Monday, October 20, 2025

A STEM Project:A Spooky Halloween Ferris wheel

A Spooky Halloween Ferris wheel

This Halloween-themed project has been a labor of love that's been months in the making. I completed most of the work back in July, but then set it aside to tackle other creative projects that had captured my attention. Since this build is essentially a spooky reimagining of my previous Ferris wheel project—now featuring jack-o-lanterns and powered by a Makerport instead of a Hyperduino—the construction process remains the same. Rather than repeat the step-by-step instructions here, I'll refer you to my original tutorial: https://papercraftetc.blogspot.com/2021/09/a-stem-project-rotating-ferris-wheel.html

What Makes This Version Special:

This festive creation features some exciting interactive elements:

  • Two touch sensors that trigger Halloween classics—"Monster Mash" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller"
  • Six multicolor LED lights that blink in a mesmerizing pattern
  • A 360-degree servo motor that brings the Ferris wheel to life
  • Adorable jack-o-lantern passenger cars that spin around the wheel
  • A decorative presentation box housing the Makerport, complete with a witch design and cheerful "Boo!" message

The result is a delightful Halloween scene that's sure to bring smiles and add a touch of whimsy to your seasonal décor.

Download the Files:

Ready to create your own spooky Ferris wheel? I used 65 lb. white and black cardstock along with glitter cardstock for this project. Here are all the files you'll need:

PDF File: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vQHpW9RObtngbMLBBObjuHA3eJA75-cR/view?usp=sharing

Studio File: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17DnG0KYAZc4TtSabpx_vUtvaknDmuU8u/view?usp=sharing

SVG File: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Kt2uVCsMVe_iLraa9oslNk6lgHnYIwAo/view?usp=sharing (Remember to zoom out to see the entire file)

Check out the video below to see the Microblock's code and how the Ferris wheel operates.

Have a wonderful Halloween!


Friday, October 17, 2025

A STEM Project: A Magical Dining Scene: Bringing Belle and Ariel Together with MicroBlocks and the MakerPort

From Walmart Toy Sets to an Interactive Masterpiece

Watch the video to see the scene come alive!
There are five touch points that play different songs.

After attending a delightful production of Beauty and the Beast at my granddaughter's school, I found myself inspired during a routine shopping trip to Walmart. There in the toy section sat a Beauty and the Beast playset that sparked an idea—what if I could bring this scene to life with lights, music, and movement?

I couldn't resist adding a Little Mermaid playset to my cart as well. Little did I know that these two playsets would become the foundation for one of my most ambitious projects yet, combining MicroBlocks programming, MakerPort technology, and traditional crafting techniques.

Building the Foundation: Elegant Seating

Upholstered chairs adorn the scene

Every magical dining experience needs proper seating. I crafted custom chairs for both Belle and Ariel following these instructions. To give them a more elegant appearance befitting our princesses, I upholstered each chair, transforming simple paper furniture into sophisticated dining seats.

The Table: Where Coding Meets Craftsmanship

For the centerpiece table, I turned to TurtleStitch to code a presentation box design. One of the things I love most about working with code is the flexibility it provides—thanks to variables in the programming, I can adjust the size of this table design to fit any future project needs.  Check out the TurtleStitch code.

The presentation box serves a dual purpose: it provides a sturdy, elegant surface for dining while also concealing the technical components that bring the scene to life.

Illuminating the Magic

The lighting in this project works on multiple levels:

The Centerpiece Neopixel: Embedded in the center of the table, a Neopixel light creates a warm, colorful glow that draws the eye to the table's center.

The Rotating Tea Service: A servo motor continuously rotates a platter featuring Mrs. Potts and Chip, adding movement and whimsy to the scene.

Luminaire's Pixie Lights: To complete the ambiance, I added pixie lights to Luminaire (the candelabra). These affordable lights from the Dollar Store were modified—I cut them from their original battery casing and connected them to the MakerPort using alligator clips. This technique is similar to what I used in my clown project, and it works beautifully.

The Soundtrack: A Musical Compromise

My original plan included five touch sensors programmed to play music from Beauty and the Beast. However, my granddaughter had other ideas. "That's not fair!" she declared. "Ariel wants her music too!"

She was absolutely right. The final version includes beloved songs from both Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, activated by touch sensors positioned around the scene. Now both princesses can enjoy their signature melodies.

Finishing Touches: Form Meets Function

The tablecloth design balances aesthetics with practicality. The top portion is glued directly to the presentation box, creating a seamless, elegant appearance. However, the skirt features an elastic top that can be easily removed whenever I need to access the MakerPort and electronics housed inside the box.

All of the electronics and interactive elements were programmed using MicroBlocks, which gave me precise control over the lights, sounds, and movements.

The Grand Reveal

A table fit for princesses!

When I finally presented the completed project to my granddaughters, their reaction made every hour of work worthwhile. Their faces lit up brighter than any Neopixel as they discovered they could make the lights change colors, the tea service spin, and their favorite Disney songs play with just a touch.

Watching them play with Belle and Ariel in this interactive, illuminated dining scene reminded me why I love combining traditional crafts with modern technology—it creates experiences that engage children's imaginations in ways that neither approach could achieve alone.

What's Next?

This project has opened up so many possibilities. The modular nature of the TurtleStitch-coded presentation box means I can create different scenes and settings for future adventures. And thanks to the removable tablecloth skirt, I can easily reprogram the MicroBlocks to add new features or change the music selections.

Who knows? Perhaps a third princess will join Belle and Ariel for dinner soon. After all, there's always room at the table for more magic.

Update: I may have already made another trip to Walmart... and a Frozen playset with Elsa may have found its way into my cart. Something tells me my granddaughters are going to insist that Elsa needs a seat at the table—and her own music, of course! The dining party is about to get even more crowded, and I couldn't be happier about it.


Have you combined traditional crafts with coding and electronics? I'd love to hear about your projects in the comments below!

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Exploring N-Gon Prisms: From TurtleStitch Code To Paper Net Templates


N-Gon Prisms
Starting at the bottom row and circling counterclockwise are eight prisms, 
ranging from ten-sided to three-sided.

In this blog post, I continue my quest to create prisms using paper net templates. Please see my previous post to learn how my journey began: Exploring the Five-Color Torus: A Mathematical Approach.

Inspired by the elegant modular structure of that model, I became curious about designing paper versions of n-gon prisms. What began as a simple experiment quickly evolved into a fascinating mathematical puzzle.

Through trial and error (I experimented with over thirty different nets), I discovered something remarkable: odd-sided prisms behave fundamentally differently from even-sided prisms.


The Odd-Sided Pattern

Three, five, seven, nine-sided prisms
Note: the sides are equilateral triangles

For odd-sided prisms (triangles, pentagons, heptagons, etc.) with an edge length of a:

  • Each face consists of two equilateral triangles connected by a rectangle.
  • The total number of equilateral triangles needed is 2n (where n is the number of sides).
  • All triangles have sides equal to the chosen edge length a.
  • The height of the prism equals the height of the equilateral triangle.

The Even-Sided Pattern

Four, six, eight, ten-sided prisms
Note: the sides are two isosceles right triangles that form a square

For even-sided prisms (squares, hexagons, octagons, etc.) with an edge length of a:

  • Each face is made of two isosceles right triangles connected by a rectangle.
  • These triangular pieces form squares when paired together on each side.
  • The total number of isosceles right triangles needed is 2n.
  • The height of the prism equals the side length a.

Shared Properties of Even and Odd Prisms

  • Each paper unit consists of a rectangle flanked by two triangles—one at the top and one at the bottom.
  • The rectangle is folded along its diagonal to form the three-dimensional structure of the prism.
  • The prism exists in two chiral forms, depending on whether the rectangle’s diagonal slants clockwise or counterclockwise.
  • The rectangle’s diagonal represents the longest internal diagonal of the prism.
  • The two sides of the rectangle form another diagonal, connecting adjacent sides of the prism (traversing from the top of one face to the bottom of the next, depending on the prism’s chirality).

Formulas Used

For a regular n-gon prism with side length a and height h:

Height Calculation
Odd n-gon: h = a × √3 ⁄ 2 (height of an equilateral triangle)
Even n-gon: h = a (two isosceles right triangles form a square face)

Circumradius of the Base Polygon
R = a ⁄ (2 × sin(180 ⁄ n))

Maximum Base Chord
Dmax = 2R × sin((n ⁄ 2) × 180 ⁄ n)

Longest Internal Diagonal of the Prism
Dspace = √(Dmax2 + h2)

Rectangle Dimensions
Side 1: a (polygon edge)
Side 2: √(Dspace2a2)


Reference Table: Paper Template Dimensions

Here is a PDF containing calculated dimensions for n-gon prisms with edge length a = 2 units:
Download PDF


Bringing It to Life: TurtleStitch and Silhouette

Using the dimensions from the table, I coded the prism nets in TurtleStitch, a block-based programming environment ideal for geometric design. TurtleStitch made it possible to automate the creation of these intricate folding patterns.

I exported the designs as DXF files and opened them in Silhouette Studio software.
(Note: TurtleStitch’s DXF export doesn’t preserve scale, so resizing was necessary.)

Using the Silhouette cutting machine, I:

  • Resized the nets to the desired dimensions.
  • Added decorative windows to each panel.
  • Cut the required number of nets for each n-sided prism.

The final results were stunning—geometric forms that twist and turn.


Taking It One Step Further with TurtleStitch

Since I now understood the necessary calculations, I generalized my TurtleStitch code to eliminate the need to consult the measurement table manually and to add the decorative window to each panel.

Here is that TurtleStitch project:
Net for N-Gon Prism

With this program, creating a prism net is simple: enter the number of sides (n) and the side length (a), and the program automatically generates a net ready for cutting with Silhouette software.

After exporting as a DXF file, I opened it in Silhouette Studio, used the one-inch block for reference, and resized the entire design accordingly. Then, I used the Silhouette cutting machine to cut the required number of nets for each n-sided prism.


Assembly Instructions

Step 1: Connect the Nets

Three identical net pieces are needed for a triangular prism.
Fold all rectangle diagonals with a valley fold—this step is critical! 
Make sure they are all facing the same directions and their orientation is the same. 
For example, notice the sides and diagonal form the letter 'Z'...look for it when folding the piece.

Apply glue to the side of the rectangles as shown above

  1. Take two pieces and align them so their rectangle sides meet.
  2. Glue these sides together, carefully matching the corners.
  3. Continue adding and gluing each new piece in the same manner until all n faces are connected.

Step 2: Close the Tube

Join the first and last pieces by gluing their remaining rectangle sides together.

Step 3: Attach the Triangles

  1. Valley-fold the triangles toward the rectangle’s diagonal.
  2. Tape the adjacent triangle sides together.
  3. Repeat until all triangles are joined, forming the complete prism

(Note: While these instructions show a triangular prism being made, the procedure is exactly the same for all n-gon's.)



The Structure’s Underlying Symmetry

A ten-sided prism

It’s amazing to see how all the diagonals of the prism converge at a single point in the center, creating an opening through the middle of the shape. Both ends of the prism curve inward—this concave form appears because of the way the longest internal diagonals connect across the structure.

I made each net a different color so that you can appreciate the structures that are created. 
A multi-colored circle is formed with the intersection of the diagonal symmetry.  If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the longest internal diagonal.  A light pink diagonal goes from the top center of the photo to the bottom right below the light blue diagonal at the top of the prism. Try to see if you can find all ten of the internal diagonals.

The finished prisms are truly captivating—geometric forms that twist and turn in space. Each one feels like a small architectural sculpture, bridging the connection between art, craft, and mathematics.


Many thanks to: 

  • Alba Málaga Sabogal, Alix Kremer, Djatil Krichenane, Samuel Lelièvre, Richard Schwartz and Ulrich Breh for inspiring this exploration with their beautiful torus structures 
  • Saul Stahl for his foundational work on map coloring 
  • ICERM (Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics) for hosting the Illustrating Mathematics program 
  • Claude (Anthropic) for patient assistance with the mathematical calculations and HTML development.  I am still working on the HTML development.  I will try to include it in another post.
  • The TurtleStitch community, especially Cynthia Solomon, who encouraged me to continue my quest of prisms and using TurtleStitch as a tool for mathematical making