Make Your Own Pinwheel

Moving air is wind. Wind is caused by warm air rising over cool air. You cannot see the wind but you know when it is around. Wind makes things move. A pinwheel will spin as the wind pushes it around. Make your own pinwheel by following these simple directions.

You will need:

*a sharpened pencil  *scissors    *a plastic drinking straw

*white construction paper*a paper fastener

How to make a pinwheel:

1. Print the pinwheel pattern. Teachers can reproduce this pattern on white construction paper with a copy machine. If you are working at home, print the pinwheel pattern. Cut the bold lines. Lay it on top of the construction paper lightly paste the corners down.

2. Cut-out the pinwheel on the bold lines only. (Do not cut on the white line)

3. Try not to cut into the center circle.

4. Use the sharpened pencil to poke a hole through the four tiny dark circles. The pencil point also works well to poke a hole into the straw. Carefully push the pencil point through the straw about 1/2 inch from the top.

5. Make the tiny holes on the four points meet at the center circle.

6. Push the ends of the paper fastener through the holes on the pinwheel. then push the fastener through the center circle.

7. Place the straw on the back side of your pinwheel and push the ends of the fastener through the hole in the straw. Open-up the fastener by flattening the ends in opposite directions.

Now you are ready to try-out your beautiful pinwheel. All you will need is a little bit of wind to make your pinwheel spin round and round. Have fun!