Build Your Own Elevator! - STEM Pulley Project

Summary

In this engaging video, Alison and Ava from the Winkle team guide viewers through the process of creating a fun and educational elevator model using a pulley system. They demonstrate how to assemble the model with items from a kit, including a wooden dowel, puff balls, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes, while also explaining the science behind pulleys. The duo encourages creativity and experimentation, showing how to make little passengers for the elevator and ensuring the model's stability. The video concludes with a test of the working elevator and a call to action for viewers to share their creations on social media.

Takeaways

• 🎥 The video features Alison and Ava making an elevator as a DIY project for The Winkle.
• 🎓 Ava is a former art student of Alison and this is her first time on The Winkle.
• 🏗️ The project involves creating an elevator using a pulley system, which is explained in the video.
• 🛠️ The kit includes a wooden dowel, puff balls, pipe cleaners, glue, string, popsicle sticks, a push pin, and a binder clip.
• ✂️ Additional tools needed are scissors, a pencil, and a box similar in size to the dowel.
• 🔩 The pulley system is assembled by looping string over a stick and using a binder clip to secure it.
• 🏗️ The elevator platform is made from a flap of cardboard, which is perforated and bent to shape.
• 🧩 The popsicle sticks are glued under the elevator platform for balance and weight.
• 👥 The passengers for the elevator are made from puff balls and pipe cleaners, adding both fun and stability.
• 📸 The video encourages viewers to share their creations on social media using a specific tag.

Q & A

What are Alison and Ava making in the video?

Alison and Ava are making an elevator using a pulley system in the video.

What is Ava's favorite Winkle project she has ever done?

Ava's favorite Winkle project is the crystal snowflake, followed by the bunny painting and then the elevator project because she is in it.

What materials are included in the kit for making the elevator?

The kit includes a wooden dowel, two puff balls, two pipe cleaners, glue, string, two popsicle sticks, a push pin, a binder clip, and googly eyes.

What additional items are needed to complete the elevator project?

Additional items needed are a pair of scissors, a pencil, and a box, which could be a Winkle box or any other box similar in size.

How does the pulley system in the elevator project work?

The pulley system in the elevator project works by looping the string over the stick, which allows the elevator to move up and down when the handle is turned.

Why are popsicle sticks added to the bottom of the elevator platform?

Popstick sticks are added to the bottom of the elevator platform to add balance and weight, preventing the elevator from flapping around.

How do you ensure the pulley is straight in the box?

To ensure the pulley is straight in the box, you need to measure and mark the box at equal distances from the top and the sides, and then poke holes at these marks.

What is the purpose of perforating the cardboard with a push pin before bending it?

Perforating the cardboard with a push pin before bending it makes it easier to create a nice crease and bend in the cardboard for the elevator platform.

How do you attach the string to the elevator platform?

You attach the string to the elevator platform by poking holes at half an inch from the edge of the flap, threading the string through these holes, and tying knots to secure it.

What role do the passengers made from puff balls and pipe cleaners play in the elevator project?

The passengers made from puff balls and pipe cleaners add stability to the elevator and help distribute weight evenly so the elevator can lift and lower smoothly.

How do you ensure the string is taut on both sides of the pulley before gluing it in place?

You ensure the string is taut on both sides by adjusting it to have the same amount of slack or tightness, and then gluing the knots and string to the dowel to hold it in place.