In class for the past few weeks we have been working on a big project called “Metaphor Machine”. Throughout the process up until now we have been researching and learning about different concepts that will all together create our machines.We first were split into groups of four or five, these were the groups we would be working on this project with for the next little while.
The project started off with picking a revolution that your group would be researching about. We picked the Haitian revolution which was one of the most successful slave revolts of all times. All the groups then had to make a timeline of the revolution with three different columns: one for the revolts, one for metaphors to connect each part of our machine to the revolution and one column for which parts of the Haitian revolution fit into the four stages of the revolution. To find out what the four stages of a revolution are, we learned about Cran Brinton’s theory. At first my group just didn’t know where to start but once we got started we got on a role and finished our timeline pretty quickly.
Another big part that contributed to the machine was adding the “Steampunk” aspect. Steampunk is based off of science fiction, fantasy and the early 1900s. If you want to learn more about it click Here!!
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- Steampunk style
So far the project has gone pretty well, but with only a few days until the due date for the first draft we are a little tight for time. We have finished the first part of the machine where a gear is dropped which rips a piece of paper sending a ball down a ramp leading into knife plinko. We had a few challenges finding a way to rip the paper but we finally found a way by attaching a paper clip to a piece of PVC piping to hold the paper. Then a gear with a string attached to the piping will pull the paper causing it to rip releasing the ball onto the ramp.
Here a video of us putting together part of our machine :
Over all I think my group has worked together very well and we will have an amazing final project!