Fairy Wings
WHAT WILL YOU MAKE?
Transform a few wire hangers and some black tights into a magical set of glimmering wings.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
You will learn to shape metal into custom shapes and solder parallel circuits
STEPS
STEP 1
With the wire cutters, clip the hooks off all found hangers and discard. Straighten out each metal rod (use pliers on the corners), and then shape each of your four wing sections the way you want them to look. (Ours look a bit like squished raindrops, but yours can be rounder or flatter––whatever works best for you!)
STEP 2
Wrap the ends of each hanger with duct tape so they don't pop apart while you're shaping the wire wings. You should have four separate wing pieces. Set them aside.
STEP 3
With wire strippers, trim the leads on the battery holder to about 3" long. Then, holding the leads with pliers, strip about 1" off the ends to expose the wire inside. Set the battery holder aside.
STEP 4
With black marker, darken the positive (+) legs of all eight LEDs, and then bend the legs out to the sides in opposite directions, as shown. Set aside.
STEP 5
Using scissors, cut the legs off both pairs of black tights. Discard the cut-off briefs (or save for another project), and put the four loose legs aside.
STEP 6
Using wire strippers, cut two pieces of hookup wire, about 12" each, and strip the ends to expose about 1" of wire. These will be the main positive (+) and negative (-) leads for one of your wing shapes. Take the first piece of wire and, using the soldering iron, solder the negative (-) leg of one LED to the other end. Do the same thing with the second piece of hookup wire.
STEP 7
Using wire strippers, cut four lengths of hookup wire about 18" to 24" long and strip the ends. Using the soldering iron, solder one of these to each of the four unsoldered LED legs on the wire-and-LED assemblies you created in step 6. Use the third-hand tool to help hold the wire while you solder. This will make two assemblies, each with two LEDs and three lengths of wire, as shown. On each, tape a big paper clip to the positive (+) end, so you can keep track of the polarity.
STEP 8
Using one of the top wing shapes, wrap one of the long wire assemblies around it, so that the two LEDs appear in the middle of the shape, positioned as shown on page 82. Using electrical tape, tape the wires to the metal hanger to hold them in place as you work.
STEP 9
Add a second long wire to the wing you've been working on (the top wing from step 8). Position the LEDs so that they appear at different places within the wing shape, wrapping and taping as you go. Make sure both positive (+) ends of each wire wrap around the same side of the wing, and the negative (-) ends wrap around the other side. Using a taped-on paper clip, hold the two positive (+) wires together, and set this wing section aside.
STEP 11
Take one of the cut-off legs from the black tights and pull it gently over one of the top wing assemblies. (Be careful––the LEDs can snag and rip the material!) Knot, trim, and tape the tights in place with black duct tape at the bottom of the wing, as shown. Then do the same with the other top wing assembly, covering it with another leg from the cut-off tights.
STEP 12
When both top wings are covered in the tights, use black duct tape to tape both top wing segments together, as shown. If necessary, reshape the hanger wire so the winds look the way you want them to.
STEP 13
Gather the four positive wires on one side of your assembly (the ones marked with paper clips) and twist the exposed wire ends together. Then do the same thing with the four negative wires.
STEP 14
When everything is working, use the soldering iron to solder each twist of exposed wire together. Work from one side, then flip and work from the other side to be sure each thick bundle of wire is secure.
STEP 15
Using wire strippers, cut two 4" pieces of hookup wire, strip the ends, and then solder one wire to each of the two leads on the battery holder.
STEP 16
When everything is working, solder the battery holder's leads to the wing assembly's wiring by connecting the positive (+) lead to the positive (+) wires and the negative (-) lead to the negative (-) wires.
STEP 17
Make the bottom wings by pulling the last two cut legs from the black tights over the two remaining wire hanger assemblies. Knot, trim, and tape the tights to the ends of the wing frames, as shown, and then shape these new wing sections however you'd like them.
STEP 18
Using black duct tape, tape the bottom and top wing assemblies together. When everything is in place, gather up the wires and tape in a neat bundle in the center of the wings. If you want to you can cover the battery assembly with a scrap of felt, using either glue or black duct tape.
STEP 19
Make two shoulder straps by looping lengths of elastic around your shoulders. Using scissors, cut the elastic where the fit is comfortable. Using the hot-glue gun, glue the ends of each length together. Then use hot glue to connect the two loops in the middle.
Materials:
- Four bendable wire hangers
- Black duct tape
- One 2-cell battery holder with leads and on/off switch
- Two pairs of adult (women's) sheer black tights
- Hookup wire
- Eight 5mm diffused candle flicker or flash RGB LEDs (or your choice)
- Large paper clip
- Electrical tape
- Two 3V coin-cell batteries (CR2032)
- A 3' length of black elastic, 1" wide
- Optional: Scraps of coordinating felt
- Wire cutters (to cut the hangers)
- Pliers
- Wire strippers
- Black marker
- Scissors
- Soldering iron and solder
- Third-hand tool
- Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
Please Note
Your safety is your own responsibility, including proper use of equipment and safety gear, and determining whether you have adequate skill and experience. Power tools, electricity, and other resources used for these projects are dangerous, unless used properly and with adequate precautions, including safety gear and adult supervision. Some illustrative photos do not depict safety precautions or equipment, in order to show the project steps more clearly. Use of the instructions and suggestions found in Maker Camp is at your own risk. Make Community, LLC, disclaims all responsibility for any resulting damage, injury, or expense.
Maker Camp Project Standards
Based on NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)
National Core Arts Standards
The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school. These standards provide goals for Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art. The Anchor Standards include:- Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
- Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
- Refine and complete artistic work.
- Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
- Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
- Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
- Perceive and analyze artistic work.
- Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
- Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
- Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
- Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards. Learn more.Forces and Motion
- 3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.
- HS-PS4-5. Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.
CCSS (Common Core State Standards)
The Common Core is a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA).Geometry
- Grades K-2
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.1 Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.2 Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.3 Identify shapes as two-dimensional (lying in a plane, "flat") or three-dimensional ("solid").
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.B.5 Model shapes in the world by building shapes from components (e.g., sticks and clay balls) and drawing shapes.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.B.6 Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.G.A.1 Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.G.A.2 Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape.
- Grades 3-5
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.G.A.3 Recognize a line of symmetry for a two-dimensional figure as a line across the figure such that the figure can be folded along the line into matching parts. Identify line-symmetric figures and draw lines of symmetry.
- Middle School
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.G.A.4 Represent three-dimensional figures using nets made up of rectangles and triangles, and use the nets to find the surface area of these figures. Apply these techniques in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.A.1 Solve problems involving scale drawings of geometric figures, including computing actual lengths and areas from a scale drawing and reproducing a scale drawing at a different scale.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.A.2 Draw (freehand, with ruler and protractor, and with technology) geometric shapes with given conditions. Focus on constructing triangles from three measures of angles or sides, noticing when the conditions determine a unique triangle, more than one triangle, or no triangle.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.A.3 Describe the two-dimensional figures that result from slicing three-dimensional figures, as in plane sections of right rectangular prisms and right rectangular pyramids.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.A.1 Verify experimentally the properties of rotations, reflections, and translations.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.A.3 Describe the effect of dilations, translations, rotations, and reflections on two-dimensional figures using coordinates.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.A.4 Understand that a two-dimensional figure is similar to another if the second can be obtained from the first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, translations, and dilations; given two similar two-dimensional figures, describe a sequence that exhibits the similarity between them.
NGSS MS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
- MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- MS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
- MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
NGSS HS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
- HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
- HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
- HS-ETS1-4. Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.
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