Project 1: Create your own Spinning Wonder!

The "Spinning Wonder" is another name for a thaumatrope. Popularized during the Victorian era, it is a simple animated toy that demonstrates the principal of "persistence of vision." It is a small, circular card or disc, held on opposite sides by pieces of string or rubber bands. A picture is drawn on each side, and when the disc is spun, the two images appear to become superimposed.

Although the thaumatrope does not produce animated scenes, it relies on the same principle that other optical toys use to create illusions of motion. Persistence of vision is the eye's ability to retain an image for roughly 1/20th of a second after the object is gone. In this case, the eye continues to see the two images on either side of the thaumatrope shortly after each has disappeared. As the thaumatrope spins, the series of quick flashes is interpreted as one continuous image.

To make your own, follow the steps illustrated below:

1. On a stiff piece of paper, draw an image on one side. Tie a piece of string to each side.
2. Draw an image on the other side. Think about 2 images that can be overlaid on each other.
3. Spin the thaumatrope! The two images become one (like this flower in the vase).

Here's a link to some examples of thaumatropes.