Month:

STEM in the Arts (Short)

  • September 9

Join Sam Baker of KERA Public Radio as he moderates a panel with creative and technical professionals from across the Dallas Arts District and discovers how STEM is part of their work. Curators, dance choreographers, and other professionals who shape the offerings of key institutions in the Dallas Arts District share their perspectives on the math and science embedded in the work that they do. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freel... CONTINUE READING

STEM in the Arts (Full version)

  • September 9

Join Sam Baker of KERA Public Radio as he moderates a panel with creative and technical professionals from across the Dallas Arts District and discovers how STEM is part of their work. Curators, dance choreographers, and other professionals who shape the offerings of key institutions in the Dallas Arts District share their perspectives on the math and science embedded in the work that they do. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freel... CONTINUE READING

How Hard Do Robots Work?

  • September 9

Much of the luggage sorting and transport at the Dallas Love Field Airport is manage by robots built by the Daifuku company. This system can process massive amounts of luggage every year – but how much does it handle, on average, every day? With some simple calculations, we can calculate just how fast this robot-run system operates compared to a human-only method. This video was supported by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend s... CONTINUE READING

How do Forces Work?

  • September 9

The sculpture Sky uses a structural system of fiberglass rods to keep all of its components supported and in place. The arrangement of these rods make use of tension and compression forces to spread out weight and and force along the entire structure – something that we can analyze through basic shapes. This video was supported by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are freely available her... CONTINUE READING

How Do Artists Use Technology?

  • September 9

The design of a sculpture like Luminaria takes a lot of work, and technology can help make that happen! From the initial data turned into the patterns on the lanterns sides, to the compute software used to shape them into a wrap-around lantern, to the steel-cutting and engineering needed to construct and install them, the sections of this piece prove great examples of how art and science are never far apart. This video was supported by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs. Supplementary... CONTINUE READING

How did Calatrava Build this Sculpture?

  • September 9

Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor admires the stunning and dynamic Wave sculpture created by renowned artist Santiago Calatrava. He asks and answers three questions about this artwork: Is it straight or is it curved? Is it symmetric? How did Calatrava build this sculpture?... CONTINUE READING

Why is the Ceiling Made of Triangles?

  • September 9

Why do we see so many triangles in buildings? Why is it one of the strongest shapes? We invite all interested groups to reach out and find more information on creating content of their own math walk or STEM walking tour with us at https://talkstem.org/create-your-own-walkstem.... CONTINUE READING

Can We Figure Out Which End is Which in the Engine of the Blackbird?

  • September 9

As we observe the engine of the Blackbird jet, an airplane capable of supersonic speed, we wonder if we can figure out, using our observational powers alone, which end is the front and which end is the rear of the engine? It's fun to figure out – and in the process, we notice and learn a good amount about the structure of an engine. Supplementary Activity Guides to extend student learning at the Frontiers of Flight Museum for K-12 grade levels are freely available here:... CONTINUE READING