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, music, and magnetism.
Please explore the menu for the range of unique experiences that will inspire your centre!

Duration

Head Sparks is a 10 week program.
This means there is 1 lesson per week for 10 weeks.
It runs in term 2 and term 3 every year.
Term 3 typically will start in July and carrying over National Science Week.

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

Electricity drives our economy, and air enables us to live.
So why not combine the 2 concepts into one drama-filled workshop?
Leaping Frogs is intriguing and interactive, bombastic and graceful, educational and fun.

Leaping Frogs involves:

1. children making electricity and exploring air and pressure
2. generating electricity using a hand cranked generator
3. lights in the room turn green, a child presses the launch button
4. the objects on the launch box (e.g plastic frogs) are propelled upward

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

Electricity drives our economy, and air enables us to live.
So why not combine the 2 concepts into one drama-filled workshop?
Leaping Frogs is intriguing and interactive, bombastic and graceful, educational and fun.

Leaping Frogs involves:

1. children making electricity and exploring air and pressure
2. generating electricity using a hand cranked generator
3. lights in the room turn green, a child presses the launch button
4. the objects on the launch box (e.g plastic frogs) are propelled upward

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, sound, and colour

AquaSonics involves

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

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

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.

ChromaPhonics

(0-5 yrs) interactive environment

ElecTrick

(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 ElecTrick.
In this workshop, children have the opportunity to design and make their very first circuit!

ElecTrick involves:

1. making a circuit on paper using adhesive copper tape
2. attaching an LED and/or buzzer to the circuit
3. power-up the circuit using coin batteries and potatoes!!
4. experimenting with varying the light intensity

ElecTrick is an excellent workshop for learning how craft, food, and electricity can produce light & sound.

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. exploring the sounds the jungle
3. interacting with a digital drawing program called incy-wincy
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

North + South

(4-5 yrs) workshop

The magnetic force is invisible and powerful.
Magnetism is a major part of our lives, found in toys, the earth, motors, compasses, credit cards, and loudspeakers.

North + South involves:

1. learning about the north and south of a magnet
2. finding and drawing the magnetic field around a magnet
3. exploring repulsion and attraction
4. experimenting with magnetic fluid

North + South is interactive, innovative, and informative!
Connecting magnetism with mechanics, electricity, and sound.