Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Locate a map of the Big Dipper on the Internet (see Resources) or find a hard-copy map of the Big Dipper in a book of constellations at your local library. Print or copy the map you have found.
Place the map you have printed on top of an 8 1/2 x 11-inch piece of black construction paper. Push a pen, pencil or other pointed utensil through each of the stars indicated on your map of the Big Dipper so that the pen or utensil makes a hole in both the map and the piece of black construction paper under the map.
Tape your piece of black construction paper to an 8 1/2 x 11-inch piece of cardboard. Push your pen or pointed utensil through each of the holes in your piece of black construction paper so that the pen or utensil makes a hole in in the piece of cardboard under each hole in the paper.
Cut aluminum foil into seven squares each approximately six inches on each side, using scissors. Cut black thread into seven pieces, each about two feet long.
Tape one end of each length of thread to the corner of an aluminum-foil square. Crumple each aluminum-foil square into a ball around the thread end to which you have taped it. These are the stars of your Big Dipper model.
Place your piece of black paper and cardboard on the table before you so that the holes representing the handle of the Big Dipper are on your left and the bowl of the dipper is on your right. Push the end of one thread through the first hole of the constellation on your left, which will be the star at the end of the Big Dipper handle, using your pen or pointed utensil. Pull the thread through the hole until its aluminum-foil star is touching the piece of black cardboard. Tape the thread to the back of the piece of cardboard to hold the star in place.
Push the end of another thread through the second hole of the constellation on your left, which will be the next star in the Big Dipper handle, using your pen or pointed utensil. Pull the thread through the hole until its aluminum-foil star is 9 1/8 inches from the piece of black cardboard, measured with a ruler. Tape the thread to the back of the piece of cardboard to hold the star in place.
Push the end of another thread through the third hole of the constellation on your left, which will be the third star in the Big Dipper handle, using your pen or pointed utensil. Pull the thread through the hole until its aluminum-foil star is 8 5/8 inches from the piece of black cardboard, measured with a ruler. Tape the thread to the back of the piece of cardboard to hold the star in place.
Push the end of another thread through the fourth hole of the constellation on your left, which will be the fourth star in the Big Dipper handle, using your pen or pointed utensil. Pull the thread through the hole until its aluminum-foil star is 8 1/2 inches from the piece of black cardboard, measured with a ruler. Tape the thread to the back of the piece of cardboard to hold the star in place.
Push the end of another thread through the hole underneath the fourth hole ̵2; this will be the bottom left-hand star of the Big Dipper bowl ̵2; using your pen or pointed utensil. Pull the thread through the hole until its aluminum-foil star is 8 1/8 inches from the piece of black cardboard measured with a ruler. Tape the thread to the back of the piece of cardboard to hold the star in place.
Push the end of another thread through the next hole in the Big Dipper bowl, going counterclockwise, using your pen or pointed utensil. Pull the thread through the hole until its aluminum-foil star is 8 7/8 inches from the piece of black cardboard, measured with a ruler. Tape the thread to the back of the piece of cardboard to hold the star in place.
Push the end of of your last thread through the last hole in the Big Dipper bowl, going counterclockwise, using your pen or pointed utensil. Pull the thread through the hole until its aluminum-foil star is touching the piece of black cardboard measured. Tape the thread to the back of the piece of cardboard to hold the star in place.
Cut two pieces of black thread, each about two feet long, using your scissors. Make a hole in each corner of your piece of cardboard using your pen or pointed utensil.
Push one end of one piece thread through one of the new holes you have made in the piece of cardboard, from the side opposite the stars. Pull the end of the thread to the hole in the corner diagonally across from the corner you pushed it through. Push the end through this corner as well. Both ends of the thread will now be on the side of the cardboard opposite the stars. Pull the thread until its distance from both corners is the same and knot the ends of the thread.
Push one end of your second piece thread through one of the new holes you have made in the piece of cardboard. Push it through from the side opposite the stars. Pull the end of the thread to the hole in the corner diagonally across from the corner you pushed it through. Push the end through this corner as well. Both ends of the thread will now be on the side of the cardboard opposite the stars. Pull the thread until its distance from both corners is the same and knot the ends of the thread.
Tie the two knotted ends of your four lengths of string together. Tape the knotted ends to a high place like a ceiling so that the aluminum-foil stars of your Big Dipper model hang down.