AQUiLA MAGAZINE
INGENIOUS ENGINEERING
BUBBLE UP !
POLLY ’ S mISSION
This month we have an incredibly inventive make for you to try ! We ’ re going to combine three things lots of AQUILAnauts love ; engineering , recycling and BUBBLES ! This marvellous mechanism is made from a disc , which you rotate over a tray of bubbly water . You ’ ll need lots of cardboard for this , so raid your recycling bin – just make sure you get permission first .
GET STARTED
STEP 1 :
Dig out a big pan lid ( you ’ re looking for one that ’ s about 30 cm in diameter ) and draw around it twice onto a large piece of cardboard . Find the centre of both circles and mark them with a pencil . Cut out your discs . Using the centre finder template , a sharp point and some modelling clay , make a small hole in the centres .
STEP 2 :
Take a pipe cleaner and , at the hoop of about 5 cm in diameter , a straight section coming from the hoop . Do this with six pipe cleaners . Spread the cleaners evenly around the outer edge of one of your discs , and duct tape them into place . There should be about 1 cm of stalk between the disc and each hoop ( see picture ).
STEP 3 :
1 cm
top , bend a leaving out all pipe
With strong glue or duct tape , stick the second disc on top of your first , sandwiching the pipe cleaners between them to make one large disc . Leave to dry if necessary . o o
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ACTIVITY SKILLS
DIFFICULTY
YOU WILL NEED
A responsible adult
Something circular ( like a pan lid ) approx 30 cm in diameter
Thick cardboard ( save up your mail packages )
Pencil Ruler Modelling clay Scissors Duct tape Sticky tack
Straight wooden stick or dowel ( 60 – 100 cm )
6 pipe cleaners
Soapy water in a baking tray ( using six parts water to one part washing-up liquid )
Books
1 hour +
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