Hello creative learning friends! The theme of this week's sparks is "paper engineering":
Spark #1 - Check out this inspiration-filled video from Kelli Anderson's Paper Engineering Class. So many interesting mechanisms! It looks like there are still some spots available in future classes and the supply list and sample syllabus are worth checking out too.
Spark #2 - "Paper Pocket Pets" . This Instructable brings together origami, and programmable lights and motors (using the micro:bit) to create little characters that are pocket-sized and can interact with the world around them. I see lots of little ideas to take away from this instructable: Using a pocket to tuck away electronics and batteries (and to create a container for your pet), using origami + motors to make the pets move in an interesting and almost lifelike way, a nice way to leverage the micro:bit's radio capabilities, and more!
Spark #3 - The "pop-up" channel on Youtube. This is a treasure trove of clear and easy-to-follow paper pop-up tutorials. I followed one of these tutorials to make these shape-changing paper earrings.