Third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade scholars in Laura Hurn’s STEM class recently completed a project that combined knowledge from two previous units of content on circuits and reusing recycled materials. The end goal was to create a fully functional controller that could be used on students’ computers.
The monthlong process started with students choosing which games they wanted to design their controller for. Hurn said she used Makey Makey’s plug and play online games to give scholars a starting point. They chose a variety of games such as a soccer game, a piano simulator, a rhythm game, and pinball.
Then, students got to work planning their designs, cutting out pieces of paper as a base and thinking about where they wanted each command to be. Scholars used conductive materials – foil, play-doh, pencil lead, or conductive tape – to link each function on a motherboard to a designated spot on their controller.
A student plays a soccer game using his controller made with paper, a motherboard, and conductive materials.
Going through this process allowed for trial and error, making students think outside of the box and solve problems. Most challenges came from objects disrupting the circuit connecting the controller to the motherboard. Hurn said the class had done hands-on work with circuits in a prior unit, so once they got the hang of it, students found success.
“They were able to take the information from our prior lessons and apply it to the controllers they made,” Hurn said. “Then they could problem solve because when I would bring up some of the vocabulary words from that unit, they already had experience with them. So, when I told them it wasn’t a closed circuit, they knew what they were looking for.”
Despite student concerns, the end product was a functional controller that responded to every touch. The entire class was engaged with their paper controllers, amazed that with just a few materials, they could move a soccer player around a field or play the piano. With these sorts of creative opportunities in a STEM-focused class, it’s no surprise South Canton outperforms the local district.
Hurn, who also teaches an outdoor education class at South Canton, said the project also required scholars to engage with Moral Focus virtues and lessons, citing courage and perseverance as two virtues students displayed.
STEM Teacher Laura Hurn said the project involved using Moral Focus virtues: “It takes a lot of courage to come up with your own idea,” Hurn said. “It isn’t something we have hours and hours to do, so it takes courage to say ‘OK, I’m going to try this even though I don’t know if it will work.’”
“It takes a lot of courage to come up with your own idea,” Hurn said. “It isn’t something we have hours and hours to do, so it takes courage to say ‘OK, I’m going to try this even though I don’t know if it will work.’ It’s that combination of perseverance and courage to see if they’re able to try it out. They’re also using wisdom to make good choices as they create.”
The project is also another example of how this STEM class is preparing scholars for the future. As circuits are the foundation of all electric systems, knowing how they work is essential to technical career paths.
Hurn said she loves to see lessons click for her students and hopes to inspire them to future success.
“I’m able to say ‘This is math. This is science.’,” Hurn said. “I tell them that these are things they can do as a career when they’re older. They’re shocked by that. I’m able to spark that interest in them and show them what we do in here now does benefit your future.”
Students were able to make their controller look like anything they imagined. This student made theirs in the shape of a guitar.
Great job, Laura! What an exciting way to engage South Canton scholars.
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About South Canton Scholars
South Canton Scholars is a tuition-free, public charter school in Canton, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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