Makerspaces & Makey Makey: Exploration Stations

Makerspaces provide an excellent platform for teaching students about Makey Makey and to give them opportunities to explore, challenge themselves, and create. Utilizing "Exploration Stations" is just one way to introduce students to the device, demonstrate its connections and how it works, and provide numerous levels of learning opportunities and challenges. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced stations will be introduced.

Step 1: Station #1: How Does It Work?

Plug & Play Activities

Students learn how to hook up Makey Makey, use a variety of conduction materials, and play games from the Plug and Play Coding Apps for Kids site. Teacher guides/questions students to help them understand and answer the question, "How does it work?" Students may explore alone, with a partner, or in small groups.

Supplies Needed:

- Station #1 sign
- Makey Makey kit
- Chromebook/laptop
- Bucket of conduction materials - Play-Doh, electrical tape, copper tape, cup of water, brads, etc.
- Plug and Play Coding Apps for Kids - site bookmarked or open (start with piano)

Step 2: Station #2: - I'm Ready for a Challenge

Simple to Complex Activities - circuits, switches, lights

Students learn how to create simple circuits, light up LED's, and create switches. Teacher guides/questions students to help them explore challenge cards, experiment with lights, and follow directions to make simple switches. Links to demonstration videos are also made available - switches and LED colored lights. Students may explore alone, with a partner, or in small groups.

Supplies Needed:

- Station #2 sign
- Makey Makey kit
- Chromebook/laptop
- Simple Circuits Challenge site from Makey Makey - pdf's are available for student challenge cards and circuit cards used for this station
- Student challenge cards
- Simple and Parallel circuit cards
- Laminated step-by-step switch directions
- Bucket of conduction materials from Station #1
- Tray of switch supplies - cardboard, rubberbands, foam, foil/silver tape, etc.
- Links to demonstration videos mentioned above

Step 3: Station #3: I Can't Wait to Design!

Sketch It, Play It & Interface with Scratch

Students learn how to sketch drawings that will be used to interface with Makey Makey; then learn to code with Scratch to make their drawings interactive. Teacher guides/questions students to help them explore with Makey Makey via graphite pencil conduction and use of drawings. For those new to coding, a sample Scratch scene is set up with simple code for each function on Makey Makey. Students explore how to use condition code for "when up arrow", "when down arrow", etc. Students may explore alone, with a partner, or in small groups.

Supplies Needed:
- Station #3 sign
- Makey Makey kit
- Chromebook/laptop
- Teacher Scratch account with basic scene/code for demo
- 2-sided instruction card - link to pdf found on Getting Started with Scratch
- Graphite pencils
- white paper
- Sketch It, Play It site for Makey Makey