Experimenting with Odysseus's ship

Today I experimented making a Greek style ship ( inspired by illustrations from Rosemary Sutcliff's Black Ships Before Troy) with moving oars. It didn't work very well but I got an idea from a blog which I experimented with today.

I drew the ship and created a sliding device for the oars. That was a bit tricky. On prototype 1 the slide was too tight, on #2 I was too messy with the glue but I got #3 right.I also sketched Odysseus to be tied to the mast.The sail can be added on later and it can lift up so you can see Odysseus with a caption of the back of the sail telling what is happening.

The kids will need to color it all in first before it is put together. 

Step by step ( sort of ) photos below.

Cardboard and split pins ( or brass fasteners)

Making the slider.

Putting in 4 split pins pointing outwards.

Sketching the boat and cutting a slit in the side for the oars.

Glue slider onto the back.

Decorate the ship and attach the oars.

The oars should slide across but my slider was too tight so it didn't work.

Sample #3 which worked and printables I've prepared for making the boat which I will scan into the Percy Jacksons/Odysseus unit.

I also created a time dial or time spinner (Not sure what to call it, for Percy Jackson)

Sample below.

I will add some blank scene in case the kids want to choose there own.

It was a long day at work. I still have a couple of hours of work to do before next week and then it will be back for a very busy term 4.