Which falls faster, a 10kg weight or a 1kg weight? Let’s find out! In this mission, apprentices are going to be building and testing all sorts of not-so simple machines, from spinning tops to coil cars. Each project will teach them about mass, motion and momentum. Let’s get building!
In Intro to Simple Machines, apprentices will learn about some of the fundamental mechanisms of engineering: the pulley, the lever, the wheel, the inclined plane and the gear. They will see how all of these machines trade force for distance in a phenomenon called mechanical advantage. They’ll learn a little of the mathematics behind mechanical advantage and how to recognize devices that use it. They are also going to be building and testing their own simple machines, witnessing for themselves how mechanical advantage can amplify their strength, or their reach, when moving heavy objects.
In this Mission, apprentices will explore various animation techniques as they work towards creating their own short animation. Creating objects in the academy with craft materials as well as digital versions using software called Blender, apprentices will learn some of the fundamental rules of animation and stop motion.
In this Mission, apprentices are going to continue to improve their coding skills while learning about a new microcontroller. The Circuit Playground Express is similar to the micro:bit microcontrollers you have been using. However, they have a lot more inputs and outputs and that is what we are going explore throughout these projects.
In this Mission apprentices are going to learn to use photo and image editing software by exploring the artistic and cultural movement of surrealism. They will learn how to creatively use key tools such as layering, adjustment layers and the lasso tool. By the end of the mission apprentices will showcase their own digital portfolio full of unique and interesting designs.
In this Mission apprentices are going to step into the world of animation. Using software called Blender, they will create several different short animations and learn a variety of techniques and design approaches. Apprentices will have the chance to use a graphics tablet to sketch and generate their own ideas as they storyboard and plan their final project.
In this Mission, apprentices will learn the fundamentals of simple structures by creating scaffolding, shapes, and basic structures. In this very hands-on series of projects, they’ll learn by designing, tinkering and testing. It’s time to step into the world of engineering. Let’s get building!
In this Mission, apprentices will further develop their 3D modeling and fabrication skills while designing, prototyping and printing their own action castle game. Apprentices will explore 3D printing, adding details with a 3D pen and creating designs from scratch using software called Tinkercad. By the end of this mission apprentices will have a fully functioning tabletop game to take home and play. Let’s get building!
The first Mission in our Fabrication pathway helps launch apprentices into a world of fabricating and design. By exploring different materials and design techniques, apprentices will be planning, prototyping and problem solving their way through 8 unique projects. Tinkercad, 3D pens, boomerangs and more – it’s a great way to start your Steamoji journey. Let’s get building!
Designing for 3D printing presents some challenges on top of the normal difficulties of 3D model design. This mission will help apprentices think not just in 3 dimensions, but also think in terms of the fabrication process that their models must undergo. They will plan for layer-by-layer construction, add scaffold-like supports to their models, and find the right balance between strength and efficiency.