Report Copyright Infringement View in OSM UK

Description

Make a whirly bird, and take it for a spin. How well does it fly?

Resources

Scissors
Plain paper
Pens or pencils
Ruler(s)
Chalk
Paperclips

Instructions

Make your whirly bird

1. Take the paper, and draw a rectangle no bigger than 20 cm long and 10 cm wide. Cut this rectangle out.

2. Put the paper in front of you so it’s portrait (the shorter sides at the top and bottom, and the longer sides on the left and right). Fold the paper in half horizontally – fold the top down so it meets the bottom.

3. Unfold the paper. The fold should split the paper into two rectangles.

4. Draw a vertical line down the top rectangle, from the top to the bottom. Cut along this line, so the top rectangle is split into two rectangle flaps. These are the rotors.

5. Turn the bottom rectangle into a T shape, by drawing two rectangles, one at the bottom left, and one at the bottom right.

The top of the T should touch the rectangle flaps you created in step four, and the bottom should be about the same width as each rectangle you draw in step five.

6. Cut along the top of the two rectangles you drew in step five, so the bottom rectangle becomes a T shape with two flaps.

7. Fold one of these flaps in front of the bottom of the T, and the other behind the bottom of the T. Keep them there with a paperclip – the paperclip will also add weight and help the whirly bird to fly.

8. Fold one of the rotors (one of rectangle flaps you created in step four) towards you, and fold the other away from you.

They should be parallel to the floor if you hold the T shape upright – just like the blades of a helicopter.

9. Colour your whirly bird – this will make it look even better when it flies. It’s okay if you squash it a bit as you colour, you can fold it back into shape again.

Test your whirly bird

1. Make a target on the floor using chalk, paper, or tape. Decide how many points each area of your target is worth.

2. Everyone should take it in turns to fly their whirlybird at the target. Who can score the most points? Does anyone want to make any adaptations to make their whirly bird fly better? Why not try adding more paperclips, or changing the shape of the rotors?

Tags

(none)

Badge Links

• Air Activities - Paper