Bugs are some of the coolest creatures on the planet. Just check out some of these facts about flying insects:
- The fastest: the Sphinx Moth (33 mph).
- The longest migration: the Painted Lady Butterfly (4,000 miles).
- The most impressive: the one you are about to build!
In this STEAM project, you’ll create your very own bug, then fly it along a zipline.
Materials
- A cardboard toilet paper tube (or a paper towel tube cut in half)
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Tape or glue
- Markers
- String (for zipline)
Optional Materials
- Straws
- Yarn
- Pipe cleaners
- Googly eyes
- Paper and pencil (for sketching ideas)
Constructing Your Bug
- Wrap your cardboard tube in construction paper or yarn. Use glue or tape to keep it in place.
- Cut your wings out of construction paper. Glue or tape them in place.
- Cut straws, pipe cleaners or construction paper into short segments to make four to eight legs and two antennae. Affix them to the outside with tape or glue. Make sure not to block the middle of your tube.
- Add eyes with a marker (or googly eyes).
Flying Your Bug
- Create your own zipline using a string. Attach one side of your string to a wall with tape. Then, thread your string through your cardboard tube bug.
- Gently move the other side of the string up and/or down to make your bug fly. Adjust the string length and angle to change the speed.
This project was borrowed from The New Children's Museum. Check it out for more details.
Don’t forget to reflect on your experience. What is the bug you made good at? Why does it fly? Would you do anything different next time?
Enjoy!
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