THREE- DIMENSIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES

Types of learning resources

The teaching resources that are easily accessed in the school environment or that can be collected,
produced or bought are:

 Three dimensional objects e.g. the real objects (realia), specimens, models, dioramas,
 mockups, T.V. boxes and mobiles.

• Audio-visual aids, e.g. cinefilms, television and video.

• Aurals, e.g. radio, tape recorders and gramophone.

• Projectors, e.g., overhead projectors and opaque projectors.

• Graphic designs, e.g. charts (pie charts, bar charts, histograms and wall-charts), diagrams, posters,
pictures, cartoons, photographs and maps.

• Template maps and perforated map outlines.

 Chalkboard.

• Written words and symbols.

• Digital equipment (e.g. computers).

Examples of 3-Dimensional Resources

- Real objects
- (realia)
- Dioramas
- Models
- Mock-ups
- Puppets
- Specimens
- TV. Boxes
- mobiles.
Importance’s of learning resources

• Form a focal point and attract attention.

• Arouse interest and promote a desire to learn.

• Supplement description and help to explain words and processes.

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• Stimulate the learner’s imagination.

• Give an accurate impression of the concept.

• Illustrate relationships.

• Promote retention and memory.

• Help consolidate what has been learned.

• Help save teaching time.

Three-dimensional objects

Real objects (realia)

• Real things can be collected during a nature walk with the pupils and be kept in the nature/science
corner. These would include items such as old, nests, soil samples, bones of animals, fruits of known
plants, feathers, fungus, mosses and lichens.

• All the specimens collected should be preserved, labelled and placed in their appropriate positions.

• Musical instruments and mathematical aids can be made by the pupils with the guidance of the
teacher or be collected from pupil’s homes, where applicable, and be stored for use.

Examples

• Live animals — insects, crustacean, arachnids, earthworms, millipedes, etc.

• Live plants — grass, weeds, shrubs, trees, etc.

• Soil — clay soil, sandy soil, loam soil, etc.

• Farm tools — hoes, pangas, rakes, forks, etc.

• House hold things — plates, knives, forks, sufurias, etc.

• Science equipment and materials — basins, glass, candles, etc.

advantages of using realia

• The real things are motivating.

• They provide the learner with the sort of direct experience that cannot be obtained through other
media of learning no matter how well contrived (designed).

• They allow children to apply various senses and thus make learning effective.

• They are available in large quantities and are cheaply obtained.

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 limitations of using real things (objects)

Some live animals easily scare away the pupils and may cause a problem of class control, e.g.
amphibians and reptiles.

• Some real things are too big to bring into the classroom, e.g. large mammals, trees, rivers, etc.

• Some real things are alive and they should be handled with care or be allowed to remain in their
natural habitat without disturbances.

• Some of the real things are too small to be seen with the naked eyes, e.g.bacteria.

• Some of the real things are dangerous or harmful to handle, e.g. snakes, spiders,etc.

Specimens

A specimen is a thing or part of a thing taken as a representative of its group or class, e.g. a collection of
grasshoppers, locusts, earthworms, millipedes. etc. preserved in separate specimen bottles for use when
need arises. Collections of preserved plants, soil samples of clay, sand, loam, etc. are specimens.

advantages of preserving specimen

• Specimen allow children to observe and study some objects that they would not see at close range in
normal circumstances.

• Use of specimen makes the learning situation come close to the real thing and this makes learning
effective.

• Specimen are not alive and can be stored where there is available space.

• Specimen are portable and preservable and thus can be collected from distances and be made
available.

• They can be used for a long period of time if well preserved.

limitations of using preserved specimen for teaching

• Most of the preserved animal specimen are not alive and active as the real animals. Therefore, certain
characteristics of the animals, e.g. movement of fish, etc., cannot be observed.

• If poorly handled the preserved animals are easily damaged because they are brittle.

• The preservatives used may produce offensive smell or be harmful to the pupils.

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Models

A model is a recognisable three dimensional representation of a real things The object represented may
be larger or smaller. A model may be complete in every detail or considerably more simplified than the
real object, e.g. a globe, an eye and a model, etc. Some are commercial while others are locally made. A
model can assembled and re-assembled.

How to use a models

The teacher should:

• Make sure that all the pupils are in a position to see the model.

• Give the correct concept of size.

• Use models along with other materials, e.g. a drawing, a picture or a a

• Let the pupils handle it and if it is fragile then it should be mounted

value of using a model

A model:

• is a three dimensional object and thus gives the feeling of depth and like the real thing.

• gives the feeling of the presence of the real thing.

• can be handled.

• can be used to reduce very large objects and to enlarge small ones to a can be conveniently handled
and observed.

• can be used to demonstrate the interior structure of objects with and without resorting to the damage
of the real thing.

• can be used to represent a very highly complex situation or process

limitations of using a model

A model may give the wrong impression of the real thing if it is too small compared to the real thing.

A model may also be over-simplified leading to misrepresent the real situation.

Appropriateness of using a model

It is appropriate to use a model when:

• The material or object is too large to bring into a classroom, e.g. the - farm, etc. in which case a globe
and a farm model become necessary a respectively.

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• Explaining a process that appears complicated to the pupils, e.g. the uses a globe to teach rotation of
the earth and revolution around the

• Discussing situations that are unfamiliar and far away from the pupils operations of a seaport, airport,
etc. whereby a model of a seaport, etc be constructed.

• The teacher wants the pupils to develop the skill of modeling

• The object of discussion is too small to be seen or handled, e.g. D.N.A, Helix, etc.

Diorama

A diorama is a three dimensional scene incorporating objects, figures and background in perspective.
They are still display systems that combine a three dimensional foreground of models, buildings and
figures, etc.. with a two dimensional painted background thus creating a highly realistic effect, e.g. a
traditional African homestead as shown below. (There are several of them used in museums.)

Dioramas:

advantages of using dioramas

 can be used in a wide range of subjects.

 arouse pupils’ interest and thus makes them focus their attention on the topic.
 bridge the time gap in history and make the situation real.
 aid pupil’s imagination and memory.
 their production can help develop pupil’s creativity and imagination.

How to produce a diorama

The teacher should:

• Imagine or produce a diagram of what he/she intends to put in a diorama.

• Make a semi-circular base of the required size out of a chipboard, cardboard, etc.

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• Paint on a piece of paper or cloth that is capable of going round the curved side of the base of
the background scene that is required.

• Build up any landscape required in the foreground using papie-mache/clay, etc. and paint it
with the appropriate colours.

• Produce/collect any materials that are required for the foreground and set them in position.
He/she should ensure they are firmly held in position.

Mobiles

A mobile is a wall-chart in which the individual components can move about so that what would
have been seen as a still picture “comes alive”; the objects become mobile and give the
impression of a three-dimensional object e.g.:

Instead of displaying a related system of pictures, words, etc. on the surface of a wall, they are
drawn on cards and paper cut-outs and hang independently from the roof or a suitable beam
using fine threads.

The resulting display, which turns and changes shape as it is affected by random air
movements, acquires vitality which cannot be produced in a flat display of the same material.

How to producing a mobile

• Choose a basic theme for the mobiles deciding what items to use and establishing the pattern
you want to illustrate, e.g. groups of food, classification of animals, etc.

• Design and produce individual components which may be simple word-cards. picture cut-
outs, photographs, etc.

• Assemble and mount the cards.

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The final display should be hung from a hook or a drawing pin firmly fixed into the ceiling or on
a wooden rod fixed across a corner of the room at a suitable height.

Good mobiles take time and effort to prepare. They appeal to the curiosity of children in lower
primary who are fascinated by the movement that takes place in such displays.

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