How To: Make a Patriotic Pinwheel

Keep the kids learning and entertained with this fun pinwheel project. Summer is a great time for family activities, and these Fourth of July pinwheels are a math lesson, craft project and decoration-making session all-in-one.

You will need:

* 2 8" x 8" pieces of card stock
* A pencil with an eraser
* Red and blue markers
* A straightedge
* Scissors
* A hole punch
* A pushpin
* Glue (optional)
* Silver glitter (optional)

Step 1: Draw Stars

Draw the outlines of stars on one side of one sheet of the card stock and color around them with the blue marker.

You can glue silver glitter inside the stars for added pizzazz.

Step 2: Outline Stripes

Use your straightedge and the red marker to draw and color thick red stripes on one side of the other piece of card stock.

Step 3: Make Cuts

Square the blank sides of the cards together. Then, make four cuts, one from each of the four corners, extending halfway to the center.

Step 4: Punch Holes

Punch a hole in each corner just to the left of each cut, about a half inch from the edges.

Step 5: Gather

Fold each punched corner carefully toward the center, making sure not to crease the paper.

Step 6: Fasten

Poke a pushpin through the four punched holes and into the pencil eraser. Blow on your pinwheel and watch the swirl of patriotic pride.

Note: Until the Executive Order by President Taft on June 24, 1912, the order of the stars and the proportions of the flag were not prescribed. Previous flags sometimes show odd arrangements of the stars and unusual proportions.

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