CRAYBOT – Creating a Drawing Machine, Form, Line

Students use a small motor and simple materials to create a line-drawing robot and experiment with how to change the way the lines are drawn. Later they use a variety of materials to create a body with robot characteristics and paint it with contrasting colours.

Supplies:

Crayola Acrylic Paint
Crayola Paint Brushes
Crayola White Glue
Crayola Broad Line Markers
Crayola Glitter Glue
Hobby Motor - 9 Volts, 2 mm shaft
Duct Tape
Plastic Container, 500 g - 1 per student
Corks - 1 per student
2AA Battery Holder with Wires and Switch - 1 per student
Assorted Found Materials and Containers
Googly Eyes
Water Containers
Paper Towels
Hot Glue Guns
Hot Glue Sticks

Steps:

Remove some of the plastic coating from the ends of the wires on the 2AA battery holder.
Join the wires to the loops on the motor.
Turn the battery switch on to test if it works.

Choose several colours of marker.
Place a piece of duct tape at the mid-point on one of the markers with the ends of the tape sticking out.

Place the marker with the tip facing down and at a slight angle.
Tape it to the plastic container.
Tape 4 or 5 markers around the outer edge of the plastic container.
Make sure the tips all touch the table surface when the container is placed upright.

Tape the 2AA battery holder to the side of the plastic container.
Tape the motor to the top edge of the plastic container.
Make sure the shaft of the motor hangs over the edge of the container.
Push a cork, off centre, onto the shaft of the motor.
Make sure it is good and secure.

Place the craybot on top of a large piece of paper.
Turn it on and see what happens.
Experiment with where you place the cork on the shaft to see how that changes the kinds of lines the craybot makes.