Use cams and followers to turn spinning motion into animated movement.
Learners build
A hand-cranked automaton that animates a scene and story that learners create.
Learners start by folding a cardboard frame, adding a guide tube and axles, and installing a cam and follower so turning the axle spins the scene.
From there, they brainstorm a story, prototype a scene with paper and tape, and cover the frame with art. Advanced learners can add up-and-down or side-to-side motion. It connects art and design, English language arts, and science and engineering.
Educator Resources
Student-facing slides introduce the concepts, guide the activity, and help learners reflect on what changed. Educator materials support setup, pacing, discussion, and extensions so this can work in classrooms, libraries, homeschool groups, clubs, or makerspaces.
What's included
Choose a pack size to see how the component quantities change for one learner, a small group, or a full class.