# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Art can produce emotions and inspire new ways of seeing the world. Many artists use recycled materials, found objects, and other "trash" to raise awareness about how humans impact the world around them.

Art projects can do more than educate and inspire - they can also provide food, water and shelter for wildlife! Decorating a bird bath, toad abode, or planter is a great way to inspire others while providing valuable habitat to wild animals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Art can produce emotions and inspire new ways of seeing the world. Many artists use recycled materials, found objects, and other "trash" to raise awareness about how humans impact the world around them. Art projects can do more than educate and inspire - they can also provide food, water and shelter for wildlife!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Amazing Flower Towers or Tipsy Pot Planters Ideas!- A Cultivated Nest

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These 10 DIY flower towers and tipsy pot planters are stunning ways to add vertical interest to your garden, porch, or front entry!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This interactive harmonograph simulation was inspired by a Three-Pendulum Rotary Harmonograph, except that here all three pendulums are rotary. Each pendulum can be made to swing in only one direction by setting one of its amplitudes to zero.

The 'scene' shows a top view of the harmonograph. Use this to visualise how the pendulums are affected when playing around with the 'settings'.

See also: The simulation of another type of harmonograph.
andygiger.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This interactive harmonograph simulation was inspired by a Three-Pendulum Rotary Harmonograph, except that here all three pendulums are rotary. Each pendulum can be made to swing in only one direction by setting one of its amplitudes to zero. The 'scene' shows a top view of the harmonograph.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Browse K-12 STEM Curriculum - TeachEngineering

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Browse and search for NGSS-aligned K-12 STEM curricular materials. Narrow your search by choosing from filters such as curriculum type, grade level, subject area, engineering category, and time required.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As engineers, it is our nature to ask “How to…”. Find detailed information on how to improve your projects, or make something from scratch. Find articles about DIY building, mechanics, and scientific models.

# data[].attributes.headline
How to Code a Personality Quiz in Python.

# data[].attributes.subject
How to Code a Personality Quiz in Python.

# data[].attributes.body
Have you ever wanted to make a personality quiz to see what type of person or valorant player they are? NOWS YOUR CHANCE!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Make a Cool Personality Quiz in Python!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Students experience product and process design as they create a beverage can holder that won't harm wildlife or pollute but that is sturdy and easy to carry. Caution: Let students know that opening and/or drinking the beverages is not a part of this activity!

1. After students learn their challenge, demonstrate the problem with plastic rings by asking students to put a rubber band around their right wrist and then get it off, using only their right hand and nothing else.

2. Discuss the criteria for their new design. It has to:

1. Hold 6 cans

2. Be sturdy

3. Be easy to carry

4. Be harmless to wildlife

5. Have low or no environmental impact

6. Be made out of the available materials

3. Divide the students into teams of 3-4 and instruct them to:

1. Brainstorm possible solutions.

2. Choose the one that best meets the criteria and constraints.

3. Make a prototype out of the materials. Consider different kinds of handles, ways to arrange the cans, how to remove the cans, and impact on animals.

4. Test and evaluate the prototype. If the holder bends and twists, teams will need to reinforce their design.

5. If it fails in some way, redesign and retest.

4. Choose the design that best meets the criteria and constraints. Explain that the class will now use this design to manufacture beverage holders.

5. Organize the class into one or two assembly lines, with the students as the operators of the line. Test make a holder or two to get the line running smoothly.

6. Divide the class into 2 teams. The first team manufactures holders in the assembly line. In the second team, each student manufactures holders individually. Announce that you are the Senior Quality Control Officer who will check on the quality of the manufactured holders.

7. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes. See how many holders students can make and whether they vary in quality.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students experience product and process design as they create a beverage can holder that won't harm wildlife or pollute but that is sturdy and easy to carry. Caution: Let students know that opening and/or drinking the beverages is not a part of this activity!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn the technical skills to get the job you want. Join over 50 million people choosing Codecademy to start a new career (or advance in their current one).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to make vr cardboard Easy | vr headset at home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Pop! Whir! Fizz! Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. Those are the exciting sounds of science made by students using Ward's Science activities posted here over the past few months.

Our mission is to share tips, ideas, and resources that help you inspire students and guide discovery and learning. That's why many of the blogs we post on Ward's World include fun, hands-on STEM activities for the classroom and distance learning. From DNA, osmosis, algae beads, and minerals to photosynthesis, marine life, and moon phases, Ward's World is packed full of activities that help you engage the budding scientists in your class.

If you're suffering from a severe case of FOMO right now, don't worry, we gotchu!

To keep you in the loop, we've compiled the list below containing 26 of our most popular activities; a suppliance of science, if you will! We've also created a 5-in-1-Science Activity Power Pack for you to download. The Power Packs include five popular science activities in a range of fields, all in a single document, to make it easy to organize and share.
Download the shareable All-In-One Activity resource file here: Download Lesson Explore all these topics and activities with your students, no more missing out!

1. Styrofoam cups vanish into thin air with this activity

2. Set the kitchen table for science time

3. Our favorite free online resources for science teachers

4. For chemistry teachers who want a fun way to teach pH

5. The sweet smell of success: a lesson plan on esters and organic synthesis

6. Go for the gold at the Mole-ympic Games: A Mole Day chemistry lesson plan.

7. I'm just here for the popcorn: A heat transfer lesson plan.

8. Chemistry Lab Activities

9. The periodic table of candy: A chemistry lesson plan.

10. Density has never been more delicious: A high school lesson plan.

1. Think outside the box with these outdoor science activities

2. How does handwashing help prevent illness? The science of soap.

3. How to teach osmosis and diffusion with agar cubes - a free activity

4. When fleas take energy drinks: a biology activity

5. Predicting pigments: a biology activity for fall

6. Keeping it clean: a lesson plan on aseptic technique

7. The thorny problem - a Japanese beetle lesson plan.

8. A spectacular ocean view - marine mural lesson plan.

9. Foliage findings - a leaf pigment lesson plan.

1. Hovercrafts aren't just science friction with this activity

2. Physics Equipment & Activities

3. Discovering exoplanets in a galaxy not so near you - a free activity

1. Looks like a moon but tastes like a cookie, it's a moon phase activity

2. Heat things up with this greenhouse effect activity

3. Rockhounds agree - this mineral activity rocks

4. Discovering exoplanets in a galaxy not so near you - a free activity

Be sure to share these activities with your colleagues, so they don't miss anything, FOMO is contagious. Also, keep an eye out for more 5-in-1 Science Activity Power Packs soon.
Recommended products
[StartProductBlock]

Custom Geology Solutions

Whether you're looking for a rare, unique specimen or a custom collection of rocks and minerals for hands-on student study, we can support you with a custom solution

[EndProductBlock]

[StartProductBlock]

Ward's Custom Kit Solutions

Ward's Science will source, organize, label, package, and ship your materials, your way so you or your students can easily purchase all required lab materials in one convenient kit.

[EndProductBlock]

[StartProductBlock]

Next Generation Science Standards Activities

Hands-on kits provide students with a complete understanding of science as they progress through grade levels, are easily introduced into Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, and Engineering lessons.

[EndProductBlock]

[StartProductBlock]

Ward's Phenomena Lab Activities

Witness your students' awe as they perform these inquiry-based activities aligned to NGSS standards. Ideal for middle school, these kits include materials for a teacher demonstration and a variety of materials for 10 lab groups. Choose from a variety of activities covering various topics.

[EndProductBlock]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
26 hands-on science activities to do at home or school - plus a FREE 5-in-1 Science Activity Power Pack

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pop! Whir! Fizz! Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. Those are the exciting sounds of science made by students using Ward's Science activities posted here over the past few months. Our mission is to share tips, ideas, and resources that help you inspire students and guide discovery and learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sketchpad: Free online drawing application for all ages. Create digital artwork to share online and export to popular image formats JPEG, PNG, SVG, and PDF.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Produce music online in your browser. Make beats, record & edit audio, and collaborate. Use 20,000+ loops & samples, virtual instruments, and effects.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.brit.co/magazine-wall-art/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We already know hasselback potatoes are a crowd-pleaser, but wait until you sink your teeth into this chicken-centric version which uses PERDUE® PERFECT PORTIONS® Chicken Breasts to bring it to life. As an added bonus, this recipe is designed to make clean-up easy with a one dish method! Scroll ahead for the easy-peasy how-to guide that you'll want to bookmark for your next home-cooked meal.

Hasselback Chicken with Spring Vegetables
Serves Two

2 PERDUE® PERFECT PORTIONS® Chicken Breasts

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tomato sliced

1 zucchini, 1 yellow squash, thinly sliced cut in half

feta cheese, crumbled

lemon juice from 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

Step One

Slice veggies into half moon shapes to easily add to the chicken. Then make horizontal cuts across each PERDUE® PERFECT PORTIONS® BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREAST and place in a small oven-safe dish.

Step Two

Add your veggies to the slices you made in your chicken being careful not to overcrowd the chicken breast.

Step Three

Mix brown sugar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, pepper, chili powder, olive oil, lemon juice and oregano to create a caramel glaze for the chicken.

Step Four

Coat chicken generously with the sweet and tangy glaze. Then bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes.

Step Five

For a little char on your veggies, broil on high for 4 to 6 minutes.

Step Six

Remove the chicken from the oven, top with feta cheese, serve with a side of fries or a cucumber salad and enjoy!
More Dinner Ideas: Upgrade Your Taco Tuesday With This BBQ Twist This Firecracker Chicken Recipe Is Perfect For Spring Art direction and recipe development by Alonna Morrison. Photography by Jackie Osborne.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Upcycle Old Magazines Into Wall Art

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
So we've already showed you how to repurpose your old stacks of magazine, but incase none of those tickled your fancy we've got more more DIY for you. DIY silhouette wall art! Tada! This DIY is super simple. In five easy steps you can create wall art that is fun and original.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Want a cheap and simple way to project photographs from your smartphone onto your wall? Photojojo writes that you can actually make a makeshift projector with a few things you might already have lying around. Total cost: $1.

The basic ingredients are a shoebox and a large magnifying glass. The shoebox will house everything, and the glass will serve as the projector's lens.

Basically, you'll want to darken the inside of your shoebox, and then carefully mount your magnifying glass lens onto one end (making sure there are no light leaks).

Then, simply place your smartphone inside to have what's on the screen be projected through the glass. You'll want to figure out how to flip the screen upside-down (it's different for each smartphone), since the magnifying glass will do a flipping of its own.

Focusing the image on the wall involves moving the phone closer and farther away from the lens. For best viewing, you'll want to make your screen as bright as possible and the environment as dark as possible.

You can find a step-by-step guide on this idea over on Photojojo and in this Instructables tutorial by Matt Bothell.
Image credits: Photographs by Photojojo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Build a Cheapo Photo Projector Using a Phone, Shoebox, and Magnifying Glass

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Want a cheap and simple way to project photographs from your smartphone onto your wall? Photojojo writes that you can actually make a makeshift projector with a few things you might already have lying around. Total cost: $1. The basic ingredients are a shoebox and a large magnifying glass.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
She Uses A Plastic Bottle Top And Glue To Make The Coolest Phone Hack Ever!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Looking for some free but awesome DIY ideas to make in your free time? Teens and adults alike will love this easy do it yourself idea for your phone. Pop sockets are the coolest little invention of the year, but they can be costly. Plus, who ever has enough of these awesome little phone accessories?…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
She Uses A Plastic Bottle Top And Glue To Make The Coolest Phone Hack Ever!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Make 4 Different Styles Of Mobile Phone Stand Using Cardboard – How to Make Mobile Phone Stands

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This site contains affiliate links. Please see policies for more information. Thanks for supporting Desert Chica.
S'mores are one of my favorite desserts, combine that with my background in science and naturally, I have been dying to make solar oven smores. Solely in the interest of science education of course. 😉

DIY Solar Oven Smores

Easy Solar Oven Smores

It has been CRAZY hot lately, so we took advantage of the scorching sun this past weekend and made the best solar oven. Why is it the best? We already had all the supplies on hand, I love it when a fun plan comes together inexpensively!

Solar Oven DIY

The base of the project was a couple of personal size pizza boxes I saved in my craft stash just for this project. The boys loved making and decorating their own personal solar ovens but a big pizza box would work too.

How to make a solar oven for kids

This project is fairly easy and older kids can do most of the steps themselves. Just have an adult use a craft knife or scissors to cut the solar oven door.

1) Cut the "oven door" flap on the top of the pizza box. The size depends on what you are cooking and how much access you need. Our door was large to maximize our s'mores capacity!

2) Decorate your solar oven with sharpies. This is a fun *optional* step.

DIY Solar Oven For Kids

3) Glue black construction paper to the bottom of the box. The black color absorbs the heat inside of the box.

4) Glue aluminum foil to the inside of the door. The foil reflects the sun into the oven.

5) Tape the plastic over the opening of the door. This will allow the air inside the box to heat up but keep the heat trapped inside the box.

How to make a solar oven

6) Add a graham cracker, marshmallow, and piece of chocolate inside the oven.

7) Place your oven outside in the sun. I taped a wooden skewer to prop the lid open at an ideal angle.

This project works best on hot summer days. The chocolate naturally started melting quickly.

Our 'done' indicator was the marshmallows, we waited until they had puffed up from the heat. It took about 90 minutes to bake our s'mores.

When making these in less extreme temperatures, we just waited until the chocolate melted and called it good enough.

Easy Solar Oven Project

This project was easy, a lot of fun and perfect for preschool through middle school. Older kids could design their own boxes, or conduct scientific experiments by varying factors like the box size, oven door size, construction paper color, cooking time, outside temperature, etc. We talked about what was happening while we waited for the s'mores to bake.

Easy Solar Oven Project Supplies:

Then we feasted on our solar oven s'mores, I'm pretty sure everyone can get behind that scientific result. 😉

Your own solar cooker will not get as hot as a conventional oven but it can still be hot enough to need an oven mitt.

STEM Solar Oven Project Discussion Points

The sun as a heat source

"A process called nuclear fusion converts hydrogen to helium deep in the sun's core, where temperatures hit a balmy 18 million degrees Fahrenheit (15.7 million degrees Celsius). Fusion creates energy that travels to the sun's surface in a journey that lasts a million years. " Learn more from National Geographic Kids

What would happen if you used different color construction paper?
We use a sheet of black paper to help absorb the heat. Black absorbs the most heat (white absorbs the least) so any other color would absorb less heat and negatively affect the success of the solar oven.

What's the purpose of the foil?
The sun's rays are collected by the reflective panel and concentrated inside the box. This converts the sun's energy into thermal energy which is how solar ovens work.

The purpose of the plastic wrap?
The plastic wrap helps trap the sun's heat in the pizza box ovens and lessens heat loss.

How various weather conditions would affect the result?
Direct sunlight gives the best result, cloudy days will lessen the success of solar cooking.

Books about Solar Power

Have you made a DIY solar oven before?
Post originally published August 15, 2012
More fun learning activities like Solar Oven Smores:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Isabella The Girl Who Didn't Have Science Project Ideas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DIY Solar Oven Smores {Kids Science Experiment}

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Making a DIY solar oven is an easy science project at home involving solar cooking for kids. Learn how to make a solar oven for kids and then add chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows for delicious Solar Oven Smores!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Earlier this year, after taking down all my holiday decorations, my house (and I) felt sad. It made me 1) want to spruce things up a little bit with new decor, and 2) need a therapeutic activity to distract me from the seasonal depression that always follows the highs of the holidays. Enter: these DIY Embroidered Photos. These photos add so much personality to my house AND were the funnest to work on. Using simple stitches (I'm no pro when it comes to embroidery) with fun colors brought these pictures to life, and I love how they turned out.

Supplies needed to make your own Embroidered Photos

How to make your own Embroidered Photos

Step 1: Trace your design with pencil on your photo. I kept this one super simple and did hearts that I traced off my computer screen.

Step 2: Poke the holes you will need to stitch. I used a simple back stitch, and I needed the holes to know where to put the needle through the back of the photo.

Step 3: Start stitching! For the back stitch, bring your needle up through the second hole from the back of the photo, and pull it through until there is about an inch of thread remaining.

Hold the thread in place in the back (or tape it down), then put the needle down through the first hole.

Come up again through the third hole, then down through the second hole. Then up through the fourth, and down through the third. Repeat until you finish your heart. Then tie a little knot and cut the thread.

Like I said before, I'm a total amateur when it comes to embroidery, so I am not equipped to teach any technique. If you need ideas or guidance on stitches, Pinterest and YouTube have you covered!

So cute, right?! I love the dimension of the embroidery on the photo.

Isn't is just the sweetest thing? And think of the possibilities! It would be the sweetest gift, too! I wanted a set, so I did three pictures, using the same colors but different designs, and I am completely obsessed with them.

Frame and display your heart embroidery photos, and any sadness you feel will go far far away!
Happy crafting!
xo, Sam

Check out these other easy stitching crafts!
Post title + featured by Top US Craft Blog + The Pretty Life Girls DIY Stitched Notebooks DIY Stitched Planters DIY Cross- Stitch Floral Sweater

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DIY Embroidered Photos | The Pretty Life Girls

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Earlier this year, after taking down all my holiday decorations, my house (and I) felt sad. It made me 1) want to spruce things up a little bit with new decor, and 2) need a therapeutic activity to distract me from the seasonal depression that always follows the highs of the holidays.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Home photography ideas: How to make a sunprint in just 30 minutes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A sunprint is a simple creative project that’s perfect for kids or adults to learn about cyanotypes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you looking for origami instructions? You've come to the right place! Here you'll find out how to make many kinds of neat and ingenious items. Our instructions consists of actual photographs of the folding process to help you along.

Did you know that origami came from the Japanese words "Oru" meaning "to fold" and "kami" meaning "paper"? And that's exactly what we do here - fold paper!

There's nothing quite like the joy you get from transforming a plain square piece of paper into a container, animal, flower, etc.

It still puts a smile on our faces when we complete an origami!

Follow our instructions to make something today, right now!

Origami is fun, easy, inexpensive and great for sharing with others. This is an activity that has been passed on from one generation to another, despite huge technological advances.

Let's make sure that it will continue on for many generations to come.

Below is a video of one of the coolest origami we folded lately, the Magic Rose Cube, a model by Valerie Vann.
Origami Magic Rose Cube Assembly Video
Here is a collection of origami made by readers of this site!

Origami Photos Jan 2013

Below are some of the lovely comments we've received from visitors to our site. They keep us motivated!

- Thanks so much for compiling instructions like these. It's so much fun and incredibly helpful to have everything I'd ever want to make here on this site. And the fact that you reply to comments and interact with the people using your site is awesome and really shows your care and dedication. Thanks (for everything)! :) (Feb 2013)

- you are changing the art form of origami by making it so much more accessible. i mean it - for years have looked for projects to do that were advanced novice and had trouble with instructions not being clear enough to follow or with designs of projects not being interesting enough to pursue. you CONQUER both. thank you SINCERELY (Nov 2012)

- I know I've said this be4 but ur website is totally AWESOME!!!! And I was also wondering if u could put this message somewhere on the homepage just so everyone can see how crazy-cool this site is! Thanks SO much whoever u are for putting ur time into this and listening to whenever I bother u because I don't understand a part...thanks! (March 2012)

- Many thanks for your website : it's a real great job ! (Dec 2011)

- Hello, I was a complete beginner to Origami before I came across your website, and successfully used your excellent instructions to create an easy elephant, a shark, a bat, and then a heron within a couple of hours! So, I'd like to say thanks very much, creating some impressive Origami animals was a nice relaxing diversion, surprisingly fun and satisfying. (Dec 2011)

- First off i just want to say that i LOVE your site! I haven't found a site with this good of origami instructions yet! I love that you have step-by-step instructions and photos to go along. The photos help me a TON! If i don't understand the instructions i can just look a the picture to help me along. I never thought I could do origami and I never even thought about trying. I thought that origami would be too hard for me, but since i found this site I realized that is so untrue! Ever since I found this I have been making origami and the assortment is growing by the week! I could write about how much I love this site forever but I think this is enough. I hope you keep on adding new origami because I'm almost through with these! I love this site but just a few of the instructions were a little bit hard for me to figure out but I'm in the groove now. I would like a little bit harder looking but easy doing origami though. Thank you SO much for creating this site! You really are spreading joy one fold at a time! I hope i will be uploading some pictures soon! Thanks again! (Oct 2011)
- I just wanted to write to tell you how much I love this site. Over the summer I had drivers education and had to go to work with my dad daily. I spent roughly six hours a day with him and I had nothing to do... that is until I realized there was an abundance of scrap paper laying around. I was then struck with the idea of doing origami, but didn't know how to make anything. I jumped on the internet and found this amazing site. Now, not only have I found things to do all summer stuck in an office, but I have also found an amazing hobby. Thank you for this amazing website! (July 2011) - i love your site so much. you guys helped me learn so much origami. 3 years ago i didn't know what origami was and now i can't live without it. thank you very much for making this site! (May 2011)
- I really enjoy your site. After I studied and made all of the origami base folds I was finally able to really understand what I was doing. I always wanted to learn origami but the few times in my life that I tried I could not understand the instructions. Learning how to make the base folds on your site changed my way of thinking and doing! Suddenly I understood. Finally I am able to fold origami animals and whatever I want. Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this website possible. You have offered a little bit of joy to me and I am happy to receive it!(March 2011)

- Hey i just wanted to say your website ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (March 2011)

- Today i learnt origami for the first time. It made me happy....(Feb 2011)

- Just wanted to THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! My grand-daughter's 9th birthday arrived and she wanted money to buy clothes and I was struggling to think of a way to make the gift of cash special when I remembered origami from 2nd grade lol! I made her the elephant and the shirt and a bow I knew how to make already, which I did not see listed on your site. She was thrilled and touched and I think she will remember this birthday present better than a lot of others I have gotten her! I have also used this for tips in restaraunts and have had waitresses tell me they KEPT THEM! How great that you have this site for people like me it was pretty easy, even though my elephant looked like it had elephantitis lol! I will spread the word!(Feb 2011)

- I absolutely loved this! My friend was really down on Valentines Day, so i wrote her a nice letter and folded it into this heart. When she got it she loved it, and felt a lot better. Thanks guys, you really made my friends day!(Feb 2011)

- Awesome, now i can't stop making them. thank you so much for the tutorial. your site is epic. i learned to do so much origami :)(Dec 2010)

- Hello! I'm a BIG origami fan and even though I started about 1 year ago, I've made TONS of them! And I just wanted to say thanks for EVERYTHING! This is the best site because everything is clear and accurate :) Thank you for everything! (Dec 2010)

- I house-sat for a family friend this summer and decided to make them a few pieces of origami as a welcome home display on their entrance table: 3 vases on a lotus each, with 3 lilies and a crane each. Thanks so much for your fantastic instructions! It was just what I've been looking for--the best, clearest, easiest to understand instructions I've found! Keep up the good work! (Aug 2010)

- the first website i've found that doesn't have rage-inducing instructions. thank you so much!(June 2010)

- I love this website I use it all the time! I am currently using the star box because I am in a wedding, not getting married, and I have to make about 100. I saw somebody said that they make 300 and I was awed! Now, I think I have changed my mind and put those chocolates in there with that fuzzy grass in it. Thank you so much. Also, I think that it's a great idea to show the actual paper and not a diagram. It is so much more effective! (Feb 2010)

- My niece brought me some origami paper from Japan for Christmas. Your site is the best one I've found for instructions, and I'm making my way through it! (Jan 2010)

- This was my project for our 2nd Year HS class. Thank you for the Origami tutorial. It made it easy for my class to follow and appreciate this Japanese art. We made the Origami Cube and will be making lots more within the week. (Aug 2009)

- This is a great site! The photos are easy to follow and everything (: (April 2009)

- Amazing!!! I love ur site. I was looking up folding flapping crane that I've been trying to do on and off for 3 yrs or so. I've always wanted to fold the crane and looked up so many times. Even bought a few books here and there. Within minutes I connected to your site, I have already made 5 of them. THANK YOU. (March 2009)

- I never found the origami instruction as easy as you have them here. I love it. Thank you for your effort, time and for sharing this with all. (April 2008)

- I just wanted to say thank-you to whoever maintains this site. It is by far the best how-to site that I've found on the web. Good Job Guys! (Aug 2007)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The best site to fold origami! Follow our photo instructions step by step. No annoying diagrams here. Fold classics such as origami crane and lily, and other popular origami like ninja star, water balloon and many more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When we work with our students to teach them how to do string art, we often play with scale. Today I'm going to share two ways we have done string art projects with kids: at a GIANT scale and at a mini scale. But no matter which scale you use this is the perfect STEAM activity combining art and geometry with an important maker skill: Hammering.

String art projects give us the chance to do something we love: Showing kids how to safely use real tools and giving them raw materials to work with. It not only fosters independence (a hammer and real nails), it also hones fine motor skills (pincer grip, tying knots), hand/eye coordination (hammer meets nail), and attentiveness (hammer does not meet finger!)

Though this is a process-based project, it's by far one of my favorite "end" results!

This post contains affiliate links to products.
String Art Method #1: Go BIG!

At our summer camp, Camp STEAM LA we LOVE to go big. In fact, we are the champions of it. An aqueduct? Check. Glow in the dark sand pendulum? Life-sized geoboards and PLINKO? Yes, yes, and yes. Case in point: this summer's giant rainbow string art. This was one of our Camp STEAM collaborative projects that every camper (and teacher) found themselves working on at some point during the course of the week.

Materials

Large piece of plywood (at least 4×4) Tip: Home Depot carries half sheets of pre-cut plywood. Do plan ahead to make sure you can fit the sheet in your car!

I have a few sets of these Small Hammers Stubby Tools

Nails of various sizes (Common nails work best. Since most plywood is about ½" thick, you probably want to look for 3d & 4d sized nails)

String or yarn in different colors. This is my favorite string.

Scissors

Liquid watercolor paint

Bowls

Paint brushes- toothbrushes for splatter painting

Pavers, bricks, or books to elevate plywood off work surface

SAFTEY NOTE: Please read our Hammer Safety Section below before working with kids on this project!

Instructions

Step One Prep your string art workspace. Cover the area around the plywood with a tarp or disposable tablecloths if you plan on painting. The plywood should be set on flat surface. We placed a concrete paver underneath each corner to elevate the plywood off the work surface so that no one hammered a nail into the table (a stack of books would work, too).

Step Two Start hammering. We didn't have a particular pattern in mind, and really tried to cover the board with nails placed in various distances from each other. Alternatively you can sketch out a grid in advance and nail into specific points.

Step Three Cut your string. It doesn't have to be set lengths but don't make it too long or it will get tangled. Taking one end of the string, tie a knot around a nail - this is your anchor point for this particular string. Pull the long end of the string to another nail and wrap it underneath the nailhead - it can be as close to the anchor point as you want it to be, but keep in mind that you'll want to wrap this string around the nail head to secure in place. Tie the other end of the same string to the nail you ended on.

Step Four Repeat this process (tie - stretch - wrap - stretch - wrap - tie) as many times as it takes, with as many colors as you'd like. The strings can be woven under or over one another, as well as stretched to reach opposite points.

Step Five (optional) Splatter paint the wood! Fill bowls with watercolor paint - we used red yellow, green, and blue. Dip your brushes in the paint and find your inner Jackson Pollack.

Variations:

Try this project with rubber bands or hair bands and use it like a geoboard.

Sketch a shape on the plywood first and hammer in the nails to match the shape.

String Art Method #2: Mini

Materials

IMPORTANT: Place a piece scrap wood underneath the wood slices to protect the work surface below. TRUST ME ON THSI!

Step One Place your wood slice/scrap wood on a stable surface. Start nailing!

Step Two When you are done nailing, cut a length of string and tie it to one of the nails. Begin wrapping the string around other nails to make a design. Be sure to wrap each nail head at least once to secure the design in place.

Step Three Tie off the end and trim as necessary,

Variations:
Paint the wood slice first using tempera cakes. Then add nails and string.

Use white string/yarn and paint the string after you create pattern

Splatter paint both the string and wood at the end of the process.

Here is some our our student's work:

Let's Talk STEAM

Engineering

Lever A simple machine consisting of a rod positioned on a pivot point called a fulcrum. When a force is applied to the lever it pivots on the fulcrum and performs work.

Fulcrum The point at which a lever pivots

Effort The force applied to the lever

Load The weight being moved by the lever

To understand how to use a hammer, let's learn the engineering behind how a hammer works:

Effort is reduced or increased depending on its position relative to the fulcrum.

There are three classes of levers. Hammers are a third class lever in which the effort is located between the load and fulcrum. The farther the load is from the fulcrum, the effort will be amplified. Therefore if you hold the hammer close to the head you will get less power nailing than if you hold the hammer at the base of the handle.

Math

Point A position on a plane surface.

Line The long mark made by connecting two points.

Grid A set of horizontal and vertical perpendicular lines makes up a grid.

Learning how to do string art is a tactile way to teach kids about geometry. String art demonstrates the main concepts of geometry: planes, points, lines, and grids.

How does this apply to string art? The wood is the If you decide to add the nails in a geometric pattern you may want to create a plane, the nails act as grid of nails on your wood surface. points, and the string becomes lines.

to children. If you'd like to see how you can use string art to discuss curves and geometric shapes Maker Spotlight>> At the end of the 19th century Mary Everest Boole, a mathematics educator in England, discovered that curves could be formed by connecting a series of points with straight lines. She went on to be the first person to use curve stitching (or "string geometry") to teach the concepts of angles and space hop over here.

Art

String art is defined as art made with colored thread strung between points to create geometric patterns.

As noted above, ." A hobby company began mass producing Mary Everest Boole used it to teach math to kids, in fact she created sewing cards for this purpose. In the 1960's string art became popular after artist John Eichinger began creating what he called " string mandalas craft kits based on the work of Eichinger and string art found its way into pop culture.

Today many artists are using string art in 3 dimensional installation art. To see some incredible examples of string art at a large scale go here.

Our students' work making mini string art was reminiscent of mandalas since the wood slices are round.

How to (safely) use a hammer:

Place Using your best pincer grip, hold a nail between your thumb and index finger. Like the hammer, you'll want to grip the nail closest to where it meets the wood.

Tap Begin hammering by gently tapping 2-3 times until the nail feels steady in the wood.

Add Force Remove your fingers from the nail, take a peek around you to make sure no one is within swinging distance, and then hit the nail head into the wood using a stronger force.

It's common to want to hold the hammer near the top, or closer to the head. INSTEAD, hold the hammer near the end to get the most power out of the lever.

Always make sure you look around you before you begin hammering, and once you start, always watch where your fingers are. Kids and adults usually learn this the hard way!

Maker Skills
Maker Skills Mastered in this Project:
What is a "Maker Skill?" Maker skills are the hands-on techniques - or - that are essential to creating, building, designing, and DIYing. Not only are they important in trade and craft, they are also fundamental in the development of fine motor skills.

√ Hammering

√ Knot tying

Conclusion

Every time we bring out the hammers our students get veryexcited! I truly believe it's important to introduce children to real tools and allow them the opportunity to learn how to safely use them. Learning how to do string art gives them this chance and the results of this wonderful process are always lovely to display no matter what scale you choose!

If you'd like to use string art to get further into teaching kids about geometry hop over here to learn how to use string art to cover geometric shapes:

Are you passionate about raising creative kids?
Subscribe to our email list to receive project ideas as well as offers for some our creative products. If you want to read our privacy policy before subscribing, hop over here.
Join over 22,179 parents and educators who want connect with kids and nurture their creative process through magical, easy projects you can do TOGETHER.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To Do String Art With Kids (Scaled Up And Down)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When we work with our students to teach them how to do string art, we often play with scale. Today I'm going to share two ways we have done string art projects with kids: at a GIANT scale and at a mini scale.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is an ecosphere?

The general definition of an ecosphere is a closed planetary ecological system, consisting of all living organisms and their environment.

But, in this article we are talking about a jar filled with creek water, not an entire planet.

And in this context, an ecosphere is still a closed ecological system, but on a much smaller scale.

The basic idea of a jar ecosphere is that the environment within the jar can sustain itself without your help.

If functioning correctly, the ecological processes within the jar, like the breakdown organic matter, provide nutrients for bacteria, algae, and other organisms to grow and reproduce.

Algae is especially important in an ecosphere because it produces oxygen for other creatures.

But, resources are severely limited in an ecosphere, so larger creatures, which need significantly more food and oxygen, are not able to survive.

Only the smallest and most adaptable creatures are able to survive and participate in the ecological cycle of a closed ecosphere.

For me, creating an ecosphere allowed me to observe the tiny, yet amazing, creatures that live in something as simple a pool of creek water.

Studying these creatures gives us the opportunity to show others why even small natural habitats deserve to be preserved and treasured.

If you would like to see how I created this ecosphere and which creatures I discovered inside it, check out my DIY ecosphere video:

For those who enjoy a more detailed explanation of creating an ecosphere, keep reading.

Steps for Creating an Ecosphere

The process of creating an ecosphere is relatively simple, with the basic idea being to fill a jar or glass container with water and gravel from a source like a creek or pond.

But, there are some things to be aware of if you want your ecosphere thrive and continue to sustain itself.

Glass storage jars work well, but I have noticed that glass clarity varies by brand.

You may need to test out a few different brands to find one you are happy with.

Being able to observe the tiny creatures inside your ecosphere is the main reason to have one, so finding the right glass container is crucial.

As for the size of an ecosphere jar, I find that 1-1.5 gallon jars work best, but many people use much larger or much smaller containers successfully.

A creek pool filled with duckweed is the perfect spot.

Find a creek, or similar habitat, full of vegetation.

Vegetation growing in, and around, the habitat attracts a wide variety of animals and provides the best chance of discovering interesting creatures.

Some of the most interesting creatures in a creek are not free swimming, but instead live underneath rocks, sticks, and decaying leaves.

Scooping up decaying plant matter from the bottom of the creek bed will yield more interesting animals than simply adding a few rocks and sticks to your jar.

Creating an ecosphere is about learning and appreciating tiny creatures that most people have no idea even exist.

Scooping up debris and gravel can disturb the habitat, so limit your collection area to a small section of the stream.

That way the rest of the habitat remains unspoiled.

And the disturbed spot will quickly return to normal after a couple weeks.

Also, be careful for your own safety.

It is easy to slip on algae covered rocks, or receive a painful bite from some of the creek's more aggressive inhabitants.

This ecosphere is ready to be taken home.

Try to prevent your ecosphere from being knocked over or roughly shaken as you transport it home.

Not only could this harm some of the creatures inside, but water visibility will also suffer for a number, preventing you from clearly observing the inhabitants inside for a number of hours.

Once you get home, find a quiet spot for your ecosphere.

Placing it near a window is popular, but I find that placing an ecosphere too close to a window promotes rapid algae growth.

This typically leads to a jar filled with green water, making it much more challenging to observe the animals inside.

Instead, placing your ecosphere under an LED aquarium light, or a desk lamp, will allow you to adjust how much light your jar gets and how rapidly the algae inside will grow.

Animals in an Ecosphere

I caught this crawdad while scooping up gravel for the ecosphere.

The main reason to build your own ecosphere is to observe the fascinating creatures inside it.

In this next section, I will show you some of the most interesting animals that can end up in your ecosphere and whether they are suited to life in a jar.

Giant Water Bugs

Notice the needle-like mouth part.

Giant water bugs (family: Belostomatidae) are members of the "true bug" order, Hemiptera, and live in freshwater habitats like ponds, streams, and creek pools.

These monster bugs are fierce predators, preying on tadpoles, small fish, and other insects.

Also known by the name "toe-biters," the giant water bug possess a needle-like mouth piece that can be stabbed into its prey (or a human toe).

The bite of a giant water bug is not considered dangerous or medically significant to humans, but is reported to be extremely painful.

Toe-biters easily blend in with dead leaves and other debris, making it real possibility that one could end up in your ecosphere as you scoop up decaying vegetation.

The existence of these giant bugs in small pools and streams is a good reason to use a container to scoop up sediment and organic matter rather than using your hands.

While fascinating to observe, giant water bugs are poor inhabitants for ecospheres because of their size and need for large prey.

The toe-biter in my ecosphere was quickly returned to the creek, but I appreciated the time I had to observe this secretive predator.

Scuds

Scuds (of the order Amphipoda), also called sideswimmers, are often referred to as "shrimp" or "insects," but these invertebrates are actually amphipods, which are shrimp-like creatures with elongated bodies, but lack a carapace (or body armor) like crabs and lobsters.

If you live in North America, the scuds commonly found in freshwater streams and ponds are likely of the genus Gammarus.
What do scuds eat?
Scuds are recyclers.

They eat detritus and decaying plant matter and also graze on algae, bacteria, and fungi.

Scuds are essential to creek and other aquatic ecosystems, serving as a cleanup crew.

Scuds also provide an excellent food source larger creatures, like fish.

In an ecosphere, scuds are some of the most desirable creatures.

This is because scuds can survive in conditions that larger aquatic creatures cannot.

In a sealed ecosphere, resources are limited, with decaying plant matter, algae, fungi, and bacteria being the main food sources.

Luckily, scuds enjoy eating all of those things and, therefore, tend to thrive in a ecosphere environment.

Scuds are also fascinating to watch, being extremely active.

Caddisfly Larvae

Caddisflies (of the order Trichoptera) look similar to moths, but unlike moths, caddisflies lay their eggs on vegetation near the surface of the water.

When the eggs hatch, the larvae falls into the water and begin a process that makes these insects some of the most interesting you can find in a stream habitat.

Caddisfly larvae use a type of silk to build portable houses made of sand, rocks, leaves, and bits of wood.

These self made tubes not only serve as camouflage, but also act as armor for the caddisfly larva as it crawls along the bottom of streams, ponds, and lakes.

Caddisfly larvae are one of my favorite animals to watch in an ecosphere.

They are relatively clumsy due to the heavy house surrounding their bodies, so watching them teeter around the jar is truly amusing.

Diving Beetles

Predaceous diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae (from Greek, meaning "to dive") are a group of carnivorous aquatic beetles encompassing over 4000 species, with about 500 species existing in North America.

They are typically found in pool areas around streams, and in lakes and ponds.

Like toe-biters, diving beetles will hunt prey much larger than themselves, like tadpoles and small fish.

Their hairy, oar-like legs are adapted for swimming and these beetles are surprisingly quick.

Predaceous diving beetles are truly interesting to watch if you are lucky enough to find one.

These aquatic beetles are able to breathe underwater by bringing an air bubble with them.

The beetles are able to trap just the right amount of air to stay under water for many minutes.

Too much air would make the beetle overly buoyant and less able to maneuver underwater.

Too little air would limit how long the beetle could stay underwater.

In an ecosphere, these beetles are mesmerizing to watch as they refill their air bubbles and zip around the jar.

However, like the toe-biter, these insects are not suited for life in a jar.

The one I captured was fascinating to watch, but I quickly returned it to the creek pools where I found it.

Conclusion

The creatures described in this article are only a tiny sample of what you could find while creating your own ecosphere.

And if you live outside North America, even more species may be available for you to discover.

The diversity of life in creek, stream, and pond habitats is stunning, and something to be treasured.

And ecospheres are an excellent way to observe and appreciate the tiny creatures living in these habitats that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Ecosphere can sustain themselves for many years (if kept properly), but many of the most interesting creatures in a creek habitat will not be able to survive very long in an ecosphere.

I encourage those interested in making an ecosphere to keep them as a temporary tank, observing the amazing creatures inside for a couple weeks and then releasing them back into the wild.

This provides an excellent way to observe the amazing creatures inside an ecosphere while minimizing the chance that those creatures die.

I hope you enjoyed this small look into another world.

If you are interested in keeping small creatures as long term pets, check out my article and video tutorial on setting up a freshwater shrimp tank (real shrimp, not scuds).

And if you are interested in keeping fish, check out my article on the best fish for a 5 gallon tank.

As always, stay zen.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DIY Ecosphere: How to Create Your Own (And What Might Be Inside!)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The general definition of an ecosphere is a closed planetary ecological system, consisting of all living organisms and their environment. But, in this article we are talking about a jar filled with creek water, not an entire planet. And in this context, an ecosphere is still a closed ecological system, but on a much smaller scale.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Paper & Cardboard Toys Archives - Hattifant

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sorry but SQUEEEEEEEEEEK! We had soo much fun this weekend and finally I got the little ones in bed to share this refreshing & uplifting Giant Spring Board Game to Color & Play with you! We love board games as many of you do as well. So we got inspired …

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In this activity, you will use recyclable materials to make your own wall marble run. A marble run is a fun toy and a great way to learn about physics concepts like kinetic and potential energy. Do you think your marble will make it to the end of the track?

This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this activity, you will use recyclable materials to make your own wall marble run. A marble run is a fun toy and a great way to learn about physics concepts like kinetic and potential energy. Do you think your marble will make it to the end of the track?