Lab 5: Paper Stories
Students use the micro:bit I/O pins to wire up LEDs using copper tape. They first learn how to make a copper tape LED circuit without code. Then, they learn how to control the lights using digital pin blocks by making an LED blink and a custom paper craft project.
Pacing
This lab is designed for 2–4 class periods (90–175 minutes).
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Activity 1: LED It Glow.
- Materials: LED It Glow student page
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Prepare:
- Lay out materials for students to make simple copper tape circuits. Make sure that they are plentiful and not precious, as part of learning how to make a copper tape circuit is making mistakes.
- Keep LEDs in a small container to keep them from dispersing widely.
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Learning Goals:
- Make a simple circuit using an LED, coin cell battery, and copper tape.
- Practice manipulating copper tape and making electrical connections.
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Activity Plan:
- Students gather the materials they need to make a copper tape circuit.
- Students map out and make a circuit.
- If time, students make circuits with more than one LED.
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Tips:
- Copper tape can be finnicky. If possible, keep one continuous piece for each segment.
- If two pieces need to be connected to one another, the top of the copper tape is slightly more conductive than the adhesive side so connecting two top pieces might make for a stronger connection.
- If LED does not light up, try smoothing out the tape or checking the battery and LED direction. Also try a different LED. If looking to invest in tools, a multimeter and soldering iron can make troubleshooting easier.
- Standards: None covered.
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Activity 2: Blink.
- Materials: Blink student page
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Prepare:
- Lay out materials in an easy to access manner.
- Make accessible the practice circuits from Activity 1 as reference.
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Learning Goals:
- Use code to control the LED by turning it on and off.
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Activity Plan:
- Students make a copper tape circuit using a micro:bit.
- Students program the light to turn on and off.
- Students create custom light blink patterns and add inputs to control these patterns.
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Standards:
- 2-CS-03: Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
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Activity 3: Paper Story.
- Materials: Paper Story student page
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Prepare:
- Make available paper supplies and tools.
- Clear surfaces so programming and physical making can happen side-by-side.
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Learning Goals:
- Create light patterns using code.
- Control multiple LEDs simultaneously.
- Craft a narrative around the lights.
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Activity Plan:
- Students can build off of their projects from Activity 2 or start an entirely new circuit.
- Encourage planning and mapping out LED placement.
- Students create with code and paper to make their stories.
- Once complete, consider wiring up their projects for display.
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Standards:
- 2-CS-03: Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
Feedback
Your feedback is critical to the success of this pilot. Please let us know how each lab went. For this lab, you might provide feedback such as:
- What types of projects did students make with paper circuits?
- What challenges did students encounter when building their paper circuits?
- What challenges did students encounter when programming their LEDs?
Correlation with CSTA Standards
- 2-CS-03: Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components. Since a computing device may interact with interconnected devices within a system, problems may not be due to the specific computing device itself but to devices connected to it. Just as pilots use checklists to troubleshoot problems with aircraft systems, students should use a similar, structured process to troubleshoot problems with computing systems and ensure that potential solutions are not overlooked. Examples of troubleshooting strategies include following a troubleshooting flow diagram, making changes to software to see if hardware will work, checking connections and settings, and swapping in working components.