1978
Make a Rainbow Wheel
April 1978


“Make a Rainbow Wheel,” Friend, Apr. 1978, inside back cover

Make a Rainbow Wheel

A rainbow gets its color from the sunlight.

The sun’s rays bend when they shine through water droplets left in the air to make a rainbow after a rainstorm, then you are able to see the colors contained in sunlight.

By making a rainbow wheel, you can see how the colors red, yellow, and blue combine to make orange, green, and purple. You will need: two paper plates, pieces of red, yellow, and blue cellophane, scissors, cellophane tape, and a brass paper fastener.

1. Cut three matching quarter-size holes in each plate.

2. Cut two squares of yellow cellophane, two squares of red, and one of blue. Make squares large enough to cover holes in paper plates.

3. Tape one square of each color over holes on top of one plate. Now turn the other plate over and tape the extra red and yellow cellophane squares over two holes on bottom. Leave third hole open.

4. Stack plates with taped sides together. Push brass paper fastener through center of plates. Open prongs on back to hold in place.

5. Hold rainbow wheel up to light and turn one plate to line up different set of holes.

See if you can make all the colors in a rainbow!

Illustrated by Mary Garlock