Handmade Straw Pan Flutes
What You Need:
-Cardstock
-Scissors
-Double-sided tape
-Plastic Straws (Boba straws)
-Black Sharpie
-Ruler
Directions:
Take five wide straws. Cut them into varying lengths. (We cut ours into the following lengths: 6 inches, 5.5 inches, 5 inches, 4 inches, and 3.5 inches.)
Cut two strips of cardstock 7 inches x 1.5 inches. Place a 7 inch strip of-sided tape in the inside of one piece of cardstock strips.
The longest straw on the tape first, near the left edge. You’ll want one end of the straw hanging about 3/4 inch over the side. Place the shortest straw on the right-hand side of the tape, with the same amount (about 3/4 inch) hanging over the edge.
Next, place the middle length straw right in the center. Place the remaining two straws onto the tape. All the ends of the straws should line up about 3/4 inch over one edge of the cardstock.
Place the double-sided tape onto the other black strip of cardstock and place it on top of your straws, lining it up with the first piece of cardstock. Press down firmly.
Number each straw 1-5 with a black Sharpie. Make sounds with your flute by the tops of the straws on your lower lip and blowing across them.
Make a Sun Dial from a Plate
What You Need:
-Crayons
-Paper plate
-Sharpened pencil
-Push pins
-Ruler
-Plastic straw
Directions
Prepare Paper Plate.
Start this project on a sunny day just before noon.
Use the pencil to poke a hole through the very center of the paper plate. Write the number 12 on the edge of the plate with a crayon. Using the ruler as a guide, draw a straight line from the number 12 to the hole in the center of the plate.
At noon, take the plate and the straw outside. Put the plate on the ground and poke the straw through the hole. Slant the straw toward the line you drew. Now carefully turn the plate so that the shadow of the straw falls along the line to the number 12.
Fasten the plate to the ground with some pushpins. Have your child predict where he/she thinks that the shadow of the straw will be pointing in one hour.
One hour later, at one o’clock, check the position of the shadow along the edge of the plate and write the number 1 on that spot. Continue each hour predicting the position and then checking and marking the actual position and time on the edge of the plate.
Spinal Cord Model with Egg Carton
What You Need:
-An egg carton to cut up, for the vertebrae
-Craft foam (or something kind of spongy), for the vertebral discs
-2 pipe cleaners, for the spinal cord
Directions:
Use egg carton sections because they really do look quite like vertebrae.
Poke holes through the bottom of the egg carton section and through the side of the egg carton.
Thread the vertebrae onto the spinal cord, alternating with the discs.
Beaded Wind Chime
What You Need:
-Plastic cup
-String or plastic lacing (5 x 6″ strands)
-Variety of beads – pony beads work best
Directions:
Use a pointy object (such as the end of a pair of scissors or even a pen) to poke a small hole in the bottom of the cup and four evenly spaced holes about 1cm down from the edge of the cup.
Next, slide one end of each string through the four holes around the edge and knot them. Put the end through the hole, loop it around and tie it onto the rest of the string to ensure it won’t fall through the hole. String a selection of beads onto each strand. Once each strand is complete, tie a knot in the ends.
Once the strands of beads are completed, make a loop with the remaining string and push the two ends inside the cup from the hole made in the bottom. Slide a pony bead over the two ends and tie a knot.
Straw Rocket
What You Need:
-Rocket Template
-Straws
-Tape or glue dots
-Plastic pipettes(or straws with a larger diameter than the other set of straws)
-Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
-Scissors
Directions:
Color the rockets and cut them out.
Cut the bottom off a plastic pipette. Attach it to the back of a rocket using tape or glue dots.
If you don’t have any plastic pipettes handy, you can use a straw instead. (Just make sure this straw is wider than the other straw you’ll be using for launching.)
Cut the straw to fit the length of the rocket and tape one end shut so it’s completely sealed. Attach it to your rocket with glue dots or tape.
Slip a straw into your pipette, and you’re ready to launch!
Give your straw a big puff of air, and watch it take off!