Science and art have always been interconnected, without borders. Figures such as Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo cannot be defined. They never were only inventors, engineers or scientists, but also painters and sculptors.
Recently, the attention paid to science through STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) has picked up an “A” for Art, creating a new acronym, STEAM, based on an interdisciplinary approach between art and science.
European Project Holomakers, implemented as part of the Erasmus+ Programme, uses art as a lens to observe, decipher and learn scientific subjects. The process of developing holograms is used as a creative tool to bring school and research communities closer together and allow students to learn about lab practices.
Here are the project’s initial didactic materials, which are now also available in Italian. The project involved high school students studying STEAM subjects with new teaching methodologies.
The first worksheet presents an experiment that aims to determine the distance between two tracks recorded on a CD or DVD. This is possible because the discs can be analysed as a diffraction grating support and the period of the matrix corresponds to the distance amongst the tracks with saved information.
Besides the worksheets, the following material can also be downloaded and shared via the Creative Commons (non commercial) license:
• Making Holograms
Moreover, the on-line course is freely accessible and includes didactic materials for teachers, tutorials and focus material. To register on-line, please follow the instructions provided in the guide.
