Magnetic fishing game
Print instructions & templates
See what you can pick up out of this rock pool with your magnetic fishing rod. Of the starfish, seahorses, fish and thongs, what should you take with you, and what should you leave behind?
You will need:
large piece of cardboard
4 sticks or pieces of dowel
cotton
scissors
glue
4 small magnets
38 paper clips
paint (four colours) and paintbrush
Who wants to catch a delicious dish -
A slippery, scaly, shiny fish?
It's a trickier prospect than you might think,
Fishing a fish up out of the drink.
You can use some stones to build a wall;
Dam the river to catch them all,
Or lure a fish with a feathery fly-
(Really a hook in a clever disguise).
You can tickle a fish until its asleep -
And grab it, quick! It's yours to keep.
Now, throwing spears can be a hoot,
But it's rather tricky to miss your foot...(ouch!)
Try submerging a trap of woven grass,
With a narrow neck fish cannot pass.
In Asia, (smart - you must agree)
Birds are trained to fetch fish from the sea.
Eskimos fish through a hole in the ice;
Others use nets to catch loads in a trice.
Now I know all these methods sound really tops,
But the best by far is a fish-and-chips shop!
From the Powerhouse Museum's collection:
This Doulton vase, with its striking 'rouge flambe' glaze, is handpainted with fish and flowers. Fish have been used as decoration in many different cultures.
Take a closer look.
Come and visit the Powerhouse Museum's exhibition Inspired to see this vase, and other lovely fishy objects.
Step by step:
1. Print out the six rookpool templates and cut off the white edges. Stick down onto cardboard, smoothing out any air bubbles. When it's dry, trim the edges.
2. Cut out each sea creature, keeping the two halves joined so you can match them up easily.
3. For each sea creature, cover the back of one side with glue. Place a paperclip between the two sides and stick together, smoothing out any air bubbles.
4. To make the fishing rods, paint each piece of dowel or stick a different colour. Tie a cotton length to one end of the dowel and secure with sticky-tape. Then tie a magnet to the end of the piece of cotton and secure with sticky-tape.
6. When storing your game, wrap the cotton around each stick so it doesn't tangle.
