Papercrafts and other fun things: August 2014

Five-wheeled Ferris Wheel

This is the last Ferris Wheel in the series that I am going to design. Initially I was going to make just four wheels and then I decided that it was not aesthetically pleasing to the eye so I made a five-wheeled Ferris Wheel. I think it turned out marvelously.

Here is the PDF.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7oGIyVDbRGYYzhrUmlNYTJteXc/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-3XXt_ZqyoCu2HtQwnvDiqw

Here is the .Studio file. I used cardstock.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7oGIyVDbRGYVGE4bkJJLTFuSkU/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-bokqqMKhJzmHBcIrW1Zm1w

Use the instructions from a previous post to assembly this model.
http://papercraftetc.blogspot.com/2014/07/whats-more-exciting-than-paper-ferris.html
In addition, a center stabilizer is included in this model. This is optional because I thought its addition would make a studier model. I did not include the instructions because it is a simple cylinder shape that is glued together. Please note, the wheels need to be aligned in the center so that they turn properly, so be careful when gluing.

Of course, Marley wants to be in the picture.

I created five different types of pinwheels to explain the concept of rotational symmetry. Rotational symmetry is when a figure is rotated around a central point and the angle of rotation is noted when the object looks the same as the original figure. For example, a square has 90 degree rotational symmetry because it looks that same at 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees and at 360 degrees. The order of rotational symmetry of a square is 4 because it looks the same 4 times in one rotation around a central point.

Here is the PDF of the pinwheels.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7oGIyVDbRGYT1duczNleEM4SUU/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-lnVJ_9nV-0hufY1t_eeDQA

Here is the .Studio file of the pinwheels. I would recommend using the thinnest material for the blades and the strongest paper that won't tear easily for the rest of the pinwheel.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7oGIyVDbRGYMjAtRWlyZFliT2M/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-7prVUoKPCY4Kb9LGO6B_2w

Paper is not the best material to make the axles of these pinwheels. My fourth grade class made them and many of the pinwheels broke at the joint. I think a better choice would be to make a class set, have each student hold a pinwheel and move the pinwheel while sitting at their desk. My students wanted to touch the blades and move them with their hands while running around the room. These actions puts too much pressure on the fragile paper joints.

To Make the Axles. Glue into a tube.

Insert into the hole.

Glue as shown above. Repeat for the other axle.

There are two axles. One tube is larger than the other tube.

Using the larger axle, insert into the center of the pinwheel by folding one side of the pinwheel blade. Continue with the other pinwheel blades until it looks like the above figure.