If you have a zoo nearby, the zoo's gift shop should have something that would fit the bill. I've seen similar fake birds of prey at multiple zoos I've visited with my kid.
The magic ingredient for all science fair projects is Papier Mache models, at least thats what mine were back in the days when we had to get up to change the channel.
An Aternnoon, a bunch of old newspapers cut into strips, built into a form, water, glue, some paints, a big mess, and you'll have what might be mistaken for a hawk---(and a good souvenir of your fourth grader)
Try a local taxidermy store and see if you can rent a few of their examples. With their resources you could set up a whole menagerie of “this eats that” from various habitats around the earth:
The great polar bear eats the noble Eskimo, who munches the seal that eats wall mounted bass for an Artic flare to the hawk eats snake, eats house cat or muskrat scenario your possibly trying to pursue.
An opportunistic taxidermist might even allow you free use of these petrified animals free of charge at the suggestive accompaniment and proper placement of some sandwich type placards promoting his brand of taxidermy, say straddling the bear or Eskimo or trailed in banner fashion behind the winged raptor.
jedi...
Or if you can’t find the plastic hawk may I also suggest that you build a Tesla Coil.
I did this one year with my then 8yo. The SFP exhibition was hosted in the school gymnasium that year and when we fired up that 8.5 KW generator outside, it spooked a handful of teachers within the Caution Tape and gave them some bad hairdos and did some surface charring to a blouse and a grade book.
But the falling HID lighting (as I asserted in court) was a bonus because of the discovery of the weak mounts that were, no doubt, a hidden safety hazard.
The bolts that fired from the 2 foot chrome ball must have discovered the weak support cables, and about 4 of the big round lights descended in shooting sparks to the floor below. They nailed a couple of big tables below and harpooned an impressive three tiered red ant farm and a styro-depiction of our very own solar system (done tastefully in fluorescent paint with black light).
The excited mass ran to the exits and our volunteer fire department got some much needed anti-terrorist emergency response training.
My celebrity status no longer allows me on school grounds without escort, and my daughter is still enjoys the notoriety of being referred to as Dr. Frankstiens daughter to this day.
But some months after what is now locally referred to as “The Electrical Event“, a small herd of 5th and 6th grade boys that were scavenging candy selections at the local store, thought it was “Coolest Shiiit” to happen at the school since a skunk was discovered in the Janitors Closet.
(It seems that Animal Control, in “joint operations” with our local K9 Drug unit (Officer Benard Landis and Sparky) , were heavily sprayed right in the middle of a fire drill the panicky Elementary Principal unexpectedly had called.
About 20 kids, most of them in Mrs. Crandis‘s 3rd Grade Class, 3 uniformed County First Responders and one large (now ex-drug sniffing ) German Shepard were repeatedly wetted by the striped beast just before it turned due East and ran towards a heavily crowded hall of screaming children. It consequently scattered them into bathrooms, classrooms and herded the rest en mass into the East exit doors.
The skunk was never caught. Most speculate it miraculously escaped within the stampeding feet of the kids pouring out of the east wing of the elementary school… )
But as I eaves dropped on their insightful conversation taking place while they shoplifted handfuls of bubble gum and blow pops at the local Grab and Scram, I personally took it as supreme validation for all scientific pursuit; an absolution for all the activities that took place that day; and it totally amended any of the self doubt I had as parent resulting from the lawsuit and my own sharp personal battles with the henchmen at Child Welfare.
Exie - here's what I'd probably do in your shoes...
Go to Google Images and find the pics of the two things you need. Print them out. Go to Kinko's and have them enlarged if you can't make them big enough (or get some 11x14 paper to use with your color printer). Mount them on heavy cardboard and cut them out with an Exacto knife. Make picture frame type stands for the back of them with the rest of the cardboard so they can stand up and - voila!
quote: The great polar bear eats the noble Eskimo,
Jedi -- Ha! :D--> That reminds me of THE FAR SIDE cartoon, where two polar bears are chomping into an igloo, and one says to the other -- "I just love these things. Crunchy on the outside, and chewy in the middle."
Recommended Posts
markomalley
If you have a zoo nearby, the zoo's gift shop should have something that would fit the bill. I've seen similar fake birds of prey at multiple zoos I've visited with my kid.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
krys
Try to NOT use a vulture - they eat only dead stuff.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
ohhhhhhhhhh that's why it's supposed to be a hawk. i forgot kryssie
thank you mark.... now i'm searching online for zoo merchandise
this is driving me batty
Link to comment
Share on other sites
krys
p.s. If you find something useful, don't pass it up just because you think it is too small.
If the teacher asks about size...tell him/her that the bird only looks small because it's hig up looking for the snake.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
wow maybe we could put the little hawk up in the air......
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
ps. kryssie it's my son who doesn't think it looks realistic, not the teach
:)-->, but what you said maybe could convince him !!!!!!!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
you people here are so brilliant
right now i'm thinking of glueing this bird that's on my shoulder onto the food chain board
;)-->
Edited by GuestLink to comment
Share on other sites
mstar1
The magic ingredient for all science fair projects is Papier Mache models, at least thats what mine were back in the days when we had to get up to change the channel.
An Aternnoon, a bunch of old newspapers cut into strips, built into a form, water, glue, some paints, a big mess, and you'll have what might be mistaken for a hawk---(and a good souvenir of your fourth grader)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
oh gosh is my face red
another boy told me today the exact same thing you said mstar and i looked at him like he was crazy as i reached for the clicker.....
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kit Sober
I'd vote for the paper mach?BR>
Then, afterwards, you can stash it away for when you're old and gray, to remind you of today.
That's what I'd say.
Edited by GuestLink to comment
Share on other sites
Dot Matrix
Did you try a pet shop? We had fake birds in there. Also a Craft shop.
I like Mstar's idea.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmiller
It's paper mache' or e-bay.
:D--> 
:D--> 
:D-->
Paper mache' is muchhhhhhhh cheaper! More fulfilling too! Think of the memories you will have in the years to come.
:)-->
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jim
Large barn owl "decoys" are very popular here. I'm not sure what they are used to frighten away. Want me to look around for you?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmiller
Jim -------- ahhhhhhhhhh. I forgot about them, and stupid me
My neighbor has one on his roof.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
no but thank you so much Jim
and all
i'll let you know what we do
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shellon
Have you decided on or found anything yet?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shellon
Oh duh, sorry
You just said that you'd let us know.
I'm gonna learn to read some day.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
boy am i sorry i didn't tell you all what we did
i was mad at greasespot for a while (can you be mad at a greasespot ?)
anyway, the project was a GREAT success
and we did what kryssie said...... had the hawk flying above which was fine since he was far away small and looking for his prey
you are such a smart teacher kryssie
sorry i didn't use paper mache sp? i just don't have an imagination
you all are wonderful and i thank you for caring and responding (so does my son)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
krys
I missed seeing your font around here Excie - glad you're posting
:)-->
I'm glad the project worked out and that if I was helpful - I'm extra happy.
I'm not really so smart...just lots of experience.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jediknight777
If you can’t find a plastic hawk…
Try a local taxidermy store and see if you can rent a few of their examples. With their resources you could set up a whole menagerie of “this eats that” from various habitats around the earth:
The great polar bear eats the noble Eskimo, who munches the seal that eats wall mounted bass for an Artic flare to the hawk eats snake, eats house cat or muskrat scenario your possibly trying to pursue.
An opportunistic taxidermist might even allow you free use of these petrified animals free of charge at the suggestive accompaniment and proper placement of some sandwich type placards promoting his brand of taxidermy, say straddling the bear or Eskimo or trailed in banner fashion behind the winged raptor.
jedi...
Or if you can’t find the plastic hawk may I also suggest that you build a Tesla Coil.
I did this one year with my then 8yo. The SFP exhibition was hosted in the school gymnasium that year and when we fired up that 8.5 KW generator outside, it spooked a handful of teachers within the Caution Tape and gave them some bad hairdos and did some surface charring to a blouse and a grade book.
But the falling HID lighting (as I asserted in court) was a bonus because of the discovery of the weak mounts that were, no doubt, a hidden safety hazard.
The bolts that fired from the 2 foot chrome ball must have discovered the weak support cables, and about 4 of the big round lights descended in shooting sparks to the floor below. They nailed a couple of big tables below and harpooned an impressive three tiered red ant farm and a styro-depiction of our very own solar system (done tastefully in fluorescent paint with black light).
The excited mass ran to the exits and our volunteer fire department got some much needed anti-terrorist emergency response training.
My celebrity status no longer allows me on school grounds without escort, and my daughter is still enjoys the notoriety of being referred to as Dr. Frankstiens daughter to this day.
But some months after what is now locally referred to as “The Electrical Event“, a small herd of 5th and 6th grade boys that were scavenging candy selections at the local store, thought it was “Coolest Shiiit” to happen at the school since a skunk was discovered in the Janitors Closet.
(It seems that Animal Control, in “joint operations” with our local K9 Drug unit (Officer Benard Landis and Sparky) , were heavily sprayed right in the middle of a fire drill the panicky Elementary Principal unexpectedly had called.
About 20 kids, most of them in Mrs. Crandis‘s 3rd Grade Class, 3 uniformed County First Responders and one large (now ex-drug sniffing ) German Shepard were repeatedly wetted by the striped beast just before it turned due East and ran towards a heavily crowded hall of screaming children. It consequently scattered them into bathrooms, classrooms and herded the rest en mass into the East exit doors.
The skunk was never caught. Most speculate it miraculously escaped within the stampeding feet of the kids pouring out of the east wing of the elementary school… )
But as I eaves dropped on their insightful conversation taking place while they shoplifted handfuls of bubble gum and blow pops at the local Grab and Scram, I personally took it as supreme validation for all scientific pursuit; an absolution for all the activities that took place that day; and it totally amended any of the self doubt I had as parent resulting from the lawsuit and my own sharp personal battles with the henchmen at Child Welfare.
Just a suggestion……..
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hope R.
Exie - here's what I'd probably do in your shoes...
Go to Google Images and find the pics of the two things you need. Print them out. Go to Kinko's and have them enlarged if you can't make them big enough (or get some 11x14 paper to use with your color printer). Mount them on heavy cardboard and cut them out with an Exacto knife. Make picture frame type stands for the back of them with the rest of the cardboard so they can stand up and - voila!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmiller
Jedi -- Ha!
:D--> That reminds me of THE FAR SIDE cartoon, where two polar bears are chomping into an igloo, and one says to the other -- "I just love these things. Crunchy on the outside, and chewy in the middle."
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.