The Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942 was the first major offensive and a decisive victory for the Allies in the Pacific theater of WWII. It marked a turning point, as Allied naval forces took on the extremely experienced Japanese surface forces at night and forced them to withdraw after intense action.
History comes alive in Saturday sessions where pre-teens and teens find a new dimension—a miniature one—to learning about some of the most important battles in history. Each includes four hours of live online instruction with Al Gaspar and Taliesin Knol: two focused on history, and two of facilitated diorama construction in which participants make their own terrain boards and lead troops of 1/72-scale soldiers in war games that offer vivid insights into the military strategies and conflicts that have shaped the world.
For Grades 6-11
2 Sessions Total (Saturdays): Oct. 3 and 10
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Note: This Adventure breaks for lunch from 12 p.m.-1 p.m.
Materials Included
-Diorama kits will be mailed to participants and is included in the cost of the program.
-You MUST email us at TSACamp@si.edu if you need the kit mailed to a different address than what we have on file.
-International shipping can be honored for an additional fee. Please be sure to give us ample notice of shipping addresses to ensure kit arrives on time.
-If you do not receive your kit within 2 weeks before the class begins, please email us at TSACamp@si.edu.
Materials You Must Provide (please have all these materials prior to the start of class)
-Masking Tape
-Elmer’s liquid glue (no glue sticks)
-Basic acrylic paints (this set will last you multiple weeks) in Black, white, browns & tans, light green, dark green, light blue, dark blue, red, yellow. This is a full set available on Amazon that contains all colors listed and then some.
-For those with more painting experience and advanced brush control, consider Army Painter acrylic paint set (available on Amazon) or Vallejo paint set (available on Amazon)
-Nylon or Synthetic Paint Brushes: Fine round brushes for details, small flat brushes for larger areas.
Suggested sets: Amazon nylon brush set; Michael's synthetic value pack. If you are taking more than one session of Soldiers & Dioramas, it is suggested you purchase a couple sets, as the brushes wear out.
