Junk Art Sculpture ~ Pulleys & Gears Science
Unit Project
Miss Berndl's Fabulous Fours
- What to do
- Design Criteria: Structure Specifications
- Skills
- Science Curriculum Expectations To Be Met
- How to Self-Evaluate Your Junk Art Sculpture
- How to Prepare for Your Presentation
- Some Photos of Past Junk Art Sculptures
- Sites where you can look at what other artists have done with Junk Art
- Steve Oatway, Australian artist www.renkrn8.com.au
- Gr. 4 Science Curriculum
1) What to do:
- build a sculpture, using found objects, that can move, rotate or do something
- make use of previously used, recyclable, reusable household objects
- the structure must include at last one pulley or gear - though more may be used
- the pulley or gear may be home made or commercially produced
- use a variety of fasteners such as nails, screws, staples, duct tape, string, wood glue, nuts and bolts, wire hooks, etc.
- use tools such as a hammer, screwdriver, saw, stapler, glue gun under parental supervision
- develop confidence, skill and awareness of safety considerations when building something
- Lego or other construction toys can be incorporated but may not exceed 50% of the mechanical structure
- it is not the intent that any money needs to be spent to complete this assignment
- students are encouraged to also use other simple machine in either making their structure (tools) or in the structure itself
- pay attention to the building process so that you can tell the class how you made it, the design problems you solved, how it works, how the pulley or gear makes things move
- you need to learn and use some technical words
2) Structure Specifications:
- base (footprint) may be no bigger than the top of a student's desk
- structure/sculpture needs to be stable and free-standing
- parental help and supervision is encouraged to ensure safe use of tools
- assembly of sculpture needs to be primarily done by the student
- the sculpture needs to be able to move, rotate or perform some function
- electricity as a source of energy is allowed, but not required or encouraged
- the project will be built at home and brought to school basically intact
- class time will be given when final assembly is required due to transporting of sculpture
- besides being functional, the sculpture needs to have an aesthetic appeal - creative use of materials is encouraged
3) Skills & Knowledge To Be Developed By This Project:
- applied creativity, developing an appreciation of the art of science
- "think outside the box" - find uncommon uses for common objects
- learning to "muck about" - solving design problems as they come up, making modifications to works in progress
- develop skills in handling common household tools safely and appropriately
- work cooperatively with an adult
- provide parents with an opportunity to take part in their child's out-of-school assignments
- knowledge of how pulleys, gears, wheels and axles allow for motion
- some understanding of simple machines
- application of Structures and Mechanisms: Grade 4 Pulleys & Gears curriculum
- give students an opportunity to communicate the procedure and results of an investigation to a variety of audiences (peers, parents & other classes) using media works (Instruction Manual), written notes and descriptions, drawings and oral presentations
- learn how to "SCAMPER"
- S - Substitute something for it
- C - Combine
- A - Alter or Adapt an Aspect
- M - Magnify or Minify
- P - Put some part of it to another use
- E - Eliminate
- R - Reverse or Replace
4) Science Curriculum Expectations To Be Met:
- design and make a system of pulleys and/ or gears for a structure that moves in a prescribed and controlled way and performs a specific function
- manipulate pliable and rigid materials as required by a specific design task
- identify and make modifications to their own pulley and gear systems to improve the way they move a load
- communicate the procedure and results of an investigation for specific purposes and to specific audiences, using media works, written notes and descriptions, drawings, charts and oral presentations
5) How to Self-Evaluate Your Junk Art Sculpture
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the project ready on time?
- Is it the right size? Will it sit on top of a student desk?
- Is it mainly made of "found objects"
- If you used Lego or other similar material, is it less than 50% of the total structure?
- Is it stable? Does it move & work without being wobbly? Will it stay together when you demonstrate how it works?
- Does it move and do something?
- Does it have a pulley or gear in it that does something?
- Did you use a variety of fasteners? Are they strong enough for the job?
- What tools did you use to put the sculpture together? Did you learn or get better at using a tool?
- Did you work cooperatively with an adult? Did you get help? Did you learn how to do something new by yourself?
- Does your sculpture look good? Does it look finished?
6) How to Prepare for Your Presentation
You should use a cue card. Do not write out full sentences. Do not read from you cue card. Practice at home at least once by talking about your sculpture. Only look at your cue card to remind you about what you should talk about next. Tell us about:
- What you sculpture is and what it does.
- How does it move and do something? How do the pulleys or gears help it move?
- How did you make the sculpture?
- What materials did you use & why?
- What tools did you use? How much did an adult help you & with what?
- What problems or challenges did you have when building your sculpture? What did you do to solve your problems?
- Did you change your design while you were building it? Did it turn out differently than you expected? If you were to build it again, what would you do differently?
Remember to use technical words like: load, force, direction of movement, rigid, pliable, structure, fasteners, design. Tell us specifically what the names of the tools you used were. Don't use words like "stuff".
