scissorsruler3-x-5-inch file cards (or a filefolder or some other stiff paper)clear plastic tapeplastic straws (not the kind thatbend)

Cut a filecard the longway into threeequal strips. Ifyou're usingstiff paper,make three strips that are 1 inch wideand 5 inches long.

Put a piece of tape on theend of one strip. Curl thepaper into a little hoop andtape the ends together.

Put the other twostrips end to end, sothey overlap a little.Tape them together tomake one long strip,and put another pieceof tape on one end.Curl the strip into ahoop and tape the endstogether.

Put one end of a straw ontothe middle of astrip of tape.Put the bighoop on top ofthe straw andfold the tape upthe sides of the hoop.

Our Home Scientists weresurprised that their Hoopstersflew. The Graff familywondered how anything thatlooked so awkward could fly atall! Kids in the Popka familyspent days developing new

This partcan be a littletricky. Putanother strip oftape at the otherend of the straw. Press the smallhoop very gently onto the tape.Move it around until it lines upwith the big hoop, then press thetape down firmly. Your Hoopstershould look like the picturebelow:

designs for their Hoopsters--including one that was 7 feetlong! And the kids in the Hinofamily got out the butterfly netand tried to catch the Hoopstersas they flew by!

Now comes the fun! Hold theHoopster in the middle of thestraw, with the little hoop in front.Throw it like a spear. It may takea little practice, but once you getthe hang of it, your Hoopster willreally fly!

If you want to experimentwith Hoopsters, here are someother things you can try:

Put a paper clip at thebottom of the small hoop.Make a really long Hoopsterwith two straws. Cut a littleslit at the end of one strawand pinch it so it fits insidethe other straw, then tapethem together.Make a double Hoopsterwith two little hoops side byside on one end and two bighoops side by side on theother. (You'll need two filecards.)

This and dozens of other cool activities are included in theExploratorium's Science Explorer books, available for purchase fromour online store.

Published by Owl Books,Henry Holt & Company, New York,1996 & 1997

ISBN 0-B050-4536 & ISBN 0-8050-4537-6,$12.95 each

1998 Exploratorium