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Design Session 4

Lights On!

We went through the process of coding for LilyPad circuit boards and got design feedback on the process and the boards. 

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What are LilyPad circuit boards?

LilyPad circuit boards are a collection of tech like lights, buzzers, batteries that you can program by connecting them to a computer and using an Arduino coding app. 

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How do you code?

Kids had fun coding because there are preset codes that you can use to get started. The preset codes allow kids a low barrier of entry for participation and they can play around with elements in the code to begin learning through doing. 

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March 2 - Lights On

Technique

Stickies, Big paper

 

Goal

Practice and understand simple codes – Controlling LED lights

  •  Adjusting blink and delay time (seconds)

  •  Applying patterns to LED lights

  • Controlling LED lights with switch, button, and light sensor

 

Materials

  • Stickies, Markers, Pencil, White paper (A4), Big paper, White Board Markers

  • LilyPad Kits

  • Laptop

 

[3:30-4:00] Set Up

Camera (memory card, mic, 3 lights!)

Arrange tables for groups

 

[4:00-4:15] Snack Time 

 

[4:15-4:30] First Circle 

  • Ground Rules

  • Name, age, “Question of the day”

 

When did you feel lights are needed? Did you have any problems because of the absence of the light?

  • What did we do last week? How to sew

  • Short discussion on the basic concept of coding (or programming) 

    • Coding, or programming is a language that you can control the technology.

    • You can design your own rule!

  • Introduce practices that we are going to do briefly 

    • Being a pro in controlling LED lights; learn and practice the codes for controlling LED lights.

    • How can we use LED lights on fabric in emergent situation?

 

[4:30-5:15] Design Session 

Being a pro in controlling LED lights [abt. 30 minutes]

  •  Start with a paper, pencil and laptop.

  •  Practice your LED lights programming with example codes;

    • Making LED lights blink faster or slower 

    • Turn on/off one or more LED lights at the same time by using button or switch

    • Turn on/off LED lights by using a light sensor

  • Collect the stickies from each group; like, dislike, and design idea

 

Help me! [abt. 15 minutes]

  • Start with a big paper, pencil, and markers

  • Suppose you are in an emergency situation; injured, isolated on an island, stuck in darkness…

o   How can we design our fabric stuff useful in that situation by applying what we learned the previous session?

o   Write down your idea on a big paper

 

[5:15-5:30] Closing Circle Time 

  • Identify common/overlapping ideas from the collected stickies briefly

  • Share your big paper with other groups

 

[5:30-5:40] Wrap UP

  • Clean Up, Debrief, Take out SD card and put the camera away 

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