What it shows
Old newspaper can be turned into something useful. Reusing paper saves trees and reduces waste.
The science
Paper is made from wood pulp, so reusing it saves trees. Rolling paper tightly makes a stiff tube, because many layers resist bending. Tubes glued side by side form a strong wall. This is the idea of reuse, one of the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.
Materials
Cost: free. Many items come from home or from waste; spare parts such as LEDs, motors and wire are in the store.
- Ten to fifteen sheets of old newspaper (free)
- Glue stick or flour paste
- A pencil or thin stick to roll around
- Scissors
- Poster colour or coloured paper
- A tin or a round base for shape
Safety
For this project: An adult must supervise with scissors.
Never use mains electricity: power models with cells, batteries or a low-voltage adapter. Sharp and hot tools, flames and lab chemicals need an adult or your teacher beside you. Keep magnets, button cells and small parts away from young children, and wash your hands after making.
Step by step
8 steps. Do them in order, and test each part before you go on to the next. Write what you notice in a notebook as you go.
Cut sheets of newspaper into strips about 15 cm wide.
Roll each strip tightly around the pencil starting from one corner.
Glue the end of the strip and slide the pencil out to make a tube.
Make at least twelve tubes of the same length.
Glue six tubes around a tin or cardboard base to make a ring.
Glue the remaining tubes in a second ring on the outside.
Paint the stand or cover with coloured paper.
Let it dry and put your pencils in.
What you should see
A sturdy, colourful pencil stand made from newspaper that holds pens and pencils.
Viva questions
A teacher or a judge will ask how it works. Try to answer each question before you open it, then compare.
01What are the three Rs?
Reduce, reuse and recycle.
02Why is a rolled tube strong?
It has many layers and resists bending.
03What is paper made from?
Wood pulp.
04What else could be made from newspaper?
Bags, baskets or boxes.
Take it further
Make a small basket the same way for the dining table.
Change one thing, measure what happens, and add a table or chart of your readings: that is what turns a model into your own investigation.
Free ebooks for this project
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Find out more about environment
Free, well-known places to explore the subject further. Ask a grown-up before you sign up for anything or type your name anywhere.