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Take and Makes for this project for ages 5-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, April 23, 2021.
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/u08_xD4-Ok4?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu
Supplies and Directions:
Step 1.
Gather your supplies.
Provided in your bag: clothespin, coffee filter, pipe cleaner
From home: you will need glue, scissors, washable markers, other coloring materials (optional), water (a spray bottle makes this easier), and something to lay your butterfly on while it dries.
Step 2.
Decorate your coffee filter with colorful designs using washable markers. Once complete, place the coffee filter on a cookie sheet or plastic bag to protect your work surface. Mist the coffee filter with the spray bottle filled with water. Watch the colors blend! Set aside to dry.
Step 3.
Decorate clothespin with markers or other coloring materials. Make any design! Set aside to dry.
Step 4.
Once the coffee filter is dry, fold it in half. Take your scissors, cut the filter into a football shape starting at the crease and cut out to the edge (you may need a grownup’s help with this). Unfold coffee filter. Cut-outs should be on the sides of the filter when lying flat on your work surface. Pinch the top and bottom of the filter to meet in the center. Open the clothespin and place the coffee filter inside.
Step 5.
Curl your pipe cleaner into antennas and put inside the clothespin. Use glue to secure it all. Take your completed butterfly and enjoy it outside, in your room, and share it with your friends!
Discovery Kits are a collection of interactive items that patrons can check out to explore new topics, hobbies, and interests at home. There are Discovery Kits for all ages, from toddlers to adults. Learn more about the different kits here.
Kits:
- Round Looms
- Electronic Playground
- Lego Mindstorms EV3
- Bee Bots
- Survive the Quake Engineering Kit
- Remote Control Gear Bot
- Ultimate Fort Builder
- Cubelets Discovery Set
- Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set
- MAGNA-TILES Building Set
Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning this Friday, April 16, 2021.
The video instructions are available at: https://tinyurl.com/PPLDVirtualSTEM
Supplies and Directions:
Materials included: Cork, two 12 inch bamboo skewers, toothpick, modeling clay, googly eyes
Materials needed: glue, paint or markers (optional)
- Push the pointy end of a skewer into one side of the cork at a 45 degree angle; repeat on the other side just opposite the first skewer.
- Push the toothpick in the center of the bottom of the cork. (*The skewers should be pointing down.)
- Roll two equal-sized balls of clay and press them onto the bottom ends of the skewers.
- Glue the two googly eyes on the cork. You’ll need to allow time for glue to dry. If you want, you can use paint or a marker to add more details to the face.
- Place the tip of the toothpick on your finger and see if it balances. If it leans too much to one side, adjust the angle of the skewers one at a time until the cork stands upright when balanced on the tip of your finger.
Now, have some fun! See if you can gently spin your Balancing Buddy on the tip of your finger. Try walking around the house while keeping the Balancing Buddy in place. Can you balance Balancing Buddy on your elbow? Your knee? What other experiments can you do with your Balancing Buddy?
The science behind the project:
Everything has a center of gravity, which is the point at which its mass is evenly distributed. The clay balls are heavier than the cork, so they bring the center of gravity to the bottom of the toothpick. That’s why the bottom of the toothpick will balance on your fingertip!