Rhythmic Musical Gear Machine

A 9 lesson activity where students connect events of WWI and understand its legacy through the creation of a museum exhibit using ceramics

Unit Overview

The Basics
Experiences:  Novice
Age Group:  15 - 16
Group Size:  40 - 45
​
Hours:   

Key Words: Algebra, Fibonacci sequence, Sierpinski triangles, triangular or square numbers, prime numbers.

Cost Per Student: 

Tools:  Laser cutter, laptops

Materials:  
​laser-printed gears
baseboard
rubber bands
lego pieces
Learning Objectives
  • Students will investigate different classic mathematical number sequences: Fibonacci sequence, Sierpinski triangles, triangular or square numbers, prime numbers.   
  • Transfer this mathematical/ visual experience of numbers to a rhythmic one with the musical gear machine.  
  • Turn their number sequence into a musical one by looking at gear ratios and creating their machine.
Performance Task
  • There are four sections of students of about 20-25 students and each section is responsible for creating an exhibit about WWI
  • The exhibits are: Beginning of the War (8 events), End of the War (8 events), Technological advancements of the war (10 items), Major WWI battles (7 battles)