Lesson Plans

Mechanism	Materials to download
Rack and Pinion	FoldMecha rack and pinion gears (precut on laser cutter) for a continuous servo or a 180-degree servo. Hobby servo motor (1 per student project) PaperMech paper placemat: 11×17 placemat or 8.5 x 11 placemat. Rack & pinion tutorials:   [Continuous servo video][180-degree servo video] Additional resources:”Circular into Rectilinear Motion (or vice versa) by means of rack and pinion.”  507 Mechanical Movements.  Mechanism #113.”Stamp. Vertical percussive falls derived from horizontal rotating shaft. The mutilated toothed pinion acts upon the rack to raise the rod until its teeth leave the rack and allow the rod to fall.”  507 Mechanical Movements.  Mechanism #351.
Crankshaft	FoldMecha pieces (precut on laser cutter) Hobby servo motor (1 per student project) Crankshaft placemat Crankshaft tutorial [video] Additional resources:  507 Mechanical Movements (number 92)

General Activity Overview:

10 min  – Imagine.  Set placemats at each place setting, one per child. Ask them to sketch, plan, and draw their ideas. Review instructions on how to build the mechanism. Help children get started by asking them to think about the motion of the machine, and what that motion might suggest.  It might be an animal, an imaginary creature, a scene, and so on.

45 min  – Make & Test. Pass out one set of materials per project. Help students name the parts and their purposes – a servo motor, a microcontroller, or gears. Have students start assembling their mechanism. Remind students to test their mechanism’s motion with a microcontroller to troubleshoot any motion problems before decorating it.

30 min –  Decorate & Write. Set craft materials at a separate table. Invite students to decorate their mechanisms only after they have tested their movements.  Ask students who finish early to write an exhibit label description on a card.

10 min – Share & Reflect. Ask students to test their machines to see it moves as expected. Showcase their creations. Invite children to share what inspired them to make their machine; what were challenges they faced and how did they overcome them; what might they change or do differently if they had more time.