Archive for December 9th, 2009

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the days are getting shorter and the nights longer, but just for the heck of it, I looked it up today and here’s the data (for Rhode Island): 7:01 am sunrise and 4:16 pm sunset; with the day length shortening by about 47 seconds each day… we are fast approaching the shortest day of the year (December 21st). 

Make a lantern, bundle up and head outside!

There are many ways to make a lantern and I am going to share two simple ones.

1) Materials:

• a) quart-size ball jar,
• b) wire for hanging handle,
• c) tissue paper cut up into small pieces,
• d) no-cook paste  
• e) a tea light (candle)

Wrap the wire around the neck of the jar, and make a sturdy handle for carrying, (I suggest making the handle to one side to avoid hand burning). Using the paste, glue small pieces of tissue paper to the outside of the glass jar, overlapping the colors like stained-glass.

2) Materials

• a) Wax Paper
• b) tissue paper cut up in small pieces
• c) an iron
• d) towel
• e) glue or tape
• d) a tea light (candle)

Sandwich pieces of tissue paper between wax paper.  Overlap the tissue paper for a stained glass effect. Make sure the “waxy” side of the tissue paper is on the inside of the sandwich. Make an approximately 15 inch by 8 inch rectangle. (Let the kids measure for a math reminder!)

Even out the edges so it’s a nice even rectangle, then make a three inch long two inch wide “fridge” across the bottom.  Connect the two side edges of the wax paper, interlace the fridge to make a secure bottom (adding a piece of round cardboard or heavy weight paper makes this a little sturdier). Tape or glue the bottom and the seam along the side.

Look up and check out the stars! Do you see any shapes in the stars? Do you think the stars can see the light from your lantern? Enjoy the night sky!

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