Diorama of Camp from the Dorset Period. May Hakongak Community Library and Cultural Centre, Cambridge Bay.
A diorama is a three-dimensional display showing a scene from nature, from an historical event, or from human life during a certain time period or event. Human figures, animals, dwellings, means of transportation can be modeled from various materials and set up to show activities. They may be arranged in front of a painted or photographed background. A diorama can be a miniature scene (perhaps set up in a shoe box), a life-size scene or any size in between.
Diorama of Camp from the Dorset Period. May Hakongak Community Library and Cultural Centre, Cambridge Bay.
A topographical map (or relief map) is a map that shows the land features – the height of the land, valleys and rivers – as raised contours. This can be done by drawing lines on the map and writing numbers that show the altitude. But you can also create a map with a raised or three-dimensional surface that shows landforms. It is like a sculpture of an area of land.
A three-dimensional project might be an interesting project for an arts and literacy program, traditional sewing and literacy program, or for a group with a high number of visual learners. It would work well with certain types of research that involve descriptions of landforms or people’s daily lives. You often see displays such as these in museums – dioramas showing life in a summer or winter camp, topographical maps of villages or hunting lands, or sculptures of historical events. Take a look at Images of Justice, by Dorothy Eber, a book about carvings that tell the stories of court cases from the early justice system in the Northwest Territories.