How To Make A Dodecahedron

Decorative boxes and calendars, too!

All Five Platonic Solids - Tetrahedron, Cube, Octahedron, Dodecahedron, Icosahedron

What you lot volition brand:

In this project, acquire a simple technique based on circles for making all five Platonic solids—tetrahedron, octahedron, icosahedron, cube, and dodecahedron. The solids as well make nifty boxes, fun decorations and unique calendars—special patterns included!

Each solid is fabricated from a circle, with the shape the solid is based on drawn inside of the circle. This construction technique reinforces the concepts of Platonic solids as the educatee assembles each solid.

Three-dimensional objects with just flat (or plane) surfaces are known equally polyhedra. There are many different polyhedra, but v of them have the property of being regular, or "Platonic". A solid is regular if all planes (or faces) are the same, and the same number of planes run into at each corner (or vertex). Five solids qualify equally regular: three are based on equilateral triangles (tetrahedron, octahedron, and icosahedron), one is based on squares (cube), and 1 is based on regular pentagons (dodecahedron).

Related craft: For other geometric solids to make, encounter the project Geometric Solids.

Here's what you need:

Calculator paper or cardstock, plain or colored
Optional: Empty ballpoint pen and ruler, markers, crayons, stickers.

Glue or double-sided record
Scissors

This project is rated Like shooting fish in a barrel to exercise.

Read all of the steps earlier starting.

Step i: Choose a Pattern and Impress Information technology

Choose the ideal solid you want to make—at that place are templates for triangle, square and pentagon faces. For the cube, impress squares; for the dodecahedron, print pentagons, and print triangles for the tetrahedron, octahedron and icosahedron (ii sheets). Download and impress the blueprint on paper or cardstock. The patterns are bachelor in color or in black and white, for you to impress on colored paper or add your ain design.

Use the special Stars & Stripes and Patriotic Stars patterns to make decorations for the Quaternary of July or other patriotic holidays, and apply the Calendar pentagon pattern to make a dodecahedron calendar for 2021 or 2022. See Stars and Stripes String Light Covers for how to light up the Fourth of July with tetrahedrons!

Triangles

Printable pattern for triangles to make tetrahedron, octahedron or icosahedron

Squares

Printable pattern of squares for making a cube

Pentagons

Printable pattern of pentagons for making a dodecahedron

Stars & Stripes

Printable pattern for triangles with stars and stripes to make tetrahedron, octahedron or icosahedron

Patriotic Stars

Printable pattern for triangles with stars to make tetrahedron, octahedron or icosahedron

2021 Agenda

Printable pattern of pentagons for making a dodecahedron calendar 2021

2022 Calendar

Printable pattern of pentagons for making a dodecahedron calendar 2022

Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.

All of Aunt Annie's project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter-size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When press from Adobe Reader, you lot may need to select Auto-Rotate and Eye or Choose newspaper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.

Step two: Cut Circles

Cut on the outline of each circle.

Tetrahedron - Cut 4 circles with equilateral triangles.
Cube - Cut 6 circles with squares.
Octahedron - Cut viii circles with equilateral triangles.
Icosahedron - Cutting twenty circles with equilateral triangles.
Dodecahedron - Cut twelve circles with pentagons.

Pace iii: Fold

Fold on each of the three (or four or five) fold lines. To hide the printed fold lines, turn the circumvolve with the printed side down before folding; otherwise, continue the printed side up. Echo for each circle. For circles printed on cardstock, score the fold lines get-go with the empty ballpoint pen.

Tip: You may optionally decorate the inner triangles, squares, or pentagons with crayons, markers, stickers, or rubber stamps. Decorate on the unprinted side.

Pace four: Glue Parts

When gluing, utilize the folded sides as glue tabs, and keep them on the outside.

Tetrahedron - Glue three folded circles with triangles together to class a pyramid. Glue them so that they encounter at one point. Ane circle remains -- become on to Step 6.
Cube - Glue three folded circles with squares together to class i corner of the cube. Mucilage them so that they meet at 1 signal. Echo for the other 3 circles. To finish assembling -- go on to Step half dozen.
Octahedron - Gum 4 folded circles with triangles together to class a pyramid shape. Gum them so that they meet at i point. Repeat for the other iv circles. To finish assembling -- go on to Step vi.
Dodecahedron - Glue five folded circles with pentagons around the sides of a sixth. Glue the sides together to form the top. Be sure that the glue tabs are on the outside. Repeat for the bottom. To finish assembling -- go on to Footstep half-dozen.
Icosahedron - Glue 5 folded circles with triangles together to form the top. Glue them so that they meet at ane point. Echo to form the bottom.

Step 5: Make Ring

Icosahedron simply: Glue x folded circles with triangles into a band using the glue tabs.

Step 6: Assemble

Glue the parts together.

Tetrahedron - Complete the shape by gluing the last circle into the lesser of the three-sided pyramid shape.
Cube - Glue the two pieces together.
Octahedron - Glue the 2 iv-sided pyramid shapes together at their bases.
Dodecahedron - Mucilage the meridian and bottom together.
Icosahedron - Glue the elevation to the ring, and so gum the bottom to the ring.