A diorama portrays in three-dimension a scene from a book, a natural environment, or an historical time. Ideally the assignment that you get from your teacher will have criteria for creating a diorama. If your teacher doesn't provide criteria, use these suggestions to help you.

Designing your Diorama

Required Elements

Title

Background that sets the scene accurately and creatively

Characters whether people or animals should be easily identified

List of works cited that you used in your research or reading

Paragraph that explains the scene created

Supplies
Shoe box or slightly larger box
Construction paper on which to design background scene
Scissors
Markers and/or crayons
Figures to recreate the scene
Tape
Thread
Paste

Constructing your Diorama

Directions
1. Find a box at least as big as a shoe box - a slightly larger box works even better.
2. Cover the outside of the box with construction paper.
3. Draw and color the background for the diorama and paste it aced the box, or draw the background in the box.
4. Draw, color and cut out characters and scenery.
5. Arrange the characters and scenery in the box. To make the objects stand up, fold under the bottom edge of each piece and glue to the box.
6. Objects such as birds, clouds, balloons, and airplanes can be hung from the top using black thread. Tape or tie the thread to the object and to the box.
7. Attach your paragraph to the box where viewers can easily read what you've written.
8. Attach a title to the box where it can easily be seen.

Example of Rubrics

Iowa Diorama Rubric

Defining

Locating

Selecting

Organizing

Presenting

Evaluating

Please send comments or questions to the 4J Web Team.
Eugene School District 4J
200 North Monroe Street, Eugene, Oregon 97402
Phone: 541.687.3123 [TTD 541.687.3447]

Last modified: October, 2003 by Steinke, Ague, Feuerhelm, Maxwell, and Warburg