Seasonal Schematics Craft
Earth Day: Recycligator
Did You Know? Did you know that Earth Day is the world’s largest non-religious festival? It’s celebrated annually by over a billion people in almost 200 countries worldwide! It’s meant to bring awareness to issues such as climate change, and the need to cooperate to help protect our shared natural resources. When to Celebrate Earth Day falls on April 22nd every year. Because Earth Day started as a protest movement, that date was specifically chosen because it fell between spring break and final exams during the spring college semester, and was meant to allow students to more easily participate in demonstrations. The Toolkit To build your Recycligator, gather these supplies: The amomii Template: [GET THE FREE TEMPLATE HERE] Cardboard Double-Sided Tape Hot Glue Gun(Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using a hot glue gun.) Popsicle sticks (8.5 cm x 1.7cm) Barbecue Bamboo Skewers (or Bamboo Chopsticks), 3 pcs: S1(3cm), S2(5cm), and S3(10.5cm) Scissors & Craft Knife: (Safety First: Always ask an adult for assistance when using sharp cutting tools.) The Build: Step-by-Step Phase 1: Build the Bottom 1.Print and Prepare: Print the templates on A4 paper and gather all necessary materials. 2.Mount and Cut:Using double-sided tape, mount the templates onto cardboard, then carefully cut out all the pieces. -Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using cutting tools. 3.Build the Mechanism: Glue S1 to the popsicle stick at the 3cm mark. Then, slide S1 through the vertical supports and secure them to the baseplate.-Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using a hot glue gun. 4.Install the Button: Attach the top piece to the vertical supports and glue the crescent-shaped cardboard to the flat side of the popsicle stick.-Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using a hot glue gun. Phase 2: Build the Body 5.Prepare the Cover: Cut the cup horizontally 3 cm from the base. Then, cut a 3 cm x 2 cm opening into the sides. -Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using cutting tools. 6.Assemble the Body: Glue the cup sections together to form the main body.-Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using a hot glue gun. Phase 3: Build the Top 7.Build the Pivot: Slide S2 through the small cardboard piece, then attach them to the cup.-Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using a hot glue gun. 8.Attach the Support Rod: Glue the tail piece to S3 and thread it through the pivot area. Securely glue the rod to the popsicle stick at the base of the project.-Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using a hot glue gun. 9.Attach the Lid: Glue the lid onto the pivot.-Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using a hot glue gun! 10.Decorate Recycligator: Apply the decorations to your project. Your creation is complete! Use it to collect paper, plastic, or small metal items at your desk.Happy Earth Day! Success Checklist Bottom Mechanism CheckDepress the plunger at the front of your Recycligator to ensure the lid opens easily and smoothly. You may need to adjust the length of S3 if the mechanism isn’t working to your satisfaction. Get Your Templates Sign up for free weekly templates delivered to your inbox. Unsubscribe at any time. [GET THE FREE TEMPLATE HERE] Show us your Recycligator! Drop a comment below or share a video of your "Recycligator" to Instagram or TikTok and tag us with #amomiiSSC. We’d love to see your creativity in action!Feel free to let us know what you think of the project or ask questions by leaving a comment below. PROJECT CREDITS amomii Lead: Shaun Graphics & Templates: Kelly Video & Blog Content: Cindy & Vera
Learn more
April Fool’s Day: Auto Foldy Face
Did You Know? Did you know that there is a border collie named Chaser who was taught to understand over 1000 words? That means that Chaser knew about as many words as a four year old child! In comparison, a trained dolphin typically has a vocabulary of around 50 to 60 words. When to Celebrate There are many theories as to why we celebrate April 1st as April Fool’s Day. One popular idea is that until the 1500s, New Year’s Day was celebrated on the first of April, until it was changed to January first. For a while, there were people that were not used to the new date, and still celebrated the New Year in April, which was now four months too late. These people were known as April Fools. The Toolkit To build your Auto Foldy Face, gather these supplies: The amomii Template: [GET THE FREE TEMPLATE HERE] Cardboards Hot Glue Gun: (Safety First: Always ask an adult for assistance when using special tools.) Double-Sided Tape Popsicle Sticks and Chopsticks Rubberband Scissors & Craft Knife: (Safety First: Always ask an adult for assistance when using sharp cutting tools.) The Build: Step-by-Step Phase 1: Create Structure 1.Print and Prepare: Prepare the appropriate size of cardboard and print the templates onto A4 paper. Carefully cut out the dog and bone templates, then attach them to the cardboard. -Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using cutting tools! 2.Cut and Attach: Score the cardboard to create two creases, then attach the dog picture to the front. Score the front board again to define the final fold. -Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using cutting tools! 3.Precision Gluing: Carefully use hot glue to assemble the main board, bottom board, and both side panels.-Safety Tip: ASK an ADULT for help when using special materials! 4.Install Sticks and Paper Towel Roll: Glue the popsicle sticks(W-1, W-3~W-10), wooden chopsticks (W-2), and paper towel roll into correct positions.-Tip 1: Cut out 3 paper towels and tie them together to increase stability! -Tip 2: Maintain a gap between the sticks (W-2, W-5, W-6) and the cardboard to allow room for the rubber bands to move freely! Phase 2: Tie and Secure 5.Create Anchor Point: Punch holes at the designated spots on the cardboard. 6.Build Elastic Chain: Wrap the rubber bands around wooden sticks from the inside out. (W-5→W-7, W-6→W-8, W-2→W-9 & W-10) This creates the outward tension needed for the "snap" action! Phase 3: Build the Control Area 7.Build Main Control: Link the switch to the dogbone, then position the mini board over the paper towel roll. -Tip: Ensure the string runs underneath the paper towel roll! This keeps the movement smooth. 8.Install the sign: Attach the sign to W-1. Your creation is complete! Now, ask friends to pull bone and see how they react. Happy April Fool’s Day! Success Checklist Control Area Check: Are both ends of the rubber band secure? This ensures your sign pops up smoothly. Structure Check: Are the pieces of cardboard securely attached to each other? Mechanism check: When returning everything to its closed position, make sure the latch is tightly secured and holding everything in place. The Science Link: Elastic Potential Energy The "snap" in your Auto Foldy Face isn’t magic—it’s Elastic Potential Energy in action!When you pull the bone and "set" the trap, you are stretching those rubber bands. As they stretch, they store energy. Think of it like a battery, but instead of chemicals, it’s made of tension! This stored energy is called Potential Energy because it has the potential to do work, but it’s just waiting for a signal. The moment your friend pulls the trigger (the bone), you release that tension. Instantly, all that stored Elastic Potential Energy converts into Kinetic Energy—the energy of motion.The rubber bands want to return to their original, relaxed shape as fast as possible, pulling the cardboard panels with them. This happens so quickly that it creates that satisfying "snap" that catches your April Fool off guard! Get Your Templates Sign up for free weekly templates delivered to your inbox. Unsubscribe at any time. [GET THE FREE TEMPLATE HERE] Show us your Auto Foldy Face! Drop a comment below or share a video of your "Auto Foldy Face" to Instagram or TikTok and tag us with #amomiiSSC. We’d love to see your creativity in action!Feel free to let us know what you think of the project or ask questions by leaving a comment below. PROJECT CREDITS amomii Lead: Shaun Illustration: Steve Graphics & Templates: Kelly Video & Blog Content: Cindy & Vera
Learn more