pretty pinwheels

Make a pinwheel from household objects...

materials:

square paper (I used origami paper because it's already in perfect squares and comes in cool patterns)

acrylic paint (you can also use a more washable tempera paint)

skewers

cork

paper clip

scissors

get to work:

1. Begin by painting the skewers. I didn't use a paint brush, we just rolled them around in some paint and let them dry while we worked on the other steps. 

2. Cut the paper to form your pinwheel. Here is a quick reference that you can use, only cut to the end of the line. I often have to remind my students that if they cut all the way through, their pinwheel will be in pieces!

3. Unfold part of the paper clip. You'll use this to poke holes in the pinwheel and hold it together. If you want you can make the end of it into a spiral by winding it around a pencil. (This is one of those parts that most kids have trouble with and may need a little help.)

4. Begin folding the right corner of each portion/piece of your pinwheel towards the middle. You can stick the paper clip through as you go or put it all together, to make sure you have a proper pinwheel, and then stick the clip through. 

5. Take this completed pinwheel and stick the paper clip (that should be sticking out of the back) into the cork, like so:

6. Now take the dried skewer and stick it into the cork. (If you're concerned about kids sticking themselves with the skewer you can make small hole in the cork before they start the project and then cut the tip of the skewer off so that they don't poke themselves!)