Creating a Giraffe Diorama

The giraffe is the tallest of all the mammals with a neck that is more than six feet long. The giraffe’s height gives it advantages such as reaching leaves in trees or spotting predators that other animals cannot see. Making a diorama with a giraffe theme requires knowledge of the giraffe’s habitat and daily life.

Step 1

Cover the outside sections of the shoebox with yellow construction paper.

Step 2

Cut giraffe spots out of brown construction paper and attach these to the tellow exterior of the shoebox. Position the spots close together but not touching just like a real giraffe. The outside of the box represents the coat of the giraffe.

Step 3

Add grasses to the inside of your diorama. The giraffe lives in the African savanna, a large grassland with a few small shrubs and very few trees. Use either real dried grasses or create the grass out of construction paper.

Step 4

Include the acacia tree in your diorama. The acacia is one of the few trees that grows in the savanna and is a favorite food of the giraffe. Find pictures of the acacia at websites such as National Geographic or Blue Planet Biomes. Either glue the picture to the inside of the shoebox or add cardboard to the back of the picture and make a small stand for it to be free standing.

Step 5

Add giraffes to the diorama. Purchase a few plastic giraffe toys which can be found at toy stores or hobby shops.

Step 6

Mold a clay giraffe drinking from a water hole. The giraffe must assume an awkward pose by spreading its legs out wide for its head to reach the water. This pose makes the giraffe vulnerable to predators and is important to include in the diorama.

Things Needed

• Shoebox
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue or tape
• Grass
• Cardboard
• Plastic giraffe toys