Giant Squid Bean Animal
           
Teaching Note
This activity could be used at the beginning of a unit to generate an interest in the study of squid or as a culminating activity.

Objectives:

After completing this exercise, students should be able to:

  • Follow directions in the construction of the squid animal

  • Identify the gross external anatomy of a giant squid including the following

    mantle funnel eyes
    arms fins head
    suckers feeding
    tentacles     		location
    of beak

    Materials:

    • 9 in. x 12 in. maroon, red, or pink felt (If you use precut pieces, you will need two.)
    • straight pins
    • fabric glue (You need strong glue such as Fabri-Tac.)
    • two 15mm plastic eyes
    • scissors
    • permanent fine line black magic marker
    • small beans (like lentils), popcorn kernels, or rice
    • pattern of a squidGiant Squid Bean Animal pattern

    Procedure:

    • STEP 1. Gather materials for the Giant Squid Bean Animal.

    • STEP 2. Cut out the pieces of the paper pattern of the squid along the solid lines. Please note that the pattern available for downloading varies slightly from that pictured in the photographs. The steps, however, remain the same.

      Step 2 Step 2

    • STEP 3. Fold felt lengthwise and pin the edges.

      Step 3

    • STEP 4. Arrange the pattern on the felt as illustrated below, and pin the pieces to the felt pinning the pieces that go on the fold first.

      Step 4

    • STEP 5. Cut out the felt squid along the solid lines.

      Step 5

    • STEP 6. Glue the two pieces of the arms and tentacles together at the top and the sides.

      Step 6

    • STEP 7. Fold the top of the arm and tentacle pieces over and glue.

      Step 7

    • STEP 8. Fold the head piece over.

    • STEP 9. Insert the tentacle piece into the head piece. Be sure to insert the tentacle piece at the end where the funnel is located. Glue the tentacle piece into the head piece. Fold the edges of the head over and glue. Leave the back open.

      Step 9

    • STEP 10. Glue the eyes on both sides of the squid head, close to where the head and the arms and tentacles are joined.

      Step 10

    • STEP 11. Put a small amount of beans into the head through the end. Glue the end.

      Step 11A Step 11B

    • STEP 12. Fold over the mantle.

    • STEP 13. Place the head in the mantle up to where the funnel is. (The funnel should be on the underside of the head.)
      Step 13

    • STEP 14. Glue the head to the mantle.

      Step 14

    • STEP 15. Glue the two parts of the squid's mantle together along the edges, but leave an opening to put in the beans.

      Step 15

    • STEP 16. Put the beans in the opening. Glue the opening shut.

      Step 16

    • STEP 17. Take the diamond-shaped piece of the mantle or fin, and put glue down the center.

      Step 17

    • STEP 18. Glue the fin to the top of the mantle on the pointed end, which is opposite of where the arms and tentacles are located.

      Step 18

    • STEP 19. On the inside surface of the arms, draw small circles with the fine line black magic marker to represent suckers. On the inside surface of the clubs of the tentacles, draw small circles to represent suckers.

      Step 19

    • STEP 20. Check the seams to make sure everything is secure. Re-glue where needed.

      Step 20

    Other Ideas:

    • Make the squid out of paper without the beans for an easier construction.

    • Use the squid in a diorama or a 3-D painting.

    • Measure your squid. One of the giant squids discovered by scientists is 65 feet long. How many times larger is the real giant squid than your model?

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