How to Make a Ship for a School Project

There are many model ship designs you can use for a school project. Those available can meet the talents and abilities of your child while teaching valuable lessons in history and construction. Many of them are made from materials you have around the house. Try this model ship, or use the references below to try a different model.

Step 1

Rinse out both milk cartons thoroughly and let them dry. Cut the bottom three inches off of one of them. (See Resources 1 for diagrams.)

Step 2

Cover the whole milk carton and the bottom of the other carton with contact paper. Choose gray contact paper to represent a metal ship or find contact paper in a wood grain design.

Step 3

Roll two balls of modeling clay. Flatten them to form half spheres and glue them to the middle of the full milk carton.

Step 4

Cut two small holes in the milk carton bottom. Invert the bottom of the milk carton over the modeling clay and tape it to the full milk carton.

Step 5

Insert the straws into the holes and plunge into the modeling clay.

Step 6

Cut out of the construction paper two two- by three-inch rectangles and two 3 by 5 in. rectangles. Use the hole punch to make holes in the center of the long sides of the rectangles about 1/4 from each edge.