STEM Dancing Heads

Description

Build these dancing heads and discover the engineering beauty of eccentric wheels!

In this activity, you will use three wheels whose axle hole is on the edge of the disk. When these wheels are mounted on an axle, the outer edge of the disk pushes on another mechanism to produce a repeating motion. This motion creates the dancing heads.

When you have an axle that is off center, it creates an unusual movement. Engineers use eccentric wheels for things like car pistons, locomotives, oil rigs, and amusement park rides. And now, your students will build and understand how and why eccentric wheels work in an engaging STEM activity.