Patriotic Pinwheels

What you'll need:

• red and blue square origami paper (7"x7")
• ruler
• pencil
• 2 wooden dowels
• Scissors
• Tape
• 2 miniature star-shaped brad
• Toothpick

• Take one sheet of your origami paper and turn it over so that the white side is facing up. Using the pencil and ruler, draw two straight lines from diagonal to diagonal, forming an "X." (see photo)
• Draw a dot in the center, where the lines cross. From the center, draw one dot on each side, that is � inch from the center. Connect these dots, forming a circle. (see photo)
• With adult supervision, use the scissors to cut along the diagonal lines to the � inch dots, making sure not to cut all the way to the center dot! (see photo)
• Using the ruler and pencil, measure on inch up from each corner and place a dot in the center between the diagonal line and the edge of the paper. (see photo)
• Ask an adult to poke the toothpick into the central dot and each of the four dots in the corner. (see photo)
• Take one of the miniature star-shaped brads and push it through the hole of one of the corners of the pinwheel. Continue turning the pinwheel and placing each of the four corner dots on the brad in order. Finally, push the end of the brad through the central dot. Carefully, turn the paper over and secure the brad by pushing the two ends apart and flattening. (see photo)
• Take the scotch tape and tear off one piece. Place on the pointed end of the dowel and secure to the inside of the pinwheel.
• Repeat with the other piece of origami paper.
• Your pinwheel is now ready to grace the table or a flower vase!