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A kaleidoscope is a toy. It is made of a tube containing mirrors and pieces of colored glass or paper. The reflections inside it produce changing patterns that are visible through an eyehole when the tube is rotated.
A kaleidoscope is a toy. It is made of a tube containing mirrors and pieces of colored glass or paper. The reflections inside it produce changing patterns that are visible through an eyehole when the tube is rotated.
Your lesson task today is to make a kaleidoscope...
Your lesson task today is to make a kaleidoscope...
Most kaleidoscopes look similar in shape.
Most kaleidoscopes look similar in shape.
A long tube that has mirrors inside.
An end cap that contains colourful beads.
An eye hole to look through on the opposite end.
Look through the eye pieces and slowly turn.
Look through the eye pieces and slowly turn.
Turning the kaleidoscope will allow the colourful beads to roll around changing shapes and creating beautiful reflection as it spins around.
Hold it up to a light, window or the sky to get really bright patterns - BUT DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN - IT IS MUCH TOO BRIGHT!
Symmetrical patterns will be seen through the eyepiece.
Symmetrical patterns will be seen through the eyepiece.
Remember to keep turning your kaleidoscope so the beads can roll around and change their patterns.
Little Kids, Big Kids and Adults Too - How To
Little Kids, Big Kids and Adults Too - How To
Depending on your level and how much effort you put into this project, kaleidoscopes can be made by anyone and some of them are really amazing.
Things that you will need:
Things that you will need:
2 toilet roll tubes
Clear plastic - you could use an old plastic food container or package.
Coloured beads - transparent are best but if you don't have beads you can use small pieces of cut up coloured plastic. Any shape is ok and they should be the size of your fingernail.
Kitchen tin foil
Card - you could use a cereal box
Pattern paper or gift wrapping paper. You could even use plain paper and draw your own design.
Clear tape
Glue stick
Scissors
Washi tape - coloured tape or coloured paper can be used.
Luckily for you, there is a video tutorial for you to follow. However, your design will be slightly different.
Luckily for you, there is a video tutorial for you to follow. However, your design will be slightly different.
Check below to see how your design will be different from the video tutorial.
Check below to see how your design will be different from the video tutorial.
Instead of using reflective paper (reflective card) as shown in the video, you will be using card (cereal box card) and kitchen tin foil to make your own reflective paper.
Instead of using reflective paper (reflective card) as shown in the video, you will be using card (cereal box card) and kitchen tin foil to make your own reflective paper.
Follow the 6 steps below to make your own reflective paper.
The white card (or cereal box card) should be a rectangle measuring 10cm wide and 15cm long.
Prepare your sheet of kitchen tin foil.
Tear off the kitchen tin foil. The tin foil doesn't need to be the perfect size yet.
Take off the tin foil and glue the card. Use lots of glue and glue up to all the edges.
Turn the card over and stick it onto the tin foil. Turn it over and smooth out the tin foil so there are no wrinkles or creases.
Use scissors to cut off the extra tin foil to make nice neat edges.
Fold the rectangle into 3 pieces to make a triangular prism. You can make a fold line about every 3cm - or 3.3cm to be precise.
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