Lewis & Clark Site Map

Craft Activity
MOVING PANORAMA

CONNECTION TO LEWIS AND CLARK
Moving panoramas (described below) were in use in America at the time of Lewis and Clark. The first one was installed in Charles Willson Peale's museum in Philadelphia and may have been viewed by Captain Lewis when he studied with Peale and other scholars just before leaving on the expedition.

OVERVIEW
Student groups make models of a moving panorama to present the results of their research.

PURPOSE(S):
To present research results in a manner fitting the time of Lewis and Clark; to promote cooperative efforts among students; to enhance traits in craft making such as precision, physical dexterity, creativity, and following directions.

ADVANCE PREPARATIONS
Moving Panorama
Share the following history of moving panoramas with the class:

Long before movies on film were invented, theater audiences were entertained by "moving panoramas." Scenes of places or events were painted by artists on long, wide strips of canvas or other heavy fabric. When the paint was dry, the strip was then rolled on a heavy metal rod and placed upright on one side of a stage. The loose end of the strip was attached to another roller on the opposite side of the stage. The panorama was then slowly wound from one roller and to the other by means of a mechanical device. As the canvas unrolled, a narrator described the scenes painted on it. Music was played in the background for dramatic effect.

Moving panoramas were a form of entertainment in colonial America. Artist Charles Willson Peale, constructed one in his museum in Philadelphia in 1785. (Peale's museum was the first one built in America.) Moving panoramas became increasingly popular as artists went west and returned with spectacular drawings and paintings of the scenery. Many of these scenes were then transferred to panorama canvases. Moving panoramas continued to be shown into the early twentieth century, but lost their appeal when moving pictures on film were invented. (For additional information, click on GRADES 5-6 SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS LIST and scroll to Moving Panoramas.)

IMPLEMENTATION
Group Preparation Phase
Before beginning the model, groups meet to:

• Share the information gathered by group members.
• Discuss how to transfer their information to a roll of paper. (See suggestions below.)
• Divide the tasks so that each group member has an assignment. (See suggestions below.)

SUGGESTIONS FOR TRANSFERING INFORMATION TO THE PANORAMA ROLL

1. Create a title page.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Create a scene typical of the assigned ecological zone---a tall grass prairie, for example. Remember that the paper will be rolled up so the materials used to create the scene must be flexible.
   
   
   
   
3. Follow up the ecological zone scene with pictures and descriptions of plants and animals researched by individual group members. Be sure to sketch in the appropriate ecological background for your plant or animal. These may be drawn directly on the roll or on another sheet of paper and taped to the roll.
4. Print a page of credits at the end. Leave a blank area to the left of the credits for taping to the roller.
   
   
   
   
5. Use the creativity of group members to add other flourishes to your panorama.

SUGGESTIONS FOR DIVIDING THE WORK
There are many ways to divide the tasks so that group members do their fair share of the work while still being allowed to express their own individual talents. In so far as possible, group members should make decisions themselves, but some suggestions for task division follow.

1. Divide tasks according to what each group member does best---designing, drawing, painting, writing, constructing models, etc.
2. Work individually on some task and cooperatively on others. For instance, individual students may draw and describe the plants and animals they researched, but work with the group to create the ecology scene and construct the panorama box.

Construction Phase
DIRECTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING A MOVING PANORAMA
Please read all the directions before beginning.

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Sturdy cardboard box of the desired size and shape. The instructions below may be adapted to any size of box, but it should be large enough to be seen clearly by class members when groups make their presentations.
• Two rollers such as dowel sticks, broom stick pieces, mailing tubes, etc. The rollers must be tall enough to extend two or three inches above the box and one or two inches below the box.
• Roll of white paper such as shelf paper or butcher shop paper depending upon
  the size of box. The height of the paper should be slightly less than the height of the box so it will roll smoothly.
• Four objects to glue on the bottom of the box for feet, such as small blocks of wood, spools, etc. Squares of Cardboard glued together will also work.

TOOLS NEEDED
Craft knives, masking tape, rulers, drawing pencils and erasers, poster paint and brushes, felt markers, crayons, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CREATING THE PANORAMA BOX

1. (CAUTION: Students can make the measurements for the parts that need to be cut out, but the cutting itself should be done or closely supervised by adult helpers.) Leave the long flaps on the top and bottom of the box, but cut off the short flaps so it will not be necessary to cut through two layers when you cut out the circles for the rollers. (Figure 1)
   
   
2. Measure and draw a circle on each side of the top flap closest to the side of the box. It should be the same circumference as the rollers. Then measure and draw two circles on the bottom of the box directly beneath the top holes.
   When you make your measurements for the circles, leave enough space from the edges to allow your-- panorama paper roll to fit without crowding. (Figure 2)
   When inserted in the holes, the rollers should fit snugly but not so tightly as to cause the paper to stretch or break when wound. Cut out all four circles with a craft knife.
   
   
   
   
3. Measure and cut out the screen area on the side of the box nearest the roller holes. Make sure the opening will hide the upper and lower edges of the panorama roll.
   
   
4. After the roller holes and screen section are cut, paint and decorate the box. When the paint has dried, fold a strip of masking tape neatly over the rough edges on each side of the screen opening,
   
   
5. Glue the feet on the bottom of the box, being careful not to cover any part of the holes for the bottom rollers.
   
   Now you are ready to assemble the panorama screen and insert it in the box.
   - If the panorama is in more than one piece, tape the sections together securely before rolling.
   - Carefully lay out the entire panorama strip on a flat surface FACE DOWN with the top toward you. Lay one of the rollers on top of the left end, leaving space above and below it. Tape the paper firmly to the roller lengthwise. (Figure 2)
   
   
   
   
6. Carefully roll the completed panorama onto the roller. When you get close to the end, tape the panorama to the right hand roller in the same manner as the left. (Figure 3)
   
7. Flip the panaroma rolls over so that the top of the panorama is facing upward. (Figure 4)
   
   
   
   
8. Open the top flap of the box and insert the panorama roller into the bottom hole on the left side as you face the box. Next insert the empty roller into the bottom hole on the right side.
   
   
9. Close the flap, bringing the holes down over the rollers. As you turn the right hand roller counterclockwise, the panorama rolls from left to right across the opening. (Figure 5)
   
   
10. Cut small slits on opposite sides of the rollers at the top and insert craft sticks as handles to make the rollers turn more easily.

Presentation
Ideas for presetation:

• Write a narration for the panorama presentation. Divide up the narration so each group member has a part.
• Play appropriate music softly in the background while the narration is being given. Cassettes and CD ROMs with music from this period are available, such as Lewis and Clark: Sounds of Discovery produced by Makoche Music. For more information Click on http://www.makoche.com/
  Internet Keyword: American Indian music
• Present the program in front of an audience of classmates, other classes, or parents and friends.