Floating Gardens of Mexico City

The canals and gardens of Xochimilco, Mexico, are filled with history and environmental interest for tourists and residents alike. Capture this unique travel experience with dramatic black and white Crayola Color Explosion™ Paper and Markers.

• 1.

  A suburb of Mexico City, Xochimilco (Nahuatl meaning where flowers grow), consists of 115 miles (185 km) of canals and gardens, which are all that is left of the five lakes of the Valley of Mexico. Ancient residents constructed raised fields (chinampas) amid these waters, and the agricultural tradition continues today. However, the area has also become a prized destination for local Mexicans and visitors alike. Groups of people hire boats (trajineras) and tour the gardens along the canals. Vendors sidle up in more boats to sell food and souvenirs, and play music. Boaters often stop at markets and gardens along the way. It is a very festive excursion.

• 2.

  To make a triarama showing a scene from this area, fold over one corner of black Color Explosion™ Paper to create a square. Cut off excess strip with Crayola Scissors. Lightly fold the square into half both ways to create four triangles. Unfold and cut along one fold into the center of the square.

• 3.

  Before sliding one triangle under another to pop up the triarama, use the black Color Explosion Marker to draw the reflected light on the water on one bottom triangle. Also show the night sky in the two top triangles (maybe with some fireworks exploding). Do not draw on the triangle that slips under the other one to form the base of the triarama because it will not show.

• 4.

  To make the trajineras, look at pictures of these barge-like vehicles and draw the flat-bottomed boats using the black outline marker on white Color Explosion paper. These boats can hold more than 10 people and contain tables for picnicking and even space for dancing under their canopies. The boats crowd along the canals, so make at least two of them to create a more realistic scene.

• 5.

  Cut out your boats. Include tabs or edges along the bottom of each boat that may be folded and glued to the triarama. Use a white Color Explosion Marker to decorate them. They are festooned with floral designs, Mexican names, and other colorful designs.

• 6.

  Arrange the boats inside the triarama, placing the larger ones closer and the smaller ones further away to add a sense of perspective to the scene. Glue them by their tabs and folded edges to the triarama. Air-dry the glue.

Benefits

• Students learn about an ancient tract of land and its current use.
• Students find out information about an ancient Mexican tradition and culture.
• Students fabricate a 3-D display that shows perspective and an authentic contemporary Mexican scene.

Adaptations

• The gardens don’t really float. Research how the Aztecs constructed these fields and how they are maintained today with the natural byproducts of the canals. What is grown on these islands besides flowers?
• Learn the reasons why UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) named Xochimilco as one of its 470 World Heritage Sites. Go deeper into its history. Does the site reflect the history of the entire area in some ways? What si
• Listen to Mariachi music to add a festive Mexican mood while constructing the triaramas.
• Assessment: Can students describe the history of the area? Did students master the steps in construction of a triarama? Were students able to use the unique properties of black and white Color Explosion™ products to their triarama’s full advantage?