Inspiration for this week's challenge come from Bert in Mary Poppins and his imaginative one-man-band contraption. If you are not familiar with this marvelous creation, watch the short clip below.

The Challenge
Your job is to create your own one-human-band contraption. It must have a minimum 3 separate instruments controlled by 3 separate body parts. You need to take a video of you making music with this contraption.

​See the chart below to help with your planning.

Watch the video below for some tips and tricks for putting your one human band together.

Here's my one-human-band in action. This is a little piece I composed called Inside.

I cannot wait to see what you come up with! Please send be a short video clip to [email protected] or if your adult(s) are game, post to Twitter using #sfbrandeismakes.

This week we are combining building, mechanical engineering, and storytelling to create a story box with a moving setting. The videos give detailed instructions but I will give written instructions too for those who prefer them.

You will need:

• Copies of the pdf below. Print the first page on cardstock if you have it. The second page needs to be on regular paper.
• Scissors
• Tape (masking and scotch tape if possible)
• 2 straws or 2 pencils
• markers or colored pencils
• 2 corks or plastic bottle caps

.
I was originally going to do this project last week but I needed to move some things around. In the first video I say this is challenge 4, it is actually challenge 5. Flexibility is essential in these times. If you happen to have 2 paper towel rolls and a shoebox, there is a large version of the project here that might be easier for smaller hands.

Please watch the first video. You may want to print out the handout below before you begin. If you happen to have any cardstock in the house, it's nice to print the first page on thicker paper. If not, no worries. The second page needs to be on regular paper. We want it easy to roll.

Take the time you need to cut out the box template. You really want to stay on the lines. It should be one solid piece when cut out. You are cutting the whole outline of the box.

​When you are done, watch the next video. 

Now you need to cut out the screen area, the white area in the center of the thick black frame.

Then you need to use a hole punch, or the tip of a sharp pencil, to make the holes in the two small circle areas. Make sure the straws or pencils you will be using to move the image can fit in the holes and in the slit areas at the top of the of the template. 

Finally, fold along all the dotted lines, some are a little hard to see. Everything around the black frame is folded back. You also fold along the dotted line nearer the bottom. As you fold you should start to see the box take shape.

Securely tape the box together, except for the top "lid" portion with the slits. You won't tape the top until after you've put in the image inside the box.

​When done, move on to the next video.

Cut out the rectangular strips from the second page. 

Line them up and neatly tape them together with some scotch tape to form one long strip.

Draw a colorful scene that shows some sort of journey. Use your imagination!

​When done drawing, watch the next video.

Turn your story strip over so the image can't be seen. Take the pencils or straws you are using and securely tape them so that you have 1/4 inch of pencil/straw hanging below the paper strip and the rest of the pencil/straw sticking out above the paper strip. 

Roll the strip around both pencils/straws so that the pencils/straws roll toward each other and the image faces out. Like rolling a Torah scroll in reverse. Roll them toward each other until they are as far apart as the holes in the bottom of your box.

Settle the scroll into the box so the bottom of the pencils/straws stick through the bottom of each hole and the image fills your screen. When arranged, close the box lid so that the top of the pencils/straws stick through the slats on the top. Tape behind your pencils/straws so that the pencil can turn but cannot wiggle back and forth. Now go ahead and securely tape the top of the box closed.

Now you should be able to turn your pencils and move the scene from start to finish, and finish to start. If using, attach the corks to the bottom of your box to help the box stand up.

You are done!

I would LOVE to see how these turned out. Please share with me a short video that shows your story. Send video to [email protected] or share on Twitter using #sfbrandeismakes

OPTIONAL Lesson Extensions

• What would happen if you added light to your story box? How might you do that?
• Can you make this story box into a larger movie? 
• Now that you have made a story box, how could you improve it? What might you add or change to this design to make it even better?
• Are there different materials you could use to make this project? How might different materials alter or improve this idea?
• Could you make a smaller story box?
• Could you make a larger story box?

On Yom Ha'atzmaut we celebrate Israeli Independence and think about all the things that make Israel a special place. This art activity celebrates one of my favorite things about Israel, the food!

Watch the video below for an introduction to this activity.

This week we will playing with light & shadow to create interesting photos or videos. Please watch the intro video below.

To recap, we are playing with reflections, light bouncing from one object to another, and shadows, areas where light is blocked and a dark silhouette forms.

For this week choose one or more of these options:

1. Go on a light/shadow scavenger hunt. Find interesting shadows and reflections around your home. Take pictures/video of what you find. Try to find 5 or more examples.
2. Make shadow graffiti! Create a shadow that you can "paint" onto various areas of your home. Take photos or video.
3. Create a shadow/light still photo. Try different backgrounds. Take a picture of what you make. 
4. Create a shadow theater. Film a short video of your creation.

Here's some examples below.

#1 - light/shadow scavenger hunt

#2 - shadow graffiti

I've played with some shadow graffiti examples around my house. See the examples in the slide show below.
​

#3 - Shadow/Light Still Photo
Create an art piece that uses light, shadow, and/or reflection. Photograph your creation. Try using a tablet as backdrop (turn up the brightness as high as it can go). Play with different backgrounds, light angles, and characters. See the video below.

Here's a collage of my still-life photos with different tablet backgrounds.

#4 - shadow theater
Using a set-up similar to the the still life option, create a short video. Make your shadows move and talk.


As always, please send me a photo or video of your creations! My email is [email protected]. Also, The Exploratorium is collecting photos and videos of light/shadow creations from around the world. Feel free to share on Twitter using their hashtag, #LightUpOurDays, and our own, #sfbrandeismakes.

I've had some conversations lately with colleagues, friends, and school families about what materials are good to have on hand for kids to make with. The lists below are my attempt to answer this question. I am breaking the list into three categories. "The Basics" are common tinkering/art items we can use for a wide array projects. Many of these are common household items. I am trying to keep my distance learning to using items on this list. "Nice to Have" are some fun, and mostly inexpensive, items that take engineering tinkering skills a bit further and can enhance the basic materials. "Next Level" are some of my favorite tools for creative coding and integrating the digital and the physical. These items tend to be more expensive and are really geared for the passionate young maker who is interested in starting to work with electronics and code.

The Basics

• plain white paper
• cardboard or chipboard
• cardstock or notecards
• masking Tape (colored is fun)
• scotch tape
• painter's tape
• duct tape
• corks
• Elmer's glue stick
• low temp hot glue gun and glue sticks
• skewers
• paper straws
• push pins
• paperclips
• clothespins
• brass fasteners
• aluminum foil
• parchment paper
• waxed paper
• Sharpies (colored is fun)
• colored pencils
• assorted clean recyclables: corks, bottle caps, interesting boxes, yogurt containers, jar lids, berry baskets, etc.

Nice to Have

• copper tape
• an assortment of "gumdrop" LEDs
• 3V coin batteries

Next Level

• a micro controller like micro:bit
• hobby motors
  
• alligator clip wires
• a programmable video game unit like Meowbit

This week's challenge is to build a chain reaction machine with items you have around the house. A chain reaction machine is a machine that has a series of actions and reactions. Unlike the marble run, you don't have a single object move through the whole machine, instead one item reacts to an action made by another item - on down the line. The more actions/reactions, the more interesting the machine. I want you to list the actions/reactions for me when you send me your machine, I'll show an example below.

​Here's what I made. From items in my house.

Here's a slo-mo video of my chain reaction machine at work.

Mrs. Bisson's Chain Reaction Machine:

1. Begin by rotating first mug handle counter-clockwise. 
2. First mug rotates second mug.
3. Second mug rolls tea canister forward.
4. Tea canister rolls down ramp.
5. Tea canister rolls onto large spoon lever. 
6. Spoon lever releases golf ball.
7. Golf ball rolls into shoe insert.
8. Shoe insert lifts upside-down bowl.
9. Upside down bowl releases marbles.
10. Marbles drop onto xylophone keys.
11. Marbles strike xylophone keys.
12. Xylophone keys vibrate.
13. Vibrating xylophone keys emit sound.

Please send me a list like this with the video of your chain reaction machine. You can email me your video and list to [email protected]. This challenge was inspired by the Exploratorium and they are collecting chain reaction videos. If a parent is willing, you can tweet your video using the hashtags #RoundTheWorld_ChainReaction and #sfbrandeismakes. It's also worth a little Twitter time to see what other folks have come up with. Their are some amazing ideas!

Dear Middle Schoolers,

Perhaps you've been sitting at home wearing essentially the same thing each day. Maybe you'd love a haircut. Perhaps you are craving a new look. Maybe none of these are true and you just want to dig into a totally random project.

Your challenge is to build yourself a wig out of materials around the house. You can do this with just paper, scissors, and tape. If you have hot glue, a ruler, or aluminum foil on hand, those can be helpful. Please see the intro video for some helpful tips and information.

Here are some additional sources and inspiration:
​Martha Stewart does a good tutorial on paper wigs.
​This tutorial is also quite good.

Please email me what you come up with [email protected].

Lastly, I leave you with some photos of wig making happening at our house. This includes a rare photo of Mr. Bisson.

Be Well,
​Mrs. Bisson