Simple Machines and Automata in ES

Students in Ms. Vicky's and Ms. Dominique's Alpha class, along with those in Mrs. Summers' and Ms. Taylor's JK class, recently engaged in an exciting exploration at The Experiential School. With help from Puppets in Prague, Mrs. Hollenbeck (Head of The Experiential School) is exploring the world of simple machines through wooden automata, and identifying ways to connect them with the ES curriculum. The students had the opportunity to test Mrs. Hollenbeck's latest contraption.

The children observed the intricate automaton with keen interest, employing their reasoning skills to unravel the mystery of its operation. There were no cords or batteries, yet the parts were moving and almost flowing... imagine that!

As they observed, they shared hypotheses – until someone identified the piece that had potential to move the other parts. They learned it was called a crank.

They observed the automaton from different angles, saw some interesting shapes hiding under the rods, and learned that they were called cams. The cams had been screwed in a very particular way to the wooden axle, and as soon as they saw that the mystery was solved!

The integration of puppetry into the ES curriculum has provided a dynamic platform for students to grasp complex concepts in a playful manner. The wooden automaton not only served as an engaging educational tool but also sparked the imaginations of the JK students to the extent that they expressed a desire to build their own contraption in the future.

Fifth graders worked on building their own automata during Drop Everything and STEAM Week. Photos of those projects are coming soon!

Flickr album: ES Automata | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin

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