COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this course, students will be introduced to key concepts and skills of kinetic sculpture, including balance, gearing, energy sources and design-oriented thinking. They will use the work of Alexander Calder, George Rhodes, Anne Lilly and Arthur Ganson as examples of various forms of moving sculpture. Each day they use the principles they learn as the basis for their own creations, and at the end of the week they’ll bring together their complete array of new skills to create a large-scale, chain-reaction-type work of art.

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Print Version

Key Topics: Conservation of Energy • Principles of Balance • Gearing • Design-Oriented Thinking

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

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Engineering Automata

Students use cams and gears to build an automaton that represents a human or animal that moves as a result of their design. In this activity students explore how gears change force, speed and direction.

Marble Run

Students explore the conservation of energy and construct a marble run to demonstrate how potential energy can be transformed into kinetic energy.

Mastering Mobiles

Students are introduced to the work of Alexander Calder to learn about complex mobiles. Then, students apply the principles of balance they explore in the course to build their own mobile.

COURSE EVALUATION

89% of Students Liked or Loved this Course

92% of Teachers Agree that Students Showed Persistence with Difficult Tasks

““I have learned much more this week than i will ever learn in my school.”
”

— 6th Grade Student

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SCULPTURES BUILT