What is a diorama?
I can’t remember our teachers asking us to make one, thus I do not have an idea how to create a diorama. Â For my very creative 11-year old boy, though, he patiently explained to me that a diorama — same explanation I got when I googled it — is a three-dimensional model of a historical time period, a nature scene, or a fictional situation either enclosed in a glass showcase or pasted on a hard platform or cardboard.
Firstborn’s third quarter project for Civics and Culture was to create a diorama depicting the Spanish influence on religion and education here in the Philippines. I was very honest with my son when I told him I do not know how to be of help to him.  He reassured me though that he can manage, but requested his mother to buy a few materials he will be needing for the project.
My boy was given a week to complete his diorama. And every after school, he would go straight to the computer room to work on his diorama. I visited him once in a while to check on the progress of his project.
he asked me to buy him plastic GI Joes. when I visited him one night, this was what I saw– he and his younger brother were playing with the plastic GI Joes!
1. Â Firstborn made a detailed sketch of his ideal diorama. Â He also listed all the materials he will be needing.
the rough sketch for his diorama
2. With all the materials beside him, he started with his building frame. He chose to make a mini-UST because as he explained to me, it was during the early years of Spanish colonization when education was mostly religion-oriented and was controlled by Spanish friars.
3. After his UST frame, he started adding details such as Spanish friars, students, and trees. He used molding clay for these.
after the frame was all done and competed, first-born started with his clay trees and peeps
I told him to make trees. he initiated to use modeling clay. it was also his idea to include red fruits (apple) and yellow ones (mango). he even made some benches and flower pots.
IÂ woke up the next morning and saw my grilling pan all occupied with clay people in barong and baro’t saya. that yellow thing the binibinis were holding — pamaymay or fan.
4. Â He printed the facade of UST and covered his frame with this printout. Â He used felt paper to cover his 1/2 illustration board. Â He glued his clay figures and mini-UST in place. Â He completed the look by including walkways.
top view of my firstborn’s diorama
firstborn’s diorama all laid in a 1/2 illustration boardÂ
I’ve observed that our young man had fun making his diorama. Â He diligently finished his work without asking for his parents’ help. Â He also followed the timeline he set for himself. Â And above all, this project allowed him to prove to himself that he can be creative and he can innovate.
Dear son, you showed so much love on your studies.  We expect that same enthusiasm for the next quarter.  May you never tire to explore and learn. We wish you all the best! And of course, we are always proud of you!
* (December 2013) I compiled and shared some of the school projects made by my boys in order to help other students with their research.  It has always been this momi’s intention to offer help the best way she can.
Thank you so much for this post. I am not good with dioramas.
So interesting, I didn’t know what is a Diorama until now. That’s a very good result at the end!
I have never made a diorama before. Heck, I wasn’t even sure that I knew what one was. I am glad that you showed me how. I made need to do this someday.
I love that you included a message for HIM at the end of this post. That is so amazing of you- not a lot of families are as lucky as those like yours. It is an awesome diorama. My kids have made one of the Alamo and they love working on things like that for school!
I remember making a diorama of the solar system when I was a kid. Yours son’s looks great!
Wow! Of a solar system! Such a creative concept I must say. And ow, thank you for finding my son’s work great.
I remember making these when I was younger and helping the kids make it too when they needed it for school! Oh how I miss those days. It’s always fun and exciting to make dioramas!
It is indeed fun. But i would rather opt to watch them create dioramas than help as I might bring mess than help. Ehehe.
I think it’s great that your son is so engaged with his learning! I’m so grateful my 3 girls love school, learning, and creating too. P.S. I think the clay people are adorable!
Thank you. i find the clay people as well as too cute. Ihihi. And such a good news your kids love learning and school. i wish them all the best!
What a great way for kids to learn! I remember making these as a child and they were so fun to do!
I bet it was fun. I had fun as well just looking at him did his diorama.
This post reminded me so much of when I was in school! I loved making dioramas in class, I think they’re a great creative alternative to book reports, etc.
Jasmine / http://www.jasminekeclipse.com
Great idea. May be proposed as an alternate to book reports.
I am always fascinated with dioramas; too bad I do not have the artistic inclination to create one hahaha!!!
Hahaha. Me, too. No creative juices flowing
Here if a child is assigned a diorama, it’s done inside a shoebox. Funny how it’s not the same meaning.
It should fit in a box, as I was told. But the teacher instructed them to use an illustration board instead.
Your son is very creative. He did a great job on this project.
Thank you. And i hope he displays the same enthusiasm in his other subjects.
That looks really, really great – you can see he worked hard on it!
He indeed worked hard for it
And he loves school thus puts his heart into it.
What a clever young man and what a great idea. I can’t wait for my grand kids to start having school projects.
Yes, it would surely be fun and exciting seeing your grand kids make their own projects.
Making Dioramas is still one my favorite activities, there are websites that let you create them digitally. I was mostly bad with the real ones though so I find kids and teens like yours very talented.
That’s cool, creating them digitally. I also find those kids creating diorama a real genius. Hihi
I love this! My son had one and it was fun to watch him create it.
Wow UST! Looks great! I made a diorama in highschool about what a typical city would look like during the Spanish colonial period.It’s a lot of work.
What a fun idea. The first time I heard about a diorama was in a kids’ book. I wish I could remember the name of it because it was so good!
First, I had no idea what a diorama was until I just looked at all of the pictures. He did an amazing job. He’s so organized and I love his chart of daily things to do. Too cool and I am sure you are more than a proud momma!
I remember making these in school!! My daughter made one in second grade for St Patricks day she loved making it!
This is a useful guide! I remember when I was still a student, I always hated projects that involved making diorama.
Abby | Life in the Fash Lane
I remember doing a diorama when I was in grade school, omg memories. My mom actually did it for me lol
Thank goodness we weren’t asked to do this in school back then!!! I can’t imagine doing it because I am definitely not creative like your son! Good job on his project! 🙂
xx, Wandering Ella
I could recall the days we do a diorama too. It was too tasking, but the end result is satisfying.
I love this! My kids had to make a diorama last year and it was not as easy as it may seem 🙂
He’s good in making Diorama ah. Better than my students, I swear. My students are just making projects for the sake of making them, not really putting too much effort on it.
That is so cool!
I hate it when my kids have projects that need to be created and built like these because I am not crafty! Haha 😛
I was surprised he actually have his timeline for the project. I can remember doing my projects back in grade school, rushing. I wish I knew how to create timeline back then. This is also a good way to teach him time management. Your son looks smart!
I always say that I’m glad I don’t have kids because I just would be terrible at this stuff. But you make it seem possible.
This is such an useful post!! Thanks for sharing!! I’ve bookmarked it for future reference!! 🙂
Your son did an amazing job! It is ok to admit that we don’t always know the answers or know how to do everything.
This is an awesome diorama. I had forgotten about them till now. Ours were made in shoe boxes.
I’m pretty sure we made some sort of diorama when I was in school…can’t remember exactly for what, though. I love the creativity that your son has shown here…and very cool to bake clay figurines.
I love the idea of making education come alive. Dioramas are a great way to do that!
Diorama sounds a tough project. I learned a lot from this post of yours.
I also didn’t know about dioramas until now. So thank you so much, it sounds very interesting!
It is indeed interesting. Thank you for dropping by.
These are always so much fun! I love seeing how he put this one together. Awesome job!
Thank you. It was indeed a fun bonding between mom and son and even siblings.
We love making dioramas in our house when they are assigned! So much fun to show what you have learned like this.
Yes, such a fun way to show how much youve learned about the subject matter.
First time hearing of dioramas. He did an amazing time.
Thank you.
this looks nice! my daughter is still doing this last time which is good coz she loves art and crafts so much! diorama is a fun thing to do
Yey, diorama is a fun way to learn. Learned so much when my boy did that project.
UST! hhehehe. This is what I miss when I was studying. Even though I do not excel in doing it still I feel proud whenever I finish my art work.
Haha. Yes! UST. Uhihi
I have a son and I love to help him in his projects. It’s a great way of bonding too.
Yes, i agree. Such a great way to bond with kids.
I remember making these in middle school but I definitely don’t remember it being called that! lol
Haha. Perhaps each of us were asked to make one. We werent sure though of the name. Haha