• Volunteer
  • Teach
  • Programs
    • Chats with Change Makers
    • Engineers Week
    • IMAX Films
    • Introduce a Girl to Engineering
    • World Engineering Day
    • Future City
  • Engineering Activities
  • Engineering Careers
  • Support Us
  • Store
  • Search
  • Join
Donate
Join
  • Volunteer
  • Teach
  • Programs
    • Chats with Change Makers
    • Engineers Week
    • IMAX Films
    • Introduce a Girl to Engineering
    • World Engineering Day
    • Future City
  • Engineering Activities
  • Engineering Careers
  • Support Us
  • Store
  • Search
  • Join
  1. View More Activities

Kinetic Sculpture

This activity combines art and engineering: students build a sculpture that meets specific design criteria and yet will not blow over.

Time
  • 1 to 2 Hours
Careers
  • Mechanical
  • Project Management
Grade
  • 6-8
Topic
  • Art & Science
  • Forces, Motion & Energy
Leader Notes
Materials

Per Class:

  • Electric fan

Per Small Group:

  • Ruler
  • Cardboard
  • Markers
  • Ping-pong balls
  • Poster putty
  • Paper cups of different sizes
  • Scissors
  • Wooden skewers
  • Strips of colored paper or fabric
  • String
  • Masking tape
Instructions

This activity combines art and engineering: students build a sculpture that meets specific design criteria and yet will not blow over.

  1. Place students in groups and describe their challenge: to design a sculpture that stands at least 6″ high, that has 2 parts that move in the wind, and that will not blow over.
  2. Show students the materials they will work with and the testing apparatus (the fan). Give them time to draw designs and choose one. They can also name their sculpture—something poetic, mysterious, funny, or accurate.
  3. Instruct students to design their sculpture.
  4. Test each sculpture to see if it meets the criteria by placing it a reasonable distance from the blowing fan. If the sculpture falls over or doesn’t have two parts that move in the wind, tell the groups to redesign and retest, watching for where the weight of their sculpture is so that it can stand without blowing over or away.
Guiding Questions
  • Where does the weight of the sculpture need to be located to make the structure stable in the wind?
  • What role does balance play in making the sculpture move in the breeze?
  • What would happen if your sculpture were taller? Had another moving part? Had to withstand a stronger wind?
STEM Connections
  • The fan creates a pushing force on the structure via wind. The structure must resist this force so that it does not tip over, but also must use the energy from the wind to turn the movable parts.
  • A wind turbine is an example of one type of structure that students may have created. Wind turbines are used to convert the wind energy to electricity. The largest wind turbine is 722 feet tall (twice the length of a football field!) and has blades with a diameter of 538 feet.
  • Engineers grapple with making very tall structures that can withstand wind. One of the tallest buildings in the world, the Taipei Tower in Taiwan, can withstand typhoons— winds that are at least 74 mph! The tower is much wider at the base than at the top and is made of strong, flexible steel, among other special materials.
  • Wind tunnels are large tubes with wind moving inside. They are used to test the strength of various structural shapes and materials. Buildings and other structures must be designed to safely withstand the extreme forces of wind from hurricanes and tornados.

This activity was provided by Design Squad Global. TM/© 2006 WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved. Design Squad is produced by WGBH Boston.


Enjoy this activity?

Join our community and receive activities, early access to programs, and other special news, and/or leave feedback on this activity below!

Thank you! Your submission is processing.

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submitting...

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Print
Downloads
Share this activity with your network!
Enjoy this activity? Please let your friends know!
Share Activity
Challenge created by: Design Squad Nation More Activities from Design Squad Nation
Downloads
  • Kinetic Sculpture activity
Related Activities
View All
Score!
Score!
  • 1 to 2 Hours
  • 3-8
View Activity
Balloon Bust
Balloon Bust
  • 1 to 2 Hours
  • 3-8
View Activity
Action Contraption
Action Contraption
  • 1 to 2 Hours
  • 3-8
View Activity
Puff Mobiles
Puff Mobiles
ZOOM
  • 45 minutes or Less
  • 3-8
View Activity
DiscoverE helps create activities like this around Art & Science, Forces, Motion & Energy for children in Middle School to help prepare them for STEM careers in fields like Mechanical or Project Management.

Find our resources helpful?
Please consider donating.

Make a donation

Want to find out how you can volunteer?

Get Involved

DiscoverE works to provide every student with a STEM experience and the resources, programs, and connections to improve the understanding of engineering through a united voice and a global distribution network.

The development of this site was made possible by a grant from the United Engineering Foundation (UEF).

About Us

  • Our Story
  • Our Board & Staff
  • Our Impact
  • Donate

Get Involved

  • Messages Matter
  • Teach
  • Volunteer
  • Our Programs
  • Store

Resources

  • Learn about Engineering Careers
  • Engineering Activities
  • Our Blog
  • Logos & Graphics
  • Outreach Grants

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Contact Us
Website designed and developed by RedSwan5.

© 2025 DiscoverE. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions

Join Our Community

Stay up-to-date with all the programs and resources that Discover E has to offer!

Login or Create Account

All of the content on this site is free!

Registering for the site helps us tailor future activities, webinars, and events so that we can serve you better.

Thank you for your interest and for helping us in our mission to transform lives as we put the E in STEM!

Login Form

Log in or sign up

Forgot your password?

Don’t have an account? Sign up!

We use cookies that are necessary to make our site work. We may also use additional cookies to analyze, improve, and personalize our content and your digital experience. For more information, see our Cookie Policy.OKCookie Policy