How To: Make a Model Trireme

Home , Trireme

HOW TO: MAKE A MODEL TRIREME For this project we’re going to make model triremes – miniature versions of ships which would have been seen all over the Aegean Sea in Ancient Greece, and those ships which carried heroes around in the Greek myths!

You will need: • Trireme and sail template (p.2-3) • Scissors (and an adult to help you) • Pens, pencils, crayons • Glue or sticky tape Did you know? • A straw A trireme was a type of ship with three rows of • 6 Lollypop sticks oars that was used by ancient civilisations in the Mediterranean Sea! Instructions: Step 1: Cut around the ship template in one piece, and cut out your sail. Make sure to cut carefully round the tabs and get an adult to help you! Step 2: Decorate your ship and the sail! Remember you’ll be able to see both the inside and the outside when your ship is assembled, so you can colour the whole template. Step 3: Now it’s time to assemble the ship. First, make folds along the dotted lines shown on the right, and then bring the tab up so the parts marked with an ‘x’ meet. You might need a second pair of hands here, so get an adult or friend to help you, and then stick the ends together. Step 4: Now your ship is 3D, it’s time to add your mast! Take your straw, and get an adult to help you make four cuts in one end, then use these cuts to spread the straw out and stick it down carefully in the middle of your ship. Once it’s firmly stuck down, you can use some more tape to stick your sail in place using the dotted lines as a guide – now you just need a strong wind! Step 5: Time for the oars! A trireme needs three rows of oars, so use your tape to stick three lollypop sticks down each side of your ship, making sure they are angled down towards the water! Sailing in Greek myth When we had set up all the ship’s fittings we sat down, That’s it! Now all that’s left to do is to set and the wind and the helmsman steered the ship on, your ship up for its first voyage! and for the whole day the ship’s sail was stretched out as we sailed along, until the sun set and the path became dark… The Odyssey, Book 11 Page 1 of 3 © Katharine Mawford and Matthew Ingham, 2020

SHIP TEMPLATE

SAIL TEMPLATE