On a visit to the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, I got the idea for a panorama craft. Theirs was based on a train trip through the mountains with scenery rolling by. The paper used was from an adding machine roll and the children would draw the landscape, attach straws and then twirl to see the scenery go by. I popped the idea away in a drawer until now.

panorama box with straws photo source: Lorie Pierce

But how to adapt this craft to the Ultimate Dinosaur theme? The main problem is to source small boxes.

The only way that would work was to use larger boxes that were easy to obtain. Regular sized tissue boxes seemed to fit the bill. Now, what to use as the turning posts? Here’s what I have come up with as a prototype.

empty tissue box with gift wrap roll cut in two photo source: Lorie Pierce

rolls inserted into box as posts photo source: Lorie Pierce

Holes are cut for the posts so that they sit parallel to each other. The holes should be snug so there is a bit of friction to turn the posts.

Now to create the paper roll. The object of this mini-museum event is to introduce the new Southern Dinosaurs – recently new finds from south of the equator. So the content will feature a few of these animals.

printed sheets with illustrations of dinosaurs and blue whale for comparison photo source: Lorie Pierce

The animals are shown roughly to scale, including a blue whale for size comparison. Since the window opening in the tissue box is 3 inches, these pages will be cut in half lengthwise and then taped together to form a long roll.

paper roll attached to end post with images taped together photo source: Lorie Pierce

As the back is still on the tissue box, it is necessary at this point to open one end to insert the paper roll. Tape the left margin firmly to the left end post. Turn the post clockwise to roll up the paper until the end is within the box. Tape the paper roll firmly to the right post.

end of paper roll taped to right post photo source: Lorie Pierce

Seal up the box end….and you have Dino TV !

finished prototype for Dino TV photo source: Lorie Pierce

I’m still not sure if this will be an appropriate craft for our event. How much would we prep and how much would be done by the families? Can I collect enough materials in time?

I like the idea that the activity reuses materials.