We have a joke in our house that I do not believe in Physics… I have just never thought of physics as being related to stuff I was doing. I hadn’t had the opportunity to work with concrete materials – this is a concept everyone is familiar with, think small children learning to subtract and physically removing objects, or division and having little piles. But what if we always need them, and that even as grown-ups we need concrete materials!
Automata are moving mechanical devices made in imitation of animals, or to do a range of functions. These have been made for hundreds of years – like the Silver Swan. Some of you may have seen the exhibition at the Nelson Museam – Curious contraptions, July 24.
To make automata we will need to look at fundamental ideas of Physics like: fulcrum, cranks, axles, and some more stuff I will need to swot up on… maybe some of those lego technic people will help me! Could we use lego as a base. I can see lots of learning conversations will need to be had, and a big play. We will investigate various materials from the collection of found objects – all those cogs from old VCRs etc.
Maybe we’ll go big, use an automata in animation, as a puppet? background… or invent some whole new machine.
Here are some awesome ideas… Arthur Ganson, or Paul Spooner or the wonderful Cabaret Mechanical Theatre.
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