automata

In y4 for the last couple of weeks we've been doing a bit of Design Technology. We've made lever mechanisms, like those often found in picture/pop-up books, ie. 2D and with a linear motion (I must take some videos - some were ingenious!). We've now moved on to 3D, with a linear movement being converted into a rotary one. This is the mechanism we constructed out of 'Tech card' and paper fasteners. You pull the lever and the upright column turns ;

 

The children then created their own little automata. A golfer putting;

 

Bees swarming in front of their hive;

 

 

And a ballerina pirouetting in front of an appreciative audience;

 

Next week we're going to get two (or more!) 'figures' to rotate from the one lever movement!

paint & pirates

Back to basics in y3 with a bit of colour theory. 

 

Whilst in y1 the children drew pirates.

 

Not bad for a 6 year old!

I know some adults who would struggle to draw recognisable pirates.

on the bench

Currently on my worktable are several part completed wooden automaton figures. Some made from pegs, some from bobbins and some from wooden blocks - am experimenting with the most efficient process at the moment. 

 

weaving

Continuing with our 'going green/enhancing the environment' theme in y5, we used prunings to make small looms. We tied them together with colourful threads before adding woollen warp threads. We started to weave using wool but, as they progress, we'll add other bits and pieces.

 

 

going round in circles

Tenuously, as part of their Ancient greek studies and with a nod to Pythagoras and Euclid, y3 created some designs and patterns using the 'old' compass-drawn method. 

 

 

 

They actually enjoyed the preciseness of the task and 'magical' way in which the patterns emerged. None of them had ever used pairs of compasses before!

Meanwhile y1 have been making bugs from lollipop sticks and card;

doodles

Some 'bot doodles from today. They were originally done on scraps of paper which I then stuck into my sketchbook. The first one is in honour of the Mexican keeper who apparently played a blinder in the game against Brazil.

 

In this one I played around with the same pose to create two different pics.

automaton

The latest automaton to grace my work table. This time using a wooden block for the base and a simple turntable mechanism. Again, the figure is poseable and twirls as the handle is turned.

 

The small red beads you can see in this pic support the turntable.

 

Quite pleased with the simplicity of this one. It also breaks down into two parts so is relatively easy to package should I decide to sell them through my shops. What do folk think?