One of my students’ favorite projects each year is making maps out of
salt dough.
I remember using salt dough
myself as a child and it’s still such a great idea. Salt dough is perfect for a
number of reasons.
·
It is easy to make. I actually send a note a
week ahead of time with the recipe and let the students bring their own salt
dough to class.
·
It doesn’t stain clothes.
·
It can easily be painted (even when it’s not
completely dry). We actually paint ours with watercolors.
·
It’s nontoxic – face it, we know that some of the
students are going to taste it!
·
It lasts for a few weeks when sealed. As long as
it is sealed, it shouldn’t dry out before you use it.
How do I use it in the classroom? I love using it to make maps. Every
year we use it to illustrate the regions of Texas.
I usually send a note to
parents with a recipe two weeks in advance. Of course you’ll need to make an
extra batch for those who don’t bring any. The recipe that I send home is the
simplest one that I have found.
Salt
Dough Recipe
2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
About 1 cup of water
Combine
the salt and flour. Add water slowly and mix until the dough is the consistency
of play dough. Add more flour if the dough is not holding its shape.
Salt
Dough Tips
·
Cheap paper plates work great as a base for the
maps. I like them because you can hold them up to the light or to a window to
trace the shape that you need.
·
Work in groups! I put down large pieces of
butcher paper and allow them to work on groups of 3 or 4.
·
Bring extra flour. This is so SO important!
Place a small pile of flour in the middle of the group and allow them to dip
pieces of dough in the flour so that it is not so sticky.
·
Let them dry for 2 days before painting. You can
actually paint them when they are not completely dry.
·
Crayola brand water colors work great for
painting them and are easy to clean up.
