Head Sparks – 10 week STEAM program

What Is Head Sparks ?

Children are constantly fascinated by things that change.
This could be the seasons, slime, or music!
Things that change tend to wrap the child's attention leading them to the next big discovery in their life!
The Sonic Kitchen presents an exciting branch of STEAM incursions called Head Sparks!
The central theme being Sound, but extending to Electricity, Light, and Music.
Please explore the menu for the range of unique experiences that will inspire your centre!

Duration

Head Sparks is a 10 week program typically starting in July and carrying over National Science Week.
This means there is 1 module per week for 10 weeks.

The Head Sparks series is kickstarted with Spark!
Spark! is a highly interactive show that introduces children to the concept of the electric forces.
This natural force is the key agent of all living things, and is the key agent in our techno age.

The central device in this show is a Van De Graaff Generator.
This is a static electricity generator that as the power to move objects with no obvious physical connection.

Spark involves:

1. literally hair raising experiments
2. creating little lighting bolts
3. demonstrating the motive power of electrical forces
4. children gaining a respect for electricity

Spark! is a thrilling and fresh presentation that promotes the appreciation for this marvellous unseen force.

Spark!

(2-5 yrs) show

The discovery of static electricity was by the Greeks over 2,600 years ago around 600 BC. The word "elektron" in Greek means amber.
Amber is petrified tree resin, and the ancients knew that when you rub an amber rod with a piece of cloth,
the amber attracts small pieces of leaves or dust. It is known that when people were bored at parties, women would rub their amber jewellery
on their fur clothing and then touch frogs. The frogs would leap in desperation due to the static electricity that formed on the amber jewellery.
This was the inspiration for Leaping Frogs.

Leaping Frogs involves:

1. children generate electricity using a bicycle
2. when the lights in the room turn green, a child presses the launch button
3. the objects on the launch box (e.g plastic frogs) are propelled upward
4. we also experiment with heavier objects, a study of motion

Leaping frogs is an amazing physics environment.
Allowing children to explore cause & effect, work & energy, electricity & air.
Ultimately, the drama of life !!

Leaping Frogs

(4-5 yrs) workshop

If someone told you "You can see sound!!", would you call them crazy?
Introducing Seeing Sound.
Where children mix science, technology, art, and interactivity
We conducted science experiments where children can see sound and interact with it.

Seeing Sound involves:

1. making slime
2. making the slime dance using a loudspeaker
3. making sand pictures using vibration
4. we play a tone game called "Louder/Softer"

Seeing Sound demonstrates the unbreakable link between Movement and Sound and is guaranteed to surprise!!

Seeing Sound

(2-5 yrs) show

AquaSonics is an amazing physics workshop where we explore the nature of water and sound.

AquaSonics involves

1. exploring vibration in strings
2. exploring vibration in water and other fluids
3. mixing colours using vibration
4. making musical glasses

AquaSonics is a weird, wonderful, watery environment that links
electricity, mechanics, and music.

AquaSonic

(4-5 yrs) workshop

Children often imagine themselves as being a Giant, a Robot, or a fierce Lion.
Silly Sounds brings this to life!
Silly Sounds explores sound/voice using music technology.

Silly Sounds involves:

1. sing-song
2. voice recording
3. voice transformation
4. sound recognition + tone games

Finally, each child uses the microphone and rumbles the room with their LOUD MONSTER ROAR!!
This is a dynamic session that is loads of fun and links music, technology, creativity, and voice.

Silly Sounds

(2-5 yrs) show

Scribble Sound

(4-5 yrs) workshop

Scribble Sound is a new take on an old concept.
Are you old enough to know what a phonograph is ?
If not, it is a device that reads the grooves on a vinyl record and interprets the grooves as sound!
The same is true with Scribble Sound, instead computers interpret their scribble or drawings as sound art.

Scribble Sound Involves:

1. children draw a picture.
2. children scan the image.
3. the computer interprets the drawing as sound art.
4. children manipulate the image in turn the sounds.

Scribble Sound is a great example of digital art.
It is a looking-glass into the art of the future.

If you love interactive light & sound environments then look no further!!
The ChromaPhonic environment contains Light boxes, Microphones, Drums, and iPads.
The ChromaPhonic environment is completely reactive!!! controlled by speech or touch.

ChromaPhonics involves:

1. changing the motion of lights
2. using voice and touch to change light colours and intensities
3. playing a unique light & sound vowels game.
4. viewing voice as a living colour light spectrum

ChromaPhonics is the perfect bridge between Light, Sound, Movement, and Language.

Please click here to acces event notes for a more detailed description
Please click here to access BBB mapping
Please click If you wish to download / print out an event blurb for your centre.

ChromaPhonics

(0-5 yrs) interactive environment

Zap n Zing

(4-5 yrs) workshop

In this techno age we are immersive in electronic gadgets.
PC's, Tablets, Smart Phones just to name a few.
But underneath all the complexity are some really simple concepts.
The Sonic Kitchen presents Zap n Zing.
In this workshop, children have the opportunity to design and draw their very first circuit !

Zap n Zing involves:

1. designing/drawing a circuit on paper using a graphite crayon
2. attaching an LED to the circuit
3. power-up the circuit using lemons !!
4. experimenting with varying the light intensity

Zap n Zing is an excellent project for learning about how electricity influences light.
Please click here to see an example.

Children have a lively fascination with the Jungle.
So we wanted to accent that interest by building an interactive light & sound environment called "Jungle Fever"

Jungle Fever involves:

1. controlling animal light boxes and a light/sound flower sculpture
2. interacting with a digital drawing program called insi-binsi
3. a trilling jungle story (for ages 3-5 yrs)
4. children enjoying a tribal jam using jungle instruments

This experience brings a pinch of Vivid to your centre, enabling kids to use our custom interactive technologies.
You will truly enjoy an experience that is unparalleled in the Early Learning Industry.

Please click If you wish to download / print out an event blurb for your centre.

Jungle Fever

(0-5 yrs) interactive environment

ChromaCraft

(4-5 yrs) workshop

ChromaCraft is the final workshop in the Head Sparks! series.
Again, we are exploring light and the manipulation of light.
The word 'Chroma' is greek for 'Colour'.
And Craft largely involves shape elements to make a new unique thing.

ChromaCraft involves:

1. designing gobos (i.e light shaping units)
2. shaping different colour lights
3. exploring refraction, reflection, dispersion
4. exploring the rainbow

ChromaCraft is a vibrant way to end the Head Sparks! series.
Exploring the most influential energies to fill our life, Light & Sound!