ten little fingers - arvind gupta (4 mb pdf)

FANTASTIC FLEXAGONSThe flexagon is an amazing model. As you flex it on its centre, each time a different picture comesinto view. It can be used to depict any four stage cycle or sequence. It is simply unbelievable thatpaper can rotate like this without tearing. You can make a flexagon using an old xerox paper.1. Take a 20-cm x 10-cmsheet of bond paper. Thisrectangle should be made upof two exact squares.2. Crease the middle linealong the length and fold thelong edges to this midline.3. Fold eight equalsegments along the width.4. With the help of a penciland scale, first draw thediagonal lines as shown andthen crease them well.5. Bring the paper’s left andright sides together and insertone side inside the other,thereby. Making a threedimensional prism.6. Push in the threetriangular areas at thetop of each other.7. Press all the three toppoints down and throughthe centre. The next rowof triangles will assume asimilar shape.8. Once again, press allthree top points downand through the centre.9. Turn the model overand push in the threetriangular areas at thetop of each other.10. This will complete the flexagon. Tomake it rotate hold it on either side ortwist the outer edges in towards thecentre, so that the inner surfaces appear.11. Every time you rotate the flexagon a different facet isexposed. You can depict a cycle or a sequence bydrawing a different picture on each of the facets.For instance, you can depict the FOOD CHAIN asINSECTS are eaten by the FROGS, who are eaten bythe SNAKES - who in turn are eaten by the EAGLES.Similarly, you could depict the RAIN CYCLE, LIFECYCLE OF A FROG OR A BUTTERFLY, A CYCLEOF SEASONS etc on the Flexagon. The Flexagon is avery powerful model for depicting any cycle.