Create bending joints—but don't break! The activity shows how to make a puppet using straws and fishing line. Pupils create cuts to make joints that rely on the elasticity of the straw to bend and return to their original shapes.

Concepts

elasticity, design, hooke's law, engineering design, puppetry, technology resources

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Instructional Ideas

• Construct a puppet to use as a model
• Have individuals test an arm to see which way it will bend before finalizing the puppet

Classroom Considerations

• Requires straws and fishing line

Pros

• Contains step-by-step instructions
• Includes description on how to make the straw bend in two directions

Cons

• Does not include graphics to demonstrate each step