How to Make a "Magic Brain" to Reinforce Content in the Classroom.

The objective of this project is to create a magical brain, a game in which there are cards with questions and answers that must be joined by making contact with the crocodile clips. As a sign that the chosen question was answered correctly, an LED light turns on.

This is an ideal project to learn a little about circuits in the classroom and reinforce the topics covered, as the cards are fully customizable and cards can be designed for many different topics. Now yes, let's start with the tutorial.

Supplies

• A piece of 60cm x 40cm x 0.5cm MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard)

• 4m of cable, including waste.

• 16 butterfly hooks

• One universal pliers and one side cutting pliers

• Acrylic of any color, in this case copper

• Electrical or electrical tape

• A hot glue gun

• Four pieces of wood

• A portalled

• An LED light

• A cap of a plastic bottle

• A battery holder

• Batteries for the battery holder

• A painter's tape or paper tape

• Hole punch

Step 1: Make the Marks for the Holes

The first step is to make the measurements and make a mark in the places where the hole will later be drilled. For that, at the top, you have to make a mark centered horizontally at 4cm from the top edge. In this mark will go the portal and its respective led. The next mark will be located 8cm from the top edge and 7cm from the side edge. This step should be repeated only 7cm from the other side edge. The cables that will be attached to the crocodile clips, the terminals, will pass through these holes. The next step is to draw a vertical line perpendicular to the top edge. This line should be located 8 cm from the lateral edge. Repeat this step only 8cm from the other side edge. On this line you have to mark a point 11cm from the top edge. From this point and always on the vertical line, continue measuring and marking 7 more points, one below the other, separated by 5cm. Follow this same procedure to mark another eight points on the other line.

Step 2: Make the Holes

It's time to make the holes. For that you have to measure, first, the portaled and choose the right wick. After making this hole you have to continue with the other two below. For that, as with the previous hole, you have to choose a wick whose diameter is the same as that of the cable. After making the holes with the hole punch, you have to continue with the others. Simply choose a bit that is smaller than the diameter of the top of the butterfly hook and larger than the measurement of the two "legs" of the hook to finish all the holes. With this wick, the last 16 holes must be made, in which the butterfly hooks will go.

Step 3: Stick the Pieces of Wood in the Corners to Hold the Board

The next thing to do is, with the hot glue gun, join the pieces of wood with the 60cmx40cm wood, leaving a space of 1cm between the pieces of wood and the edges. Place the two largest ones in the upper corners and the two smaller ones in the lower corners.

Step 4: Connect the Aligator Clips

The wood part is ready, now we have to start with the circuit. For that you have to cut the cable so that it measures 55cm. Now, with the help of universal pliers and side cutters, you have to strip the two ends of the cable.

One of the two ends must be attached to the crocodile clip. To achieve this, use the pliers to cut the tip of one of the two plastic parts that serve to insulate the crocodile clip. This allows the cable to pass through, which is then hooked with the help of the clamp to one of the two holes. Once this is done, you can put the insulating plastic back in place. Now that the cable and the crocodile clip are already joined, you have to pass the part of the stripped cable (which does not have the crocodile clip attached) through one of the two holes below the one for the LED light. You have to pass the cable to the back of the wood to a point where the crocodile clip reaches the last row of holes but does not go too far. When you get to this point you have to make a knot (at the back) with the cable, so that it cannot reach more than the last one. This same procedure must be repeated passing the cable through the other hole.

Step 5: Connect the Led and the Battery Holder

From now on you have to work on the other side of the magical brain, so you have to turn it around. In the hole of the light you have to, first, put the led portal and then the led. Then what you have to do (with the hot glue gun) is to glue the battery holder to the wood. To finish this part of the circuit, you have to join one of the ends of the cables of the crocodile clips to the LED. The other leg of the LED is connected to one of the cables coming out of the battery holder. Optionally, you can stick the cap of the plastic bottle on top of the LED, so that the light is diffused. Finally, the other cable that comes out of the battery holder is connected to the cable of the crocodile clip. To connect these cables, what you have to do is splice them and then tape them with electrical tape.

Step 6: Paint the Board

The next thing to do is paint it. In this case we are going to paint it with a copper colored acrylic. When painting the back, be careful not to paint the cables, the battery holder, or the LED. For that, it is recommended to make a rectangle with painter's tape around that part of the circuit, so that it remains unpainted.

Step 7: Make the Connections Between the Butterfly Hooks

To finish the circuit part, put all the contacts in their holes and join them with a wire. For that, you have to measure, depending on the combination you want to put, between hole and hole. The combination that we will use in this project is in the image shown above, but everyone can invent their own.

After cutting cables to length, stripping the two ends, the butterfly hooks need to be put in place. After putting them on, you have to fold the two "legs" that they have on themselves, so that the cable hooks easily. After all the cables are joined, the joints must be taped.

Step 8: Make the Cards

Only the questions and their answers are missing! The answer to each question must be connected behind the magic brain, so that when we make contact with the crocodile clips, the circuit is closed and the LED lights up. For that, the first thing was to design them. In this case they were designed on the computer, and then printed on cardboard. You have to cut them out and drill a hole in the right place so that it hooks into the butterfly hooks.

Clarification: if in your magical brain you connected the first butterfly hook of the first row with the third of the other, card number three will have to contain the answer to question number one.

Step 9: Conclusion

Ready! The magic brain is now ready to use!

As we said at the beginning, this is a good science project for grades 6-8. I hope that if you are a teacher, you can apply what you learned in this instructable in the classroom, and if you are not, you may have had some fun with this fun project!