Decorative
boxes, too!
Aunt Annie's Crafts
Platonic Solids
What you will make -
In this project learn a simple technique based on circles for making all five Platonic solids—tetrahedron, octahedron, icosahedron, cube, and dodecahedron. Each solid is made from a circle with the shape the solid is based on drawn inside of it. This construction technique reinforces the concepts of Platonic solids as the student assembles each solid.
Three dimensional objects with only flat (or plane) surfaces are known as polyhedra. There are many different polyhedra, but five of them have the property of being regular. A solid is regular if all planes (or faces) are the same, and the same number of planes meet at each corner (or vertex). Five solids qualify as regular (or Platonic) - three based on equilateral triangles (tetrahedron, octahedron, and icosahedron), one based on squares (cube), and one based on regular pentagons (dodecahedron).
For other geometric solids to make, see the project Geometric Solids.
Here's what you need -
- Computer paper or card stock, plain or colored
- Optional supplies: Empty ballpoint pen and ruler, markers, crayons, stickers.
- Glue or double-sided tape
- Scissors
This project is rated EASY to do.
How To Make Platonic Solids
Read all of the steps before starting.
- Step 1: Choose a pattern and print it
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Choose the platonic solid to make—there are templates for triangle, square and pentagon faces. For the cube print squares, for the dodecahedron print pentagons, and print triangles for the tetrahedron, the octahedron and the icosahedron (2 sheets). Download and print the pattern on paper or cardstock. The patterns are available in color or in black and white—to print on colored paper or ready for you to add your own design. There are also pentagon patterns for making dodecahedron calendars for 2011 and 2012.
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 printing from Adobe Reader you may need to select Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.
- Step 2: Cut Circles
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Cut on the outline of each circle.
- Tetrahedron - Cut four circles with equilateral triangles.
- Cube - Cut six circles with squares.
- Octahedron - Cut eight circles with equilateral triangles.
- Icosahedron - Cut twenty circles with equilateral triangles.
- Dodecahedron - Cut twelve circles with pentagons.
- Step 3: Fold
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Fold on each of the three (or four or five) fold lines. To hide the printed fold lines, turn the circle with the printed side down before folding; otherwise, keep the printed side up. Repeat for each circle. For circles printed on cardstock, score the fold lines first with the empty ballpoint pen.
You may optionally decorate the inner triangles, squares, or pentagons with crayons, markers, stickers, or rubberstamps. Decorate on the unprinted side.
- Step 4: Glue Parts
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When gluing, use the folded sides as glue tabs, and keep them on the outside.
- Tetrahedron - Glue three folded circles with triangles together to form a pyramid. Glue them so that they meet at one point. One circle is remaining -- go on to Step 6.
- Cube - Glue three folded circles with squares together to form one corner of the cube. Glue them so that they meet at one point. Repeat for the other three circles. To finish assembling -- go on to Step 6.
- Octahedron - Glue four folded circles with triangles together to form a pyramid shape. Glue them so that they meet at one point. Repeat for the other four circles. To finish assembling -- go on to Step 6.
- Dodecahedron - Glue five folded circles with pentagons around the sides of a sixth. Glue the sides together to form the top. Be sure the glue tabs are on the outside. Repeat for the bottom. To finish assembling -- go on to Step 6.
- Icosahedron - Glue five folded circles with triangles together to form the top. Glue them so that they meet at one point. Repeat to form the bottom.
- Step 5: Make Ring
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Icosahedron only: Glue ten folded circles with triangles into a ring using the glue tabs.
- Step 6: Assemble
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Glue the parts together.
- Tetrahedron - Complete the shape by gluing the last circle into the bottom of the three-sided pyramid shape.
- Cube - Glue the two pieces together.
- Octahedron - Glue the two four-sided pyramid shapes together at their bases.
- Dodecahedron - Glue the top and bottom together.
Icosahedron - Glue the top, to the ring, then glue the bottom to the ring.
Tip: If you want, the glue tabs can be folded down and glued to a face or trimmed to one eighth inch.
Back to Top
Before you start -
- Make a place to work.
- Read all the directions.
- Get everything you need to do the project.
- Think about the project. Imagine how it will look and what you will do with it.
Are you ready?
Okay, get started!!!
Tip: Glue tabs can be glued inside for a neat look.
Tip: These solids can be used as gift boxes. Print directly on cardstock. Decide how you want the box to open and leave tabs unglued as needed for a lid.
Enlarge
Tip: The bottom halves of the dodecahedron and icosahedron
can be used as bowls for party decorations. Pictured is the bottom of
the dodecahedron filled with
paper flowers
attached to a balloon.