Lighthouse challenge
Lighthouses help ships to know exactly where they are when they are sailing near the coast, and also warn where there are dangerous rocks and currents. Could you build a working model of a lighthouse, with a light that flashes on and off?
Levels of difficulty:
Level 1 - Make a model of a lighthouse tower
Level 2 - As level 1, with a light on the top
Level 3 - As level 2, plus a way to make the light flash on and off
Equipment: K’NEX set, plus (for level 2) battery pack, wires with crocodile clips, light bulb and (level 3) push-button switch or similar.
Approach: Lighthouses have to be tall and strong. How could you make a tall tower with K’NEX? How can you make the walls very strong, so they won’t bend or break in a storm? For level 2, how can you fix your light bulb on at the top of the tower? How will you connect it to the battery pack? For level 3, what extra wires will you need to connect the light bulb to your switch?
Handy Hints (please click to view):
A2 - 3 ways to connect K'NEX rods and connectors
A4 - Making corners with blue & purple connectors
A5 - Strong 3-D structures
Teachers' Notes
A project to make a simple electrical circuit with a practical purpose, and also to build a strong structure.
Possible solution: See photo.
Before starting: Look at a picture of a lighthouse, and explain why lighthouses have flashing lights.
Conclusion: Firstly, draw the electrical circuit. Then, pretend there is a ship sailing through the classroom. Ask each pair of children to think of a special way to flash their light, so that each lighthouse flashes with a different pattern (eg one short flash followed by two long ones).
Copyright © Andy Shercliff 1996 and K'NEX User Group 2004
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