Here's what you need to make your String Puppet!
Notch the straws
Thread the string
Cut a piece of fishing line three times the length of a straw. Thread it through one of the narrow straws.
Tape the string
Make it move
Pull the loose strings. Watch your straws bend. What ideas does this give you? What type of puppet will you make?
Feed the strings
Pull the loose strings of both narrow straws into and through the wider straw.
Wedge the straws
Tape the ends
To pull both strings easily, tape them together and make a tab that lets you pull the two ends of string together.
Give it a tug
Pull the tab and watch both “arms” (or maybe they are “legs”) of your puppet move.
Get creative
Decorate your puppets! Add a head, body, and eyestalks, arms, and legs.
Did you know?
Ever go fishing? A fishing rod makes clever use of materials so you can cast a lure and reel in a fish. The rod is elastic—it returns to its original position after being bent. Its springiness sends a lure flying. Once you hook a fish, the elasticity makes the fish tired as it works against the rod’s springiness. The fishing line is good in tension—a pulling, stretching force. Because the line holds firmly when pulled, you can reel in a fish. A fishing rod is an effective tool because of the way it combines materials that have different properties.
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