Embedded Files
Purpose
Purpose
Participants will design and make their own wearable patch using sewable electronics and information gathered during “First Impressions” activity about their likes, dislikes, and how each participant is seen. The lesson ends with a reflective debrief on what they learned and if they experienced feelings of self-efficacy.
Materials
Materials
For each participant:
🙿 Felt
🙿 Conductive thread
🙿 Battery packs
🙿 Coin Battery
🙿 Regular Thread
🙿 Fabric Glue
🙿 Needles
🙿 Sewable safety pins
🙿 Pliers
🙿 Paper
🙿 Writing utensils
🙿 LED lights
General:
🙿 Multimeter
🙿 Whiteboard
🙿 Example expressive electronic
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Circuit
Battery
Current
Voltage
LED
Conductive material
Insulating material
Resistor
Parallel circuit
Series circuit
Phase 1: Identity Activity (20 minutes)
Phase 1: Identity Activity (20 minutes)
First Impressions
Objective: A low stakes activity to have participants get to know each other better and reflect on how first impressions or assumptions about others’ identities can often be wrong.
Materials needed:
- Index cards
- Pens/pencils
- Basket/bucket/bowl
1. Have all participants sit in a circle or around a table.
2. Instruct each participant to write down one fact about themselves (background, identity, history, or interests) that most people in the room might not know.
3. Have them fold the card in half. Pass around the basket/bucket/bowl and have each participant deposit their card.
4. As the facilitator, draw cards from the basket and read them out loud. Have each participant write down who they think wrote the card and then have each person reveal who they wrote down & have the writer of the card reveal themselves.
5. Continue to draw cards until none are left. Repeat for as many rounds as desired or as time allows.
6.Lead a debrief discussion. Prompt participants to think about the following questions:
- Why did you associate certain statements or facts with certain people?
- Were you right or wrong most often?
- Did anyone associate or not associate anything with you that surprised you?
- How will you use what you learned today during the rest of your time with CompuGirls and beyond?
(optional) End the game by using the same process and have each person anonymously write a compliment to someone else in the group. Read them out loud.
Phase 2: Open Challenge (15 - 20 minutes)
Phase 2: Open Challenge (15 - 20 minutes)
The Challenge: How can we light up 5 LEDs with only two 3V batteries?
1. Brief the participants on the challenge and ask them to work in pairs using 5 LEDs, two 3V coin batteries and alligator leads.
2. Ask girls from 1 group to share their process of thinking and testing.
Phase 3: Patch Planning (45 minutes)
Phase 3: Patch Planning (45 minutes)
1. Show pictures of example patches
2. Have participants draw an aspect of the fact they shared in the First Impressions activity. For example, if I shared that I love to go fishing, then I might choose to draw a fishing pole or a fish.
3. Explain that participants will be creating a patch incorporating a parallel circuit and information they shared during the First Impressions activity.
4. Walk through an example of what a finished product will look like, demonstrating how a parallel circuit can be used to light several LEDs. Remind them that using a series circuit would be inefficient because you would need a 3V battery for every LED.
5. Have participants plan how to turn their drawing into a patch that incorporates LEDs and a parallel circuit with a front and back design of their patch. Their patch planning will include a parallel circuit path and where they will place their 3v battery.
6. Have participants test their parallel circuit design using alligator leads before any sewing.
Phase 4: Creating A Patch Using a Parallel Circuit (45 - 60 minutes)
Phase 4: Creating A Patch Using a Parallel Circuit (45 - 60 minutes)
1. Have participants cut out pieces of felt for their patch design, including a felt backing for the patch.
2. Have participants draw the design of their circuit on the felt backing of their patch.
3. Use pliers to curl the legs of their LED so that they can sew them to the felt. Remember to mark the positive leg of the LED because it will be difficult to tell which leg is positive once the legs are curled.
4. Using the circuit design that was planned and tested, begin sewing the circuit using conductive thread. To create the circuit, cut enough conductive thread to complete the circuit, thread the needle, and tie a knot at the end. Use the conductive thread to sew in the LEDs in parallel.
5. To finish, connect the LED to the battery holder with the conductive thread. One line of stitching will connect the positive (+) side of the battery holder to the positive end of the LED. A second line of stitching will connect the negative (–) sides of the boards and complete the circuit. Finish your first line of stitching by tying a finishing knot on the battery sew tab and trimming your excess thread. Repeat with the other side.
Use regular thread for any other sewing not related to the circuit.
6. Decorate the front of their patch using the previously completed plan.
7. Sew on a safety pin to the back of the project to attach it to your backpack or clothing!
Phase 5: Reflective Debrief (20 minutes)
Phase 5: Reflective Debrief (20 minutes)
- We discussed how others make judgments about us based on how we look, dress, talk, etc. Do you think you have control over their judgments?
- The circuitry components that you learned today are scientific skills. When you think of the word scientist, who do you picture and what do they look like?
- Do you think of yourself as a scientist? If science is something that interests you, what do you think you need to do/learn in order to become one?
- How will you use what you learned today during the rest of your time with CompuGirls and beyond?
Appendix
Appendix
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