Wind chimes
Dylan Bai
Dilworth School
Year 6 Technology
Teacher: Sarah Blenkiron
When Dilworth School's music teacher commissioned a sound sculpture for the performing arts area, the Year 6 Technology class was given an opportunity to contribute to the endeavour. Dylan studied the wind chimes his teacher brought into class, and then researched different wind chimes, looking at how they were constructed and decorated. He considered key attributes such as materials, sound, and ornamentation, and used this as the basis for his own initial key attributes, which he then analysed and refined.
Dylan hadn't worked in metal before, so found it useful examining the properties of some appropriate metals and comparing their qualities when cutting, drilling, filing, punching, and engraving. He decided that aluminium would be the most suitable for the chimes component of his product.
Dylan sketched his initial ideas based on an outer space theme, then modelled them in 2-D and 3-D drawings. After analysing and evaluating each design, he decided to develop an unidentified flying object (UFO) idea as his final design.
Dylan tested materials for hanging the wind chimes, to determine relative strength and ease of use. After comparing fishing wire, plastic cord, and string, he decided that the plastic cord had the strength and flexibility he required.
As part of his planning process, Dylan wrote a flow chart showing the different tasks he had to do when constructing his work. He also completed a diary of manufacture as he worked through the construction stage.
Dylan made the chimes first, from aluminium tubes that he sawed into 8cm lengths – he wanted them reasonably long in order to get a louder sound, and drilled holes in the chimes to enhance this effect. He sawed and filed plastic to make a star and a planet to hang underneath the UFO. Dylan then cut a sheet of steel to make a circular base for the UFO, which he then constructed from wood and foam that he shaped, glued and painted. The UFO was hung from more plastic cord, along with a bead 'planet'.
When evaluating his work Dylan said that despite some difficulties in finding the right pieces of material it had turned out well, but that if he did it again he would make the wind chimes shorter and put more detail into it.
Teacher comment
Dylan listened very carefully and clearly understood what he had to do. He had a good sense of the properties of the different materials and could explain why they were particularly suitable for this project. Dylan's design style demonstrated an advanced sketching ability. He explained his ideas extremely clearly, and the way he justified his ideas at each stage was just great.
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