An idea from Auntie Gill gill@gillmcgregor.com

Auntie Gill Says

“Let’s look at……the Nile crocodile”

The Nile crocodile swims in the fresh waters of the Nile

and is one of the most dangerous crocodiles in the

world.

This carnivorous reptile lives on average for 45 years, grows to around 16 foot

long and weighs 500 pounds.

They eat mainly fish, but will attack zebras, small hippos, porcupines, birds and

other crocodiles. 100s of humans are attacked each year.

When the Nile crocodile lays eggs, the parents fiercely guard the nest until the

eggs are hatched. This is not a typical trait for reptiles that usually lay eggs as

normally they would be laid and then left to hatch and survive on their own. Often

the Nile crocodile will roll the eggs gently in their mouths to help the eggs hatch. A

baby crocodile is called a hatchling.

The Nile crocodile is not an endangered species despite some regional declines or

extinctions.

Why don’t you see if you can find some pictures of the Nile crocodile and

draw one?

Look at their heavily armoured skin. Try and draw their scale markings.

Let’s make a crocodile swimming along the River Nile

For each crocodile, fold half a piece of A4 paper in half and draw around

the template. A grown up may have to cut out the shape for you but when

you open it up you will see it starts to look like a crocodile.

The opposite end to the head is the crocodile’s lower jaw. So if you bend

the shape to go underneath the tail, you will see the lower jaw appear. The

angled shapes either side of the body are the tummy flaps, which, when

stuck on the underside of the crocodile make it keep its shape. Cut indents

into the feet to create claws.

You will need to see how the crocodile forms to work out how to draw his

scale markings and eyes before sticking into position. You can cut out

shapes along his back for extra

effect.

An idea from Auntie Gill gill@gillmcgregor.com

To finish the River Nile scene

With a cereal box, cut to create a long rectangular shape, cut again to create an

interesting curved base and paint to show land and desert areas.

Look through your collection of saved empty boxes and labels and see if you can find

blue packaging. Cut into a long river shape and stick on to the cardboard base to

represent the Nile travelling through the land and desert. Add a few water channels

which were dug out by the Ancient Egyptians to allow the water from the Nile to irrigate

the farming land. Cut out more, narrow puddle shapes and use the raising technique by

taping rolled card underneath the shape before sticking to the river to achieve different

height levels for interest.

I found a green serviette and tore it into strips and screwed up the paper to make grass

and stuck it to the river’s edge. The tall grass was cut out of a used cardboard green

coloured box. Make sure you have a flat bottom fold so you can stick the clumps of

“grass” along the river’s edge.

The Pyramid was made out of cardboard egg boxes. 3 sets of 3 were attached to a

cardboard base, then 2 sets of 2 were stacked and stuck centrally on top and then the

one egg holder was stuck centrally on the top. Paint to show a whitish, yellow colour as

if the sun was reflecting on the pyramid.