For our AP Physics class, we created a kinetic art project of a model a house. The house includes a front yard with two turbine motor powered wind mills and a pulley system well. It also includes a hanging mobile that has art piece like clouds and origami crane birds to represent parts of the sky. Other added details like a front yard and a painted background scenery is also included.

(made by Amy H. & Doan H.)

Supplies

Paint Mixer Sticks
Drill
Saw
Metal Wire
Cardboard
Paint
Popsicle Sticks
Hot Glue Gun
9 Volt Batteries
Turbine Motors
Electric Wires
Origami Paper
Strings
Six inch Wooden Dowels
Scissors
Needle
Paper
Plastic Water Bottle
Teaspoon medicine cup (for bucket)

Step 1: Making the House

To begin the project, start by getting a flat piece of cardboard as the base.The cardboard base should be able to fit 3 cardboard buildings. Now gather more cardboard and cut out four squares that will be used later to create a box. You will need to do this two times to end up with a total of 8 squares. For the main cardboard building, find a large cardboard box and cut the dimensions down to how you like it in order for it to fit on the base.Then, glue the pieces to create the box and paint as wanted.

Step 2: Making the Windmills

For each windmill, you will need

A turbine motor
Cardboard
2 9V batteries
For the pole, a straw or any preferred material

To begin, you will need to use cardboard in order to create propellers and a base for the windmill to stand. Outline a propeller shape on a piece of cardboard and proceed to cut it out. Then glue a turbine motor in the center of the propellers with the wires facing outwards in the back. Then use a boba straw or any other cylinder shape to attach on the bottom of the turbine motor. Finally add final touches like covering the turbine motor with cardboard and painting the propellers to any preferred color.

Step 3: Making a Hanging Mobile

Materials needed:

Origami Paper
Strings
2 six inch Wooden Dowels
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
Needle
Paper

To start off this part of the project, use the origami paper in order to create the paper cranes that will be hung up.. Then get two sticks that are the same size (6 inches or any size preferred) and glue the center of the sticks crossed to each other. After that, cut out four pieces of strings that are 5 inches in length and tie each string to each end of the stick, then gather each string together and tie as one. This will be used to hang the cranes.

Now cut out four pieces of string that are 10 inches long. Again, tie these stings to the end of the sticks however these will be used to hang the cranes from the bottom of the cross. Now use a needle to poke a hole on the center of the crane and pull one 10 inch string through the hole of the crane. Tie a knot on the bottom of the string in order to secure the crane. Repeat these steps in order to hang up the rest of the remaining cranes. Now add finishing touches by taping paper cloud cut outs onto the strings.

Step 4: Adding a Pulley System Well

Materials:

Plastic Water Bottle
Wooden Dowels
Teaspoon medicine cup (for bucket)
Paint
Paint Mixer Sticks
Drill
Saw
Wire
String

Saw the paint sticks down to 5 inches, then drill a hole at the top of each paint stick. Make sure the holes are big enough for the wooden dowels to go through. Next, cut 1/3 of the bottom of a water bottle to create the structure of the well. Paint the water bottle gray to mimic the stone. Glue each paint stick to the side of the well. Make sure the holes are sticking up at the top. Then, attach the wooden dowel through both holes of the sticks. Now to create a handle for the well, drill a tiny hole in the dowel to attach a bent wire that will be used to turn the bucket of water up and down. Now use a string to tie in the middle of the dowel, and use the other end of the string to attach it with the tiny medicine cup which will represent the bucket meant to fill with water. For the roof make a cone shape out of paper and place it on top with tape or glue

Step 5: Put Everything Together

Now that you have all your materials, glue all the items onto the cardboard with a hot glue gun and add finishing touches! Include a background with a painted scenery, paint the yard for more details, etc.