Christmas Lectures 2006
Dodecoration
There are some pretty great shapes
out there in the world.
What you need:
printer paper or thin card
coloured pens
scissors
glue
Lecture 2 is all about shapes, and the ways that different shapes can
fulfil different purposes, like why bricks and tiles are rectangular. The
dodecahedron is a twelve-sided shape and we have designed one here
for you to cut out and use as a Christmas decoration – all you need to
do is:
• print out the next sheet on a piece of paper or thin card
• cut the shape out along the solid lines
• fold along all the dotted lines bringing the two unprinted sides
together on every fold
• start to glue the tab of each ‘petal’ underneath the petal next to it
• you will end up with two ‘cups’ that then can be brought together
to make the final dodecahedron shape
• thread a piece of string and hang on your Christmas tree or put on
your shelf as a room ornament.
The second blank shape is called ‘Dodecadoodle’ and you can colour it in
with your own design and patterns, or use the 12-sided property of the
dodecahedron to stick on the months of the year and make a calendar.
Mathematicians have proved that there are only five possible 3D shapes
that can be made if all the 2D pieces that make up the shape are the
same. The dodecahedron that you have just made is one of these five
shapes. What are the other four?
1
Christmas Lectures 2006
Dodecoration
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Christmas
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Christmas Lectures 2006
Dodecoration
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