1MoreThought Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I recently started working through SOTW-1 with my daughters and we're loving it. But the blocks we're making to build our sand-glue pyramid are not getting dry enough to use. I guess we'll switch to the sugar cube model unless I can get some advice from more successful pyramid builders. What worked for you? How did you keep your blocks from crumbling? (We have had success with our other SOTW projects, which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago in a blog entry titled The River on the Porch!) Thanks so much! Jeanette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I'm just planning on doing the sugar cube version! I can only handle so much craftiness, and we're still working on King Cluck. I have a couple of pics on my blog too! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 We only did lego and sugar cubes, the pic's can be found at my blog, www.homeschoolblogger.com/swellmomma BEcause we got side tracked and pretty much stopped history after the baby is born we are starting over and including my Ker so we are going to do jsut sugar cubes again, way easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1MoreThought Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 Thank you! It just seems like the sand one would be around a little longer to remind the kids of what they've learned. Anyone had luck with the sand and glue pyramid? (I've moved our damp blocks to the basement just in case it dries someday, so it may be around indefinitely!) Jeanette Join our homeschool adventure at: 1MoreThought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strawberry Queen Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 If you do the sugar cube, make sure to use icing to glue it together. I used white glue and the water in the glue dissolved the sugar a bit. It still worked and we had it around for a while, but it would have been better with royal icing (icing with cream of tartar and lemon juice?-if memory serves). Have fun!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 :iagree: with the icing idea. We just finished our pyramid and the white glue did dissolve the sugar a bit. Otherwise, it was a fun project and worked well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Thank you! It just seems like the sand one would be around a little longer to remind the kids of what they've learned. Anyone had luck with the sand and glue pyramid? (I've moved our damp blocks to the basement just in case it dries someday, so it may be around indefinitely!) Jeanette Join our homeschool adventure at: 1MoreThought I checked this book out from the library http://www.amazon.com/Crafts-Culture-Ancient-Egyptians-World/dp/0823935094/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220060551&sr=8-6 In it, there are instructions for making sand clay pyramids. The sand clay is very simple (once you find the alum), and you just shape the pyramids out of clay blobs, using pieces of cardboard to flatten the sides. They dry quickly. We have three of them in varying sizes around the living room. The book also has a neat scarab project that we did. I still plan to do the step pyramid with sugar cubes with the girls. The sand clay was kind of for my fun. :001_huh: I can take pics of the pyramids and scarabs if you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magistramom Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Modge Podge (or whatever it is) and fine sand rather than gritty chunky play sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 We found the sugar cube pyramid to be far too tedious. The second time around (although my kids were four years older), my ds did a Lego pyramid, and my dd skipped it completely. The Lego one was fun and interesting. I probably took a picture of it which is probably somewhere in the guts of my computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1MoreThought Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 Amber, I would like to see the scarab project and pyramid photos if you want to post them. I may check my library for that book, too. I really appreciate everyone's ideas. We moved on to making clay cartouches for now, and I'm happy to say so far, so good! Jeanette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenBlok Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 We just went to the beach! Check out my avatar :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Amber, I would like to see the scarab project and pyramid photos if you want to post them. I may check my library for that book, too. I really appreciate everyone's ideas. We moved on to making clay cartouches for now, and I'm happy to say so far, so good! Jeanette I just posted them in my blog, along with our sugar cube step pyramids from today! http://2alyn.blogspot.com/2008/09/more-projects.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Whoops! I got here too late to post about this I guess. I just wanted to add that we spent a bit more and bought brown sugar cubes. The pyramid turned out more realistic looking and we also made it bigger than recommended in the activity guide. The dc's and I had a blast making it and we kept the pyramid around on display until last month when we moved. We glued the pyramid on cardboard and then painted the bottom of the cardboard with brown paint with sand mixed in for a more authentic look. Turned out great! I recently started working through SOTW-1 with my daughters and we're loving it. But the blocks we're making to build our sand-glue pyramid are not getting dry enough to use. I guess we'll switch to the sugar cube model unless I can get some advice from more successful pyramid builders. What worked for you? How did you keep your blocks from crumbling? (We have had success with our other SOTW projects, which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago in a blog entry titled The River on the Porch!) Thanks so much! Jeanette I just posted them in my blog, along with our sugar cube step pyramids from today! http://2alyn.blogspot.com/2008/09/more-projects.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy in Indy Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Brown sugar cubes....why didn't I think of that?? We built our sugar cube pyramid today, using Jiffy white icing as our glue. Worked great. Ds is soooo proud of his pyramid. Right now he's in the living room building pyramids and sphinxes with wooden blocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 we made the sand and glue one. it worked fine. though it was a hot summer day. about 35oC. maybe that helped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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