ALA Gaggle 1 and 2 - Museum, Nov. 3, 2004

Today began the new group from the ALA at the museum. We started the year off by introducing the students to Chain reactions (marble runs, etc.) The cycle will consist of the students working on their own chain reaction sculptures, using the elements of marble runs, dominoes, motors, switches, sensors, and crickets. We will be teaching them how to make sensors, program the crickets, build simple switches with motors, and all for the purpose of not only learning the electronics, but creating an interesting piece of interactive art that can be used and displayed later in the year. The students were introduced to all these ideas and then shown the film THE WAY THINGS GO, in an attempt to foster some creativity and inspiration of their own creations. After the films the students were shown an example of a chain reaction that used marble runs, crickets, switches, dominoes, and helium balloons. After seeing the example made by saafir, jonathon, and gabe, the kids were then instructed to take some large domino shaped blocks, rolls of tape, and a helium balloon, and create their own chain reaction. They were allowed to use any other material they found in the room, and they worked very hard to create some interesting reaction pieces. Thursday and tuesday these students will be introduced to motors and switches, so that next week they can incorporate the new technology into another chain reaction as they think about building one to be linked together later with all their classmates' sculptures.
Jonathon