Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Spinning Top
















Make your very own spinning top which spins like a dream! This project was created for the kindergarten's Alphabet Safari. Our subject was "E is for Enthusiasm."

Materials
• White poster board
• Green poster board
• Crayons or markers
• Drinking Straw
• 1 bead (that fits snuggly into the straw)
• Tape
• Pencil
• Glue Stick
• Scissors
• Awl or sharp pencil

Directions
1. Print out diagram below. Cut out the circle and the rim. (These will be your templates.)
2. Trace templates onto poster board.
3. Cut out the circle and the rim which you traced onto poster board.
4. Decorate and color the circle with crayons or markers.
5. Glue the rim onto the base circle.
6. Cut the straw to about 3 1/2 – 4 inches in length.
7. Put the bead into one end of the straw. It should fit snuggly and have about 1/2 of it showing outside the straw. (This is the part that makes it spin nicely.)
8. With an awl or a pencil, pierce a hole into the center of the disc. Make the opening no larger than the diameter of the straw.
9. Put the straw through the hole.
10. It's a good idea to tape the straw on the backside of the disc to hold it in place. (This helps to give the top more balance and momentum.)
11. Spin!!!


Click on the image below to view template full-screen. Print.