For any display, include a map showing the location of the Hawaiian Islands.
For those living in the continental United States, both children and adults, the allure of Hawaii captures the imagination. Use that attraction to create a bulletin board that educates children while also producing a fun display. Use Hawaiian themes either as a border around the edges of the bulletin board, as a central display or in both places.
Endangered Animals
The state of Hawaii lists some of its endangered species in a coloring book available for elementary school children. The list includes the Hawaiian monk seal, the green sea turtle, Hawaiian owl, Hawaiian honeycreeper, Hawaiian hoary bat, Hawaiian stilt and Hawaiian goose. Drawings or photos cut from a website teach not only about the animals themselves, their habits and habitat, but also about the fragility of the Hawaiian Island environment itself and the concepts of endangered species.
Food
Pictures of different foods as well as samples from the skins of pineapples, limes or jicama will add texture as well as visual interest to the bulletin board. If you decide to have a classroom feast, photos of the food itself and recipes can also be included in the display. Limit the display to one type of food, such as fruit like pineapple, mango and papaya, or include all different types of food, including seafood, sushi, kim chee, teriyaki, Portuguese sweet bread or seaweed of various sorts. Adding a flag from the county of origin for these foods demonstrates clearly what a melting pot the Hawaiian Islands are.
Plants
Brilliant colors, massive leaves, huge tree trunks and perfumed scents give Hawaiian plants a special appeal. Many of Hawaii's plants are, like some Hawaiian animals, on the endangered list. According to the National Tropical Botanical Garden, located in Hawaii, most of these plants are found only in Hawaii. As with the animals, photos or drawings of the plants can be displayed along with facts about the uses for the plants and their particular features. Add scents to some of the pictures by sprinkling coffee grounds next to the coffee plant, daubing gardenia perfume next to that plant and using ginger root next to pictures of the ginger plant.
Some of the unique varieties listed by the Botanical Garden include plants brought to Hawaiian by early Polynesians and thus called "canoe" plants. One example are members of the asparagus family, which were used for food, clothing, building and medicine. Sugar cane was introduced later, in the 1800s. Other interesting Hawaiian plants include palms, quinine, the bird of paradise plant and coral trees.
Traditional Activities
Drawings or pictures cut from magazines and tourist brochures of all sorts of activities, both recreational and practical, suggest an eclectic collage effect for the bulletin board. Ideas for this theme include surfing and kayaking; hula, leis and ukuleles; pineapple plantations and banana trees; and sandy beaches filled with people of all ages.
Tags: Botanical Garden, bulletin board, bulletin board, endangered species, Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian plants