Strandbeests

3rd-5th STEAM Surge spent some time before the holidays learning about a Dutch innovator. Theo Jansen created a self-sustaining robot, called the Strandbeest. Videos of the Strandbeest in action are really remarkable. Check one out here.

I ordered Mini Strandbeest Kits online for each student to assemble. This was a seriously intricate project that required a ton of fine motor skills and attention to detail. The instructions alone would make most adults run away. The project took us about 4 sessions to complete- with varying degrees of adult help. I loved watching students techniques of completing the task- some kept organized and maintained little piles of like pieces while others dumped them all over. No process was better than another- I love seeing how each of their brains work! More than anything their persistance and problem solving skills inspired me!