3) What Does Makey Makey Do?

Activity B:

It's Okay to Play with Food!

1. Attach a food item to your left, down, and right alligator clips.

2. Can you play this game with your food? Can you play the piano with the food?

3. Not working? Are you closing the circuit by touching one end of the clip attached to "Earth?"

Activity B Possible Curriculum Connections:

What categories of food are conductive?
What makes some non-metal items conductive?

Makey Makey Food Projects Ideas

Activity C:

Makey Makey Works With Graphite?!

1. Any paper and pencil rendering can be made interactive with Makey Makey.

2. Color the provided sheet of paper with graphite; make sure your coloring goes to the edge of the paper.

3. Attach alligator clips to the graphite coloring and to the board.

4. Use your graphite controller to play this game.

5. Not working? Are you closing the circuit by touching one end of the clip attached to "Earth?"

Activity C Possible Curriculum Connections:

Literally any graphite-applied drawing
Make worksheets interactive
Bring artwork to life (a talking self-portrait!)

Makey Makey Graphite Projects Ideas

Download printable version of these controllers to give to students.

Activity D:

What Can You Do With Makey Makey, Wire, & Aluminum Foil / Metal Tape?

Partner Project Option: Operation

1. Cover (or make) one shallow cup with aluminum foil.

2. Hot glue your cup to a large piece of heavy paper or cardboard.

3. Attach an alligator clip to the "Space" key on the Makey Makey board.

4. Use copper tape to attach the cup to the Space alligator clip.

5. Wad up small items to put in the cups.

6. Use the "Earth" clip as a pair of tweezers to grab out items.

7. Operate by visiting the Makey Makey Piano app.

8. Can you operate without "killing" your patient (sounding the piano)?

9. View a more in-depth version by visiting here or here.

Partner Project Option: Wire Maze

1. Make two small balls of clay (ping-pong sized) and smoosh them on a piece of heavy paper or cardboard about 3-6 inches apart.

2. Cut a piece of wire about 8-10 inches long.

3. Bend the wire to make a maze or path.

4. Stick one end of your maze wire into each ball of clay.

5. Cut a piece of wire that is about 4 inches long. Bend it to make a small loop at the top. Cover the bottom end of your looped wire with masking tape (insulator).

6. Attach an alligator clip to the "Space" key on the Makey Makey board. Attach the other end of this clip to your looped wire.

7. Attach an alligator clip to the "Earth" key on the Makey Makey board. Attach the other end of this clip to your maze wire.

8. Visit the Makey Makey Piano App.

9. Can you traverse the maze without making the piano sound?

10. View a more in-depth version by visiting here.

Activity D Possible Curriculum Connections:

Turning anything non-conductive into something conductive.
Creating switches.

Makey Makey Metal Projects Ideas