The umbrella
An umbrella protects a person from rain or sun. The oldest umbrellas were made against sunlight, not rain. They are thought to come from China and Egypt, where an umbrella was a sign of power and only rulers and their close people could use one. The first umbrellas were tall and heavy. A modern umbrella is light and compact and has a handle, a central shaft, ribs and cloth. In a push-button umbrella a spring opens the ribs when you press the button.
You need: round coloured paper (about 20 cm; trace round a plate), coloured pencils, a wax crayon, scissors, glue or tape, 1 drinking straw. Steps: 1) Trace a circle round a plate and cut it out. 2) Fold the circle three times to make 8 parts; open it and draw along the fold lines: these are the ribs. 3) Cut along one radius to the centre and overlap the edges by 2 cm and glue: a shallow cone (the canopy) forms. 4) Tape the straw inside the canopy tip and bend the lower end into a handle. 5) Colour the top thickly with wax crayon and drip 2–3 drops of water from a spoon: the drops should roll off. Safety: use scissors seated and never point them at yourself; a real umbrella has sharp tips, so never point it at anyone’s face.