Busy Bugs - Day 3 - Week 2 (SF Day Camp)

Wednesday was another full day of thinking, experimenting, building, tinkering, and of course, playing.

We began the day with a brainstorm, interrogating the questions of “what is tinkering,” and “why do we tinker?” Although our first instinct is to jump right into project design and building when we start the day, it felt good to slow down first thing in the morning and reflect on our intentions, goals, and actions here at camp.

“Tinkering is when you build something, and it doesn’t work, you change it, improve it, so that it works, or it works better.”

“Tinkering is getting creative and working together to make something ‘big.’ Also, I think it means to stretch far into your imagination and work on something you’ve never made before.”

And! “We tinker to discover new things and to have fun!”

Morning Circle was followed by another intensive build session! Every group hit important iteration points, testing design plans from Monday that were able to come to fruition after a couple of days work.

Our flying bug team has rigged up a rope and pulley system, and went through various tests to ensure their bug could indeed soar across our entire workshop space. Though they successfully completed their pincer, they discovered some structural challenges.. Their uniquely shaped bug has proven to be difficult to attach to a flying apparatus, and the question of how to make the wings move has arisen. In true Tinkering School fashion, a new idea was born - a parachute! Today was a day full of experimentation and thoughtfulness from this team.

The crawling team is full steam ahead on creating an ant with three distinct segments of differing sizes. As each segment was completed today, the team moved forward with attaching their sliding mechanisms! Within the constraint of not being able to utilize wheels for their bug’s movement capabilities, the team re-invented the wheel so to speak, using PVC pipe to enable each segment to roll forward. Furthermore, the tinkerers circled back to this weeks initial prompt – designing a big bug that is moving around in search of FOOD! The group developed the ingenious idea of mimicking a sticky tongue by using magnets.

The fleahopper group worked through challenges in creating their legs and hopping capabilities, working through different iterations to learn how their bug will launch itself into the air. They also spent some time designing a limb for the bug to capture it’s food on Friday! Inspired by the claw device we have in the gallery, they began designing their own version of such a hand. Additionally, they spent time sheeting their exoskeleton, creating a light outer layer for their bug.

For more buggy photos from this week, check out our Flickr page! We are super looking forward to what developments unfold in our building sessions tomorrow.