Year 6 were presented with the task of investigating some new technology resources at Provo Primary School today. Advertised as ‘an invention kit for the 21st century’, it was a session of experimentation, creativity and collaboration, with three groups exploring our new ‘Makey Makey’ interface controling kits.
Each group was given a Makey Makey kit, along with access to an array of resources to use with it. Encouraged to read and follow the instructions included in the box, and to simply try things out, it wasn’t long before each group understood their potential and were busy working together to come up with their own inventive applications. Connecting their Makey Makeys with cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, coins and playdough they were soon playing pianos and bongo drums, and creating control pads for computer games.
By the end of the session, through their own experimentation and interest, the students had learnt about the basics of computer input devices, had explored circuit making and had investigated the conductivity of different materials. Not bad for a 60 minute lesson! It was particularly exciting to witness the moment when they realised that they themselves were conductive!
Makey Makeys are simple invention kits but, with so many possibilities, they offer incredible potential for child-initiated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning. Our Year 6 were certainly enthralled and buzzing with ideas on what they are planning to develop in their next session. We look forward to seeing what they come up with and sharing their creations with you!
How Does it Work?
As a simple demonstration of its application, alligator clip two objects to the MaKey MaKey board. For example, you and a banana.
When you touch the banana, you make a connection, and MaKey MaKey sends the computer a keyboard message. The computer just thinks MaKey MaKey is a regular keyboard (or mouse). Therefore it works with all programs and webpages, because all programs and webpages take keyboard and mouse input.
Make + Key = MaKey MaKey!
Any material that can conduct at least a tiny bit of electricity will work – ketchup, pencil graphite, finger paint, playdough, fruit and humans of course!
Everyone can be creative, inventive, and imaginative. The whole world is a construction kit, if we choose to see it that way. When you have the “Maker’s Mindset,” you know you can change the world and our Year 6 certainly started to today!
Want to know more about Makey Makey – then watch these two video:
MaKey MaKey – An Invention Kit for Everyone from jay silver on Vimeo.
Makey Makey GO from clubhousedrawdio on Vimeo.