Physical World Language Map With Makey Makey

This project combines real culturals objects and languages to make an interactive and 3D map! Learning about cultures and languages around the world is very important and interesting and this project just introduces people to the basics of some cultures.

This project is perfect for someone 10+. Assembling the project is not a difficult process and the coding is also extremely simple!

This project implements culture, language and geography all into one, and briefly teaches anyone of interest about specific countries!

Supplies

Cardboard (30 x 20 inches)
Scotch tape
Copper Tape
Aluminum foil
Paper clip
African Wooden Elephant (or other African figure)
Chinese Cloisonne Egg
Mini Metal Eiffel Tower figure
Pesos Coins
Russian Nesting Dolls
Poster Glue (or regular glue)
Scissors

Step 1: Assembling the Map

a. Print out preferred map of the world in 4 pages sized

b. Measure the center of the cardboard and draw guide lines.]

c. Cut the white edges off of the map and tape it together accordingly.

d. Glue the map to the cardboard.

Step 2: Making African Elephant Conductive

a. Take copper tape and line the back of the elephant vertically all the way to the stomach.

b. On the stomach, stretch out a paperclip and attach a flat end to the stomach.

c. Cut out a small hole in Kenya that should be underneath the Elephant’s stomach.

d. Weave paperclip through the hole.

Step 3: Making Eiffel Tower Conductive

a. The metal Eiffel Tower is already conductive however there is still work to be done.

b. Stick a little less than a tennis ball size amount of aluminum foil into the bottom of the tower.

c. Stretch out paperclip and stick through aluminum as far as it will go.

d. Using scotch tape, secure aluminum foil to the inside of tower.

e. Cut out a small hole in France that should be underneath the Eiffel Tower.

f. Weave paperclip through the hole.

Step 4: Setting Up Pesos for Map

a.Stretch out a paperclip and bend one side horizontally

b. Place one coin on top of the paperclip with a long piece of tape under the paperclip holding it all together.

c. Place more coins on the tape (MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALL TOUCHING SO THE CURRENT CAN FLOW)

d. Cut a small hole in Mexico that the paperclip will be able to easily fit through, and weave the paperclip through the hole.

Step 5: Making the Egg for Map

a. Stretch out a paperclip into a straight line

b. Fold the paperclip in half, and wear the two ends meet, fold them down horizontally.

c. Put a piece of copper tape surrounding the “longitude” of the egg.

d. Carefully put one end, then the other through the hole of the egg and make sure that the paperclip won’t fall out.

e. Cut a hole in China and weave the other end of the paperclip through.

Step 6: Making the Nesting Dolls Conductive

a. Take about 5 pieces of about 2 inch copper tape and layer them over the top of the doll.

b. Take two longer pieces and make sure they meet at the bottom of the doll.

c. Stretch out a paperclip and make one side horizontal.

d. Tape the horizontal side of the paperclip to the bottom of the doll.

e. Cut a hole in Russia and weave the paperclip through.

Step 7: Programming Scratch

a. Install the Makey Makey Add on to your scratch project.

b. Insert a sprite of tourists of your choosing and a background of the world of your choosing.

c. Use “when flag clicked” block and put motion block, size block, and show block underneath.

d. Create a new block and name it whatever you like, in this case it is called it “yes”. It sets a different coordinate and a different size.

e. Go to google sides and create a slide for each country. In each country will be the desired picture, the flag, and an empty box.

f. Add each background to scratch and insert a textbook and write, “____ is one of the languages spoken in ___”, and fill in the blank depending on the country.

g. For each country, use the makey makey “pressed arrow key” and switch the backdrop, add “yes” and play the sound of the specific language.

h. Finally, use “when this sprite clicked” block and use motion block, size block, and switch backdrop so the project will set back to the homescreen.

Step 8: Attaching the Makey Makey

a. Look back at the arrow keys that are designated for each country. On the Makey Makey these sections will connect to the specific country.

b. For example, for Kenya, attach an alligator clip to the down arrow key and to the paperclip below the cardboard. Repeat this step with each country in their desired key.

c. To plug in the Makey Makey, attach USB to laptop and other end to the Makey Makey.

d. Attach an alligator clip to the “ground” section on the bottom of the Makey Makey and you can hold it to complete the circuit.

Step 9: Testing

a. You can test to see if each country works by touching the conductive part of each. If the sound plays out of the laptop then the circuit is complete.

b. If not, make sure that all copper tape and other conductive materials used on each figure are touching.