Grade 5 · Laser & Vinyl · Lesson 02

Light & Shadow Story Machine

Engineer layered silhouettes that communicate a story through light.

Time2 × 60 minutes + adult cuttingTeamsTeams of 3–4EquipmentxTool laser cutters

Project inspiration · 3 images

See, build, and test

Use these images to understand the kind of making, details, and testing involved. They are inspiration—not designs students must copy.

Shadow story machine project overview
01Project overview
Shadow theater seen from the front and side
02Front and side
Back and overhead view showing the separated shadow layers
03Layers and spacing

Student quick guide

What are we doing?

1

Pick a simple story moment.

2

Make three layers: a place, a character, and an action.

3

Shine a light, test the spacing, and fix the part that is hard to see.

For teachers

Engineering standards

This shows how the lesson connects to the national NGSS engineering standards and what student work you can collect.

Practiced

3-5-ETS1-1

Teams define what viewers must recognize and set limits for size, layers, and material.

What students show: Story goal, criteria, and constraints on planning sheet.
Assessed

3-5-ETS1-2

Students compare two silhouette arrangements for clarity and strength.

What students show: Peer comparison notes tied to criteria.
Assessed

3-5-ETS1-3

Teams hold light distance constant while testing layer spacing, then revise a failure point.

What students show: Fair-test table and revised arrangement.

Materials

  • Flashlights or LED lights
  • White paper screens
  • Black cardstock and index cards
  • Pencils, tape, child-safe scissors
  • Rulers and spacing blocks
  • Computer with vector-drawing software
  • Lab-approved laser material selected by trained adult

Teacher preparation

  1. Darken one demonstration area safely.
  2. Prepare a simple three-layer sample: setting, character, action/object.
  3. Create 2 cm and 4 cm spacing blocks.
  4. Confirm approved material and ventilation procedures for the exact xTool model.
  5. Set file rule: G5_Team##_Shadow_v1; use closed vector paths only.

Step by step

How to teach it

0–12 min

Discover shadows

  1. Move one shape closer to and farther from the light.
  2. Students notice changes in size, sharpness, overlap, and readability.
  3. Introduce silhouette and negative space.
12–27 min

Plan two stories

  1. Choose a simple moment with a setting, character, and action/object.
  2. Sketch two three-layer arrangements.
  3. Check that important shapes connect and small loose islands are removed.
27–48 min

Prototype and compare

  1. Cut rough cardstock versions.
  2. A partner identifies the story without being told.
  3. Compare which arrangement best meets the criteria: recognizable, sturdy, and visually clear.
48–60 min

Fair-test spacing

  1. Keep the flashlight and screen in fixed positions.
  2. Test only the layer spacing at 2 cm and 4 cm.
  3. Record which spacing improves clarity and why.
Day 2

Revise and fabricate

  1. Revise one failure point from peer or test evidence.
  2. Trace or redraw final closed vector shapes.
  3. Trained adult reviews and operates the laser cutter.
  4. Teams assemble, present, and reflect on how light and design worked together.

Assessment

  • Scene communicates a recognizable setting, character, and action/object.
  • Comparison uses the stated criteria rather than personal preference alone.
  • Spacing test changes one variable and records observations.
  • Final design addresses a documented failure point.

Supports & extensions

  • Offer silhouette templates that students may combine and alter.
  • Let students tell the story orally before drawing.
  • Use high-contrast materials and tactile spacing blocks.
  • Assign team roles: storyteller, shape designer, tester, recorder.
  • Extension: test how changing light distance affects scale while spacing stays fixed.

Safety & responsible use

  • Students do not operate the laser cutter.
  • A trained adult verifies material, ventilation, focus, fire monitoring, and settings.
  • Never laser-cut PVC, vinyl, unknown plastics, or unidentified coated materials.
  • Use LED lights that remain cool and keep walkways clear in dim areas.

No-machine alternative

Create the final layers from black cardstock, recycled folders, or foam sheets using child-safe scissors. The engineering comparison and fair test remain unchanged.

Printable student design brief

The challenge

Build a three-layer shadow scene that lets another person recognize a story moment.

Success criteria

  • Viewer recognizes the main idea
  • Layers stay strong and connected
  • Shadows remain clear when assembled

Constraints

  • Exactly three main layers
  • Fits inside a teacher-provided frame
  • Only one test variable changes at a time

Engineer’s notes

Our viewer should notice…
Arrangement A works because…
The variable we changed was…
Our failure point was…
We revised… because the evidence…
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