FALL MOBILE

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: ½ hour – 1 hour

MATERIALS:

Construction paper or craft foam in 5 colors for fall: red, yellow, orange, brown, green

2 dowel rods cut to 12” each

Ball of jute or string or wire

Eraser/ Pencil

Hole puncher (optional)

Scissors

Tacky glue or glue stick

Patterns from the Banners project

1. Ask an adult to cut the dowel rods so that you have two. Cross them in the middle and tie them tightly with a piece of string or jute or wire. Cut another piece to tie on each end when hanging the mobile. Lay aside.
2. Select craft foam or construction paper in fall colors: orange, yellow and brown. Dark red, purple and dark green also work well for autumn themes. Trace and cut the leaf patterns from the fall banner project. Cut two leaves for each leaf shape. Vary the sizes for more interesting results.
3. Cut pieces of thread 12” long and even longer depending on how many leaves you will hang. If you are using thread, double it. Lay the thread on the leaves leaving space between them. Vary the amount of space between the leaves or arrange the leaves so that they point in different directions. Apply glue to the back of the leaves.
4. Take the second leaf and attach it to the back of the first leaf hiding the string or wire. Or thread the needle through a single leaf with the needle and make a loop. Tie the ends.
5. Hang the leaves from the dowel rods so that the mobile is balanced. Tie a piece of string, jute or wire and tie to the ends of the dowel rods. Hang it up and see the mobile move.
6. Does your sculpture move? What makes it move? How is this design different from the banner design? Can you list the differences? Can you list the similarities? What is the difference between attaching the leaves on the mobile and attaching the leaves on the banner? What makes the leaves on the mobile three-dimensional?