Yay! May the Fourth is almost upon us STEM Sparkers! One, you may be like what is May the Fourth: we covered the holiday last year in this post. Two, you may be like why even celebrate (weird) holidays right now; what's the point? And my answer is because right now my family and I could use a little bit of the Light side. Having a reason to celebrate, whether it was my birthday, Bobby's birthday, or a (weird) holiday, has brought us something to look forward to each week-- it has brought us some Light while resisting the Dark side. Plus, STEM Spark is going to raffle off a $20 Lego gift card, so join the resistance! We've got Lego!
But first Jack, Bobby and I made lightsabers out of our current stock of pool noodles. I let Jack choose which pool noodle we would cut up, as he's more attached to one he likes to swim with. But making our own lightsabers was a really fun STEM or STEAM activity in preparations for May the Fourth and luckily we had all the supplies on hand! I can't wait to celebrate the holiday using our lightsabers!
You'll Need
Pool Noodle
Measuring Tape
Pencil
Scissors or Box Cutters
Duct Tape
Electrical Tape (the black tape)
Permanent Markers
Finger Lights, Fairy Lights, or Flashlight (optional)
Instructions
1. Measure and divide your pool noodle into thirds, marking the thirds with a pencil. You can technically eyeball the thirds, but if measuring is part of some at home school assignment, making the kids measure the pool noodle is two birds/one stone, you know? Cut into thirds using box cutters (which should probably be done by the adult, that's why I handed the cutters to Bobby, haha) or scissors.
2. Make a handle by wrapping duct tape and electrical tape around bottom. This is where creativity comes in-- you can make the handle look however you'd like! It's your lightsaber.
3. Make buttons or whatever on the handle (again, your time to get creative!) by using permanent markers. Unfortunately washable markers don't work on the duct tape; I know cause I tried it!
4. This step is optional, but you can add some finger lights, flashlight or fairy lights in the tube of the pool noodle. The finger lights were fun because they added color to Jack and mine's lightsaber, but the flashlight was cool because you could turn off/on your lightsaber.
Alright raffle time! I'm so excited that one lucky STEM Sparker will get a $20 Lego e-gift card. At first I was going to raffle off a Star Wars Lego set to celebrate, but then who I am to "force" Star Wars Lego upon you? Maybe you celebrate (weird) Harry Potter holidays, like Harry Potter's Birthday, and would like a Harry Potter set? I just want you to feel a little joy by getting to pick out your own Lego set, so that's why I decided on an e-gift card instead.
And I believe people who are not in the US can use the Lego e-gift card too, pending of course that Lego.com ships to where you live (so please double check that Lego ships to you before entering). So people outside of the US, you can enter this raffle too! Follow the Rafflecopter instructions below (or click Rafflecopter here) and May the Force be with you! Happy STEM-ing or STEAM-ing!
"If today is May the Fourth, does that make tomorrow Revenge of the Fifth?"
