Home: How to
Make a Paper Soccer Ball
How to Make a Paper Soccer Ball
Through
the years in my face-to-face university classes, I’ve always been
amused by the many blank stares I get when I pose the question, “How
many of which geometric shapes make up a soccer ball?"
Of course, none of them had the answer right off the top of their head.
Back in the days before they could Google the answer on their
smartphone in just a matter of seconds, for homework I asked them to
research the question and let me know the answer in our next class.
When we discussed the answer the next week… that a soccer ball is made
up of 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons... I’d show them the graphic
below
designed by Okai-san, one of my former English students and civil
engineer in one of my company classes.
How to Make a Paper Soccer Ball
(download PDF of above graphic HERE)
(print out on A4 or 8.5"x11" paper)
I told them that if they would cut out this design and then tape it all
together, they could make their own soccer ball.
We usually had a contest for the best ball the following week and I
told them they could be as creative and colorful as they wanted in
making their soccer ball. Below you will see just a few examples of
some of those paper soccer balls my students made. Aren't they cute?
So how 'bout you? Why don’t you give it a shot? If you have time in
your busy schedule, print out the PDF above, cut it out, decorate it
with your own creative design, tape it together, and then send me a
close-up picture of it. If the photo quality is good, I’ll even post it
on
this page.
Best wishes!
Paper Soccer Ball Hall of Fame 
Paper soccer balls made by my Japanese university students
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