Project
Materials

Paper Flying Puppet

WHAT WILL YOU MAKE?

This paper flying puppet has a very simple mechanism to make the wings flap up and down so it flies. You can make your puppet any animal you wish- a bird, a butterfly, a dragon. You can research or observe flying animals in your backyard so your animal can blend right in or make it totally different- it’s up to you.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

This paper flying puppet has a very simple mechanism to make the wings flap up and down so it flies. You can make your puppet any animal you wish- a bird, a butterfly, a dragon. You can research or observe flying animals in your backyard so your animal can blend right in or make it totally different- it’s up to you.

STEPS

STEP 1

Make the Torso
Cut 4 rectangles 4" x 1". Use the rectangles to make rings by taping the ends of the rings closed. Each should be slightly smaller than the last so it makes a more realistic tapered body. Cut a 1/2" x 4" strip, use this to attach your 4 rings together.

STEP 2

Add the Head & Tail
Make a head & a tail. Use the torso as a template to measure how tall the head needs to be. Draw the head & cut it out. You can make it flat or make it dimensional. Do the same thing with the tail. Attach them to the torso.

STEP 3

Add Wings
Use the torso as a template again to make the wings a good size. If you fold your wing paper in half you can cut out both wings at once and then cut them apart. If you want, you can cut slits in your wings so they look like they have feathers. You can curl the feathers with your fingers so they stand out. Decorate your wings. Now tape them to the torso- make sure you only connect them to 1 of the torso rings. Tape the top and the bottom together so that it stays on securely as your creature flies. Decorate your wings. Now tape them to the torso- make sure you only connect them to 1 of the torso rings. Tape the top and the bottom together so that it stays on securely as your creature flies.

STEP 4

Add the Mechanism
Take your pipe cleaner and cut it in half. Fold the top of the pipe cleaner down like the photo shows & tape the folded down part onto the wing. Do the same with the other wing.

STEP 5

Finish the Mechanism
Next add the straw. Draw a line on the straw about 1/2" long and cut along it. Do the same on the opposite side of the straw. Now fold the two sides of the straw down gently, it will tear a bit and that's ok. If one side tears off just cut the straw shorter and try again. Tape the straw onto the torso in between the wings. Wrap the pipe cleaners around the straw- make sure they are wrapped next to each other.

STEP 6

Make It Fly
This will take two hands. Hold the straw with one hand and hold the pipe cleaners where they're wrapped around the straw with the other hand. Pull and push the pipe cleaners up and down to make the wings flap.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Check out more projects from the Maker Studio on our blog: https://themakerstudio.tumblr.com/

Materials:

  • Card stock
  • Tape
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Markers
  • Pipe cleaner
  • Paper straw

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Arts & Crafts Fabrication Paper Crafts

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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:
  1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
  2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
  3. Refine and complete artistic work.
  4. Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
  5. Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
  6. Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
  7. Perceive and analyze artistic work.
  8. Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
  9. Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
  10. Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
  11. Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
Please visit the website for specific details on how each anchor applies to each discipline.

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.

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. Also see Standards with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art for Visual Arts.

NGSS K-2 Engineering Design

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.
  • K-2-ETS1-1. Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
  • K-2-ETS1-2. Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
  • K-2-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
For additional information on using content standards with our projects please visit the Maker Camp Playbook.

NGSS 3-5.Engineering Design

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.
  • 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
  • 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
  • 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
For additional information on using content standards with our projects please visit the Maker Camp Playbook.

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.
For additional information on using content standards with our projects please visit the Maker Camp Playbook.

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