About Eyeballs
Your Pupil's Pupils
This week we made some “zombie” eyes out of egg cartons. They are supposed to be a teaching tool about how pupils function, but your kids will probably have more fun with them trying to freak each other out.
First, cut out 4 egg molds from an egg carton. Paint them with a thick coat of white tempera paint. After they have dried, poke two small holes in the center tops of two molds with a sharp pencil. Then, cut two larger holes in the center tops of the remaining molds with a craft knife. These are the pupils (one pair dilated, one pair contracted).
Next, take your sharp pencil and poke one hole into each side of the eyeballs.
Cut a 1.5″ segment off the ends of two 12″ pipe cleaners. Cut the remaining lengths of the pipe cleaners in half.
Instruct your child to color in the irises around the pupils. Then assist them in poking the pipe cleaners through the side holes to make glasses.
Your mouth can’t help but contort when you put on these glasses!
Glass Eyes
This is a good project for teaching the parts of the eye, including the eyelid and the eyelash. Your kids will enjoy being able to stick them on the fridge when they’re done.
You need: flat glass marbles, Modge Podge, paint brushes,markers, brown/black construction paper, white card-stock, skin-colored card stock, and small circular magnets.
First, trace around two marbles onto white card-stock and skin-colored card stock. Cut out the white circles, and cut out the skin-colored circles into eyelid shapes (half-circles or crescents).
Cut squares out of your brown or black construction paper the same size as the diameter of your circles. Make a thin fold on one side of each square.
Instruct your child to draw irises and pupils in the eyeballs.
Help her glue the eyelids onto the tops of the marbles (using a paintbrush and Modge Podge), and hold in place for 60 seconds each.
Next, have her cut the squares into strips (eyelashes), making sure not to cut past the fold.
Help her align and glue the eyelashes onto the eyelids (again, hold for 60 seconds).
Place a small dab of Modge Podge onto the face of your paper eyeballs. Press the flat side of your marbles onto each (don’t worry, the Modge Podge dries clear). Make sure that the iris and pupil are showing below the eyelid (you might have some overhang which you can trim later).
After the project has dried, you can trim any overhang and glue magnets onto the backs.