Iditarod Studies

Since the Iditarod is in Alaska, we have been studying about the native Eskimos of Alaska. We learned about how real igloos are made.

We decided to try our hand at building some of our own. First Student whipped up a batch of snow...er.....royal icing...and we placed our blocks of ice....er....mini-marshmallows together using the snow to hold them in place. 

Supplies: empty plastic container (such as margarine or Cool Whip containers), royal icing (powdered sugar and water), and mini marshmallows

Instructions: 

• Lay down something to protect the surface you are working on, such as sheets of wax paper.
• Make royal icing: In a small bowl, combine warm water, and light corn syrup. Stir until corn syrup is dissolved. Add syrup water to powdered sugar and stir until completely combined. Mixture will be thick. Add water by drop until it reaches the consistency you're looking for. If it accidently becomes too thin, add more powdered sugar by the teaspoon. Use immediately.
• 1 and ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons warm water
• ½ Tablespoon light corn syrup
• Use the royal icing as glue and spread it over the plastic recycled containers, a little at a time as you work, as it dries fairly quickly. 
• Arrange the marshmallows on the royal icing on the containers like ice blocks.

Continuing to learn about the native peoples of Alaska, we looked at the unique and beautiful works of art of the Inuit. After looking at them, we created some of our own carvings out of Ivory...soap that is.
To make soap carvings, you will need a bar of Ivory Soap for each student. Take the wrapper off the soap. Use the plastic knife to scrape off the Ivory logo on both sides. Students can try carving freehand, or they can place a paper sketched pattern on top of one side of the soap. I would recommend you begin with a simple pattern such as a heart shape. With a tooth pick draw an outline of the chosen pattern.

Then take the plastic knife and start to take away the soap from around where your outlined the pattern. Because carving is a subtractive method, it is a new way of looking at creating something for many students. Just have them keep at carving until they get a resemblance of the choose subject. After the initial shape has been carved, they can take the tooth pick and incise any features, such as a face into the soap.