorded history of the people that once inhabited Easter Island, so after viewing a short video clip describing the statues, my students and I discussed the possibilities of how and why the enormous carvings are where they are today.  

We also discussed the features of the Moai Statues. Their long noses and heavy eyebrows, with their long frowns carved deep into the rocky surfaces. Why would they look this way and how can we tell that they are supposed to be human faces?

After our discussion the students were in for a surprise. I had previously made sand clay the night before in order for us to construct our own miniature Maoi Statues. The recipe is actually very simple and calls for only a few ingredients, it worked out perfectly! The finished product really resembles the stone that was used for the real statues.

I demonstrated for the students how to roll out their clay, pinch details with their fingers, as well as make dents and carvings with their clay tools. When the students were finished with their statue, we painted them with glue and glued them onto a decorated cardboard base. The project was a huge hit!