This activity was purely experimental in terms of our facilitation. We were testing many of these food items for the first time (2% milk being the exception) and we were eager to see what happened with others.

What surprised us the most was the amount of variation in the resistance from a twinkie. (Depending on how much of the white-goo fell between the copper probes, we recorded cricket readings anywhere from 74-240) This made for great tunes.

Karen facilitated one of the MIDI tables, while I facilitated the other. The center food table was unstaffed, but when new visitors came in, we suggested they go there first to collect food to test.

The "batteries and buzzers" table was not facilitated, but we each brought people over to it when they asked a question that might be answered with a little experimentation at that table.

Some visitors wandered in and just messed around with the batteries, bulbs, milk and buzzers. (Although food from the center table eventually ended up at this table too.)

  

"We had people pick an instrument. Then we just subtracted 101 from each sensor reading, and used that as the pitch." -mike


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If you have any questions or ideas to add,
write 2us@exploratorium.edu

Thanks - Karen/Mike