Here is some more information about the STEAM Carnival including a bunch of resource links.

I am offering EXTRA CREDIT for students that participate.  Participation can include either creating their own project for the STEAM Carnival and/or working with me and my team to build our Up-Cycled/Interactive Marimba Table.

I will post more information including permission slips when I return from my camping trip around 4/03/18.

For now, please check out some of the links and ideas listed below.

Thanks to Justin for all of the help!  From Justin @ TwoBitCircus:

Here are some project resources to get you started and inspire you and your students:

• DIY Music Reactive Display
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oRir4dck_w
  • http://www.instructables.com/id/Music-LED-Light-Box/
  • http://www.instructables.com/id/Music-Reactive-Desk-Lamp/
• DIY Marimba/
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBbqoa4M8VU
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdzlwJQQcDg
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfT7hjT-5rY
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC-jl4INaNI
• Here's one of the makers playing his:
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAgtIIXRalQ​

Today in class I introduced the students to the STEAM Carnival and we discussed HSD's partnership with Two Bit Circus to have a STEAM Carnival here on May, 19th of this year.

Teachers and students have been asked to participate on a volunteer basis by contributing projects for the Inventor's Alley portion of the STEAM Carnival.

Mrs. Julie Brown had the amazing idea of focusing on creating musical instruments.  Her inspired mind got me thinking about how my 7th graders could work on a large scale project together that could potentially be a working (musically) piece of engineering art.  I immediately began thinking of building a large scale marimba from upcycled products.

Today I introduced the idea by showing the students these two quick videos on the STEAM Carnival, introducing the idea of a marimba table, and then showing them a couple minutes of the Zelda Marimba video.

The Sigur Ros and Wintergatan videos are the videos that inspired me to want to pursue creating a musical instrument engineered from upcycled materials for the 7th grade project.

There will be more information posted as soon as I get it!  Check back periodically for updates.

Sincerely,

(A very excited and inspired) Mrs. Batt