Building The Bell Model

After completing a collaborative drawing, the children began the work of  building the Bell Model. This took place over the course of several days. As the children worked, we documented their processes using written notes, photographs and videos beginning with choosing the materials. 

To the Tucker Closet! -Whit
Whit, you know the round things in construction? We could put them together.  -Ford
We need to make the stairs. Paper! I know how to do that. -Ford

As the children worked with the materials that they had chosen, they reflected upon their work. They realized that some of them didn't lend very well to three dimensional creations. 

The children decided that paper would be a more suitable material for their model. Thus the group needed some help from friends who they considered especially skillful with the material. Rawls joined in to share his knowledge. 

I made twinsies. -Rawls

Jack and Whit read the documentation from their first day of work on the "power flower" and the "storm cloud."  While Whit focused on building the "power flower," Jack spent his time working on the "storm cloud."

In further attempts at creating petals, Whit traced the outside shape of each one and then cut it. He then compared his cut shape with the petal's "frame" on the model and trimmed it to fit more precisely. 

The black makes darkness. The purple makes water. The yellow make lightness. -Whit

I made this kind of storm cloud. First, I took the hot glue gun and poured this on. I sometimes carved it. And then I put the glue under there…This is electricity. -Jack

After a discussion at morning meeting about 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional objects, and having seen a model of The Liberty Bell that Zari shared from a recent trip to Philadelphia, Ford had a new perspective on his construction.

"I could use glue.No, it would still be 2-D. No. Maybe wire."

Ford searched through a selection of wire, trying several different gauges and then chose one of the thicker and "stronger" options.

"We need to size it. I need to start at the bottom."

"It’s starting to be 3-D. I need more wire to make it 3-D. "

I made it with wire and put it though the holes. The wire is the thing that makes it 3-D. If I would have used glue it would have been 2-D.

The children have been working together to assemble the model, including Whit's flower, Ford's bell, Jack's cloud and the steps which had been a collaborative effort with assistance from Rawls. Look for the completed model in the Tucker Room soon.