At Blue Rock School in West Nyack, New York I’ve led a number of building projects with the students over the years. Through a small grant, I was able to work with the 7th and 8th grade class creating a “Maker Space” program. Part art studio, part invention workshop, the Maker Space gave students the opportunity to explore tools, mechanics, engineering, and animatronics while creating kinetic sculptures and story-driven machines known as automatons. Each student developed an original concept for their automaton, then we brought it to life using cams, gears, linkages, and other simple mechanical systems. Along the way, students discovered the creative possibilities of problem-solving, design, construction, and hands-on experimentation. The program was designed to inspirecuriosity, creativity, and practical engineering skills through imaginative, project-based learning. Here are a few of the projects…

Here we created a giant inflated sphere.

Then we blew it up…

At the same school we built some covered wagons for the school play…

And who doesn’t love to be taller?