Kinecting History
A collaborative Math/Physics and Humanities 8th Grade Project
The Inspiration
This Kinetic Art piece is in the Cleveland Airport. The other Math/Science teacher at my school was waiting in the airport with his 2 year old daughter when the encountered this art piece. They were fixated on it for nearly an hour, and when he returned to San Diego, the Kinecting History project seed was planted...
This Kinetic Art piece is in the Cleveland Airport. The other Math/Science teacher at my school was waiting in the airport with his 2 year old daughter when the encountered this art piece. They were fixated on it for nearly an hour, and when he returned to San Diego, the Kinecting History project seed was planted...
Essential Questions
How do we build grit and craftspersonship in ourselves and our community through the lense of physics and making?
How will the transformation of energy impact a marble as it travels through a rolling ball sculpture?
Detailed Project Description
Students will meld art, physics, humanities and elements of design and engineering to build a rolling ball sculpture. Engineers and artists will be given all the necessary tools, materials and content to design a 3 foot tall and 4 foot wide marble track with ball lifter to explain and tell the story of the labor Movements in American history. You will choose a specific movement you and your partners connect with and design your track based on events within the labor movement. Each significant event in your track should be a representation of a significant idea, event or connection that you discover based on your and your partner’s historical topics. While the content in math, physics and humanities will be literal, your design and connections will be abstract, so your description and explanations need to be very detailed.
Learning Objectives
Kinematic Physics
-Potential and Kinetic Energy
-Acceleration and Velocity
-Energy Transformations
-Centripetal force
-Radial acceleration
Technical Skills
-Brazing with Butane Torch and Solder
-Precise Wire Bending
-Wire Heat Shrinking
-Wire Straightening Techniques
Math
-Solving Multi-Step Algebraic Equations
-Unit Conversions
Humanities
-Exploration in American History
-Analyzing and making connections between different events and characters
Timeline
Weeks 1 and 2- Introduction to Energy Transformations, define terms and watch videos explaining important vocabulary, ideas and principals, mini experiments explaining different concepts, create sketch and final drawing of your sculpture detailing each segment and aligning it with your event in history.
Weeks 3 and 4- Introduce the Math/Kinematic Equations, begin learning technical skills and participate in Safety Training Workshops (wire straightening, brazing, heat shrinking, wire bending.) Start building with benchmarks. Begin large scale design
Weeks 5 and 6- Critique first draft of design, Make adjustments. Build with benchmarks. Every 2-3 days students will present their work to their critical friend group and discuss the work they have completed and their next set of goals will be presented. This will hold each group accountable for meeting goals.
Weeks 7 and 8- Build with benchmarks. 2-3 Critical Friend Checkins. First Testing with Marbles. Fail, Re-design, Re-test, Repeat. Begin kinematic calculations on own RBS, finding PE, KE, Radial Acceleration, Velocity, and converting velocity to MPH
Weeks 9 and 10- Add Archimedes Screw and make adjustments to get it working. Final Testing and building benchmarks. Check calculations with your Critical Friend. Begin to clean and polish RBS and prepare for Exhibition
Audience
-Parents, Family, Peers at HTM’s Exhibition Night
-This Upcoming Year: Elementary School Students, Board of Engineers and Professionals
Extensions and Real World Connection
-Students learn advanced fine-motor technical skills
Extensions- Workshops from outside professionals, Maker’s Place field trip, students teach others students in different grades how to use tools.
Products and Deliverables
-3 ft by 4ft Steel Marble Rolling Ball Sculpture with Archimedes Screw that allows perpetual motion (As a group)
-Graphic Novel illustrated and written by students based on a fictional character who was impacted by the historical event or character they studied
-Think-Tac-Toe individual projects
Assessment
-Team Kinematics Test as ticket to begin building
-RBS Tags Individual Physics Calculations
-Conversions Math Assessment
-Post Exhibition Reflection on Digital Porfolio
How do we build grit and craftspersonship in ourselves and our community through the lense of physics and making?
How will the transformation of energy impact a marble as it travels through a rolling ball sculpture?
Detailed Project Description
Students will meld art, physics, humanities and elements of design and engineering to build a rolling ball sculpture. Engineers and artists will be given all the necessary tools, materials and content to design a 3 foot tall and 4 foot wide marble track with ball lifter to explain and tell the story of the labor Movements in American history. You will choose a specific movement you and your partners connect with and design your track based on events within the labor movement. Each significant event in your track should be a representation of a significant idea, event or connection that you discover based on your and your partner’s historical topics. While the content in math, physics and humanities will be literal, your design and connections will be abstract, so your description and explanations need to be very detailed.
Learning Objectives
Kinematic Physics
-Potential and Kinetic Energy
-Acceleration and Velocity
-Energy Transformations
-Centripetal force
-Radial acceleration
Technical Skills
-Brazing with Butane Torch and Solder
-Precise Wire Bending
-Wire Heat Shrinking
-Wire Straightening Techniques
Math
-Solving Multi-Step Algebraic Equations
-Unit Conversions
Humanities
-Exploration in American History
-Analyzing and making connections between different events and characters
Timeline
Weeks 1 and 2- Introduction to Energy Transformations, define terms and watch videos explaining important vocabulary, ideas and principals, mini experiments explaining different concepts, create sketch and final drawing of your sculpture detailing each segment and aligning it with your event in history.
Weeks 3 and 4- Introduce the Math/Kinematic Equations, begin learning technical skills and participate in Safety Training Workshops (wire straightening, brazing, heat shrinking, wire bending.) Start building with benchmarks. Begin large scale design
Weeks 5 and 6- Critique first draft of design, Make adjustments. Build with benchmarks. Every 2-3 days students will present their work to their critical friend group and discuss the work they have completed and their next set of goals will be presented. This will hold each group accountable for meeting goals.
Weeks 7 and 8- Build with benchmarks. 2-3 Critical Friend Checkins. First Testing with Marbles. Fail, Re-design, Re-test, Repeat. Begin kinematic calculations on own RBS, finding PE, KE, Radial Acceleration, Velocity, and converting velocity to MPH
Weeks 9 and 10- Add Archimedes Screw and make adjustments to get it working. Final Testing and building benchmarks. Check calculations with your Critical Friend. Begin to clean and polish RBS and prepare for Exhibition
Audience
-Parents, Family, Peers at HTM’s Exhibition Night
-This Upcoming Year: Elementary School Students, Board of Engineers and Professionals
Extensions and Real World Connection
-Students learn advanced fine-motor technical skills
Extensions- Workshops from outside professionals, Maker’s Place field trip, students teach others students in different grades how to use tools.
Products and Deliverables
-3 ft by 4ft Steel Marble Rolling Ball Sculpture with Archimedes Screw that allows perpetual motion (As a group)
-Graphic Novel illustrated and written by students based on a fictional character who was impacted by the historical event or character they studied
-Think-Tac-Toe individual projects
Assessment
-Team Kinematics Test as ticket to begin building
-RBS Tags Individual Physics Calculations
-Conversions Math Assessment
-Post Exhibition Reflection on Digital Porfolio