STEM Favorite: Kaleidoscope

Supplies:

• TP tube
• Mylar sheet
• Straw
• Cardstock circle
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Tape
• Markers or other things to decorate

Directions:

1. If you'd like, decorate your tp tube.
2. Cut the mylar sheet into 3 equal pieces that fit to make a triangle inside the tube without falling out. Cut them a little bigger to start first. We cut ours 10 cm x 3.6 cm (3.94 inches x 1.42 inches).
3. Line up the mylar strips with a tiny strip between them. Tape them together. Then tape them together into a triangle. The shiny side is toward the center. Slide the triangle into the tube.
4. Cut the straw so the bendy end is about 6 inches long. Tape it to the tp tube so the bendy part hangs over the end.
5. Cut out your cardstock circle. Poke a hole in the center. Decorate the circle using markers, stickers or anything else you have at home.
6. Place the straw through the hole in the circle. Slide it until the circle is over the bendy part of the straw so it turns easily.

Look into your kaleidoscope and manually turn the circle. You should see lots of changing designs!