Some years ago, the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program was in the process of enhancing its public visibility and promoting awareness of coastal resource management issues. As part of this effort the CZM Program developed an interactive booth which can be staffed at various community events such as "The Great Keiki Fest" on Oahu; the Molokai Earth Day festival and the "Aikane o Ke Kai Festival" on Kauai.

The activities of the booth, specifically the coastal model, were designed to appeal to a wide range of grade school children. The goal of the coastal model is to expand the public's understanding of CZM's role in balancing environmental protection of our coastal and ocean resources with economic development.

This was accomplished by focusing on the State's ten CZM's objectives: historical resources; recreational resources; scenic and open space resources; coastal ecosystems; economic uses; coastal hazards; managing development; public participation; beach protection; and marine resources.

Another goal of the interactive model was to deliver the CZM Program message without using trendy "prizes" such as pencils, erasers, magnets, coloring books, and stickers. We wanted to create a fun interactive activity that would promote learning for learning's sake.

We created two different coastal models because, after completing the first model, we realized that not all of the community events in which we wanted to participate in would be held indoors. Therefore, a weather proof model was also created. Listed below are the materials used, what they represented on the model, and a brief explanation of the creation process.

Materials used for indoor model

Black garbage bag and white correction fluid = road
Blue bedsheet from second hand store (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.)= ocean
Brown/beige bedsheet from second hand store = land
Cardboard boxes of various sizes = mountainous terrain
Quart milk cartons = banks, apartment and high-rise commercial buildings
Light blue yarn = freshwater streams
Rosemary and misc. plant cuttings = trees
Plastic model vegetables from craft store = diversified agriculture
Sheet moss = grass and landscape vegetation
Various stuffed marine animals (fish, turtles, crab, lobster)
Various toy cars, trucks, fire truck, ambulance, boats from second hand store
Coral models
Plastic model restaurants (McDonald's) from
second hand store
Green florist foam
Variety of cardboard model bird houses in various shapes from craft store
Glue, scissors, colored magic markers, brown paper

First, we made our single and multi-family dwellings by drawing doors, windows and curtains on the cardboard model bird houses. Some of the model bird houses were combined to achieve the desired building (i.e. two square houses made one fire station).

We used one round house placed on wooden barbecue skewers to make a water tank. Milk cartons that were covered with brown paper and painted became high-rise (commercial and apartment) buildings. Placing a toothpick cross on top of the "A-frame" model bird house created a church.

The cardboard boxes were stacked and/or staggered to create a multi-leveled three dimensional terrain and then draped with the beige bedsheet to create the land. The blue bedsheet was bunched up and laid out on the table around the land to create the ocean. We ran the road around the mountain. Then we placed our stream, "flowing" from the mountain top to the ocean, to help demonstrate polluted runoff issues.

We created diversified agriculture lots by sticking the model vegetables into green florist foam.

To complete the model, we placed the vehicles, houses, plants, marine life, and miscellaneous buildings on the bed sheets in appropriate places.

When the children approach the model, we explain the concept of community planning and ask them to design their desired island using our display. They are encouraged to relocate, remove and/or add additional buildings, vehicles, marine life etc. as they wish.

After talking about flooding and polluted runoff issues, many of the children relocated their homes away from streams. It is a lot easier for the children to grasp the concepts when they have the freedom to physically manipulate the model. We place some of the houses on the beach fronting the ocean. This is a great way to demonstrate not only the effects of coastal hazards such as beach erosion, tsunamis, and hurricanes but also public access to our beaches.

Materials used for outdoor model

Blue carpet remnant = ocean
Brown carpet remnant = land
Blue yarn = river streams
Thin piece of plywood to mount the carpet
Wooden wedge to prop up the island model up
Variety of pictures from magazines and brochures
Clear adhesive tape to laminate pictures
Velcro to adhere the pictures to the island

First, we made an island pattern out of brown paper and proceeded to cut the carpet following the pattern. Then we cut slits toward the center of the carpet and glued those ends together making darts which created the mountainous-like shape. We used duct tape to re-enforce each of the darts and to fasten the mountain to the blue carpet remnant. We also used duct tape to fasten the island and surrounding ocean to a piece of thin plywood which provided a stable platform.

Next, we cut out numerous pictures from magazines, brochures, etc., depicting life in contemporary Hawai'i including: houses, industry, airplanes, taro fields, open fish market, ocean recreation activities, marine life, golf course, hotels, endemic animals, barges, film studio, schools, cultural objects, historical buildings and sites, petroglyphs, fishing, skiers, hikers, temples, cruise ships, agriculture fields, ranches, tree farms, railroad, brown tree snakes, light industrial plants, solar observatory, church, etc.

Each picture is glued to a thin piece of cardboard and laminated with clear adhesive tape. We placed a small strip of Velcro on the backside of the cardboard to allow the pictures to be continually placed and removed by the children.

When we arrive at community events, we place the model on a table, propped up with the wooden wedge to provide easy access for the younger children. The island pictures are available for the children to pick and choose from as they plan their island. The children are encouraged to consider polluted runoff, integration of multi-uses of resources, planning concepts, quality of life priorities, balance of economic activities and resource preservation, and coastal resource management issues.

Both models provide a broad palette of choices for the children to design their island. To our surprise, many of the children not only returned to play with the model after their initial turn but voiced strong opinions about their preferences for and placement of certain images (e.g. hotels, golf course, railroad tracks, and taro fields).

For information, contact the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program, Office of Planning, Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, P.O. Box 2359, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96804, or phone 808.587.2846.