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Our task for this project was to tinker a kinetic sculpture out of cardboard, duck tape, glue, motors, wires, and batteries. We started out with a building a 'make your own painting pendulum' tool kit and then problem solved and altered our project until we ended up with a multi-purpose painting sculpture.
Our task for this project was to tinker a kinetic sculpture out of cardboard, duck tape, glue, motors, wires, and batteries. We started out with a building a 'make your own painting pendulum' tool kit and then problem solved and altered our project until we ended up with a multi-purpose painting sculpture.
The Process
The Process
We start off building the pendulum from a kit titled "make your own painting pendulum".
Pictured here is my lab partner, Josh Yekelchik, putting together one of the legs.
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These three media show our testing the flow of the paint, as well as the initial structure.
These three media show our testing the flow of the paint, as well as the initial structure.
Shown here is the process of building the base and circuit for the turn table. We had a lot of trial and error for making the circuit have just enough power to spin the turntable quickly, but not too fast.
Science Concepts Observed:
Science Concepts Observed:
Pendulum, Harmonic Oscillations, Circular Motion, Energy, Electric Circuits, etc..
Possible Art Making:
Possible Art Making:
Spin art, painting pendulum, combination.
This is our sculpture post raising it six inches, adding the base, and the motorized turn table. Here is some more information on how we designed and built each aspect:
This is our sculpture post raising it six inches, adding the base, and the motorized turn table. Here is some more information on how we designed and built each aspect:
Base: We wanted the base to have a circular shape with pieces of cardboard sticking out to hold the beams. The circular shape is inspired by the circular motion of the turntable, we wanted to make sure there was more than enough space to spin. Josh cut the base by tracing a circle with a makeshift compass, then tracing the three pieces that would hold the legs. He used a box cutter to cut out the shape, and voila!
6 inch beams: We needed to raise the sculpture so that the pendulum had a better range of motion. Before, the pendulum could barely make an image, but by raising it, we can have more length on the string. With a higher length, the pendulum had more energy and stayed in motion longer. I made the legs by measuring a 6x8 inch pieces of cardboard. Separating the width into four 2-inch sections. I then cut out the whole piece using a box cutter. I used the box cutter to crease the sections length-wise, so that I could fold them into beams. I then secured the beams with hot glue and duck tape, eventually using hot glue to secure them to the base.
Turntable: Josh built the circuit of the turntable, while I built the turntable itself. The circuit consisted of: a rotating engine, wires, a switch (for resistance and to turn it in, of course), and double battery pack. The turntable was square piece of cardboard I cut out, and a stack of mini-square glued to it right below the center (to find the center we drew to intersecting lines and used the awe to mark it). I used the awe to pierce a hole through the stack of squares, and we put the rod of our engine in that hole to rotate the top.
Shield wall: We decided that we might want to build a perimeter to keep the spin art from splattering everywhere. To do this I cut two inch pieces of straw and glued them, individually, to build a wall surrounding the perimeter. We did not have time to complete this, but the side that had the wall proved effective.
Reflection:
Reflection:
As someone who has spent the past three years learning physics from a computer or lecture, this project was incredibly fun. I was so surprised to see how many physics concepts showed and proved useful not only in my experiment, but in my classmates' as well. This project definitely hooked me onto the maker train, and I hope to use it in my class this coming school year.
The best part about this project, besides the numerous physics concepts that can be applied, is how open it is to interpretation. All we had to do is build a kinetic sculpture, that had one or more moving parts, and make it aesthetically pleasing. To see the various outcomes, and different visions come to life was really inspiring. I feel like the more room students have to be creative and have control over their design process, the more powerful the project can be. When most teachers give projects, it is usually very well structured with specific instructions to follow. That may be fun for the student, but it will never be as meaningful as creating your own steps to meet the same criteria. By giving students more freedom to design and be creative we are giving them the tools they will need to become the most extraordinary of innovators. After all, no one invented anything by following direct instructions (not on purpose, at least).
Research and Resources:
Research and Resources:
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