Embedded Files
Makey Makey allows for hands-on creativity through hands-on physical computing.
Physical computing: the use of tangible, embedded microcontroller-based interactive systems that can sense the world around them and/or control outputs such as lights, displays and motors. Assembling the hardware elements of a physical computer and programming it with the desired behavior provides a creative and educational experience.
From Microsoft Research
Why use Physical Computing In Your Classroom?
"We believe that everyone is creative, inventive, and imaginative. We believe that everyone can create the future and change the world." Silver and Rosenbaum Makey Makey was created by Jay Silver and Eric Rosenbaum at the MIT Media Lab. They were working under the advisorship of Mitch Resnick at the time. They also worked with Resnick on Scratch.
Makey Makey is not an independent computer, it is a simple circuit that is attached to a computer. It does have to be attached to a computer to work.
What makes a computer a computer?
Input
Processing
Memory
Output
Okay, Let's Get Making With Makey Makey
In the box, you have alligator clip wires, the Makey Makey, and some other wires that can be used to attach extra points and they go into the extra holes on the back.
One wire always needs to be clipped into the Earth bar that runs along the bottom - I tell students to use one of the green alligator wires for Earth. It doesn't get attached to anything else, It will just hang out until you want to use the Makey Makey. This is the wire you will hold (metal part - remember you are completing a circuit) whenever you touch the brass fastener on any project.
Attach the rest of the alligator clips to the Makey Makey for the number of brass fasteners you need to complete your project
Then when you have the brass fasteners in place attach the correct brass fastener to the correct wire from the Makey Makey
Once you touch the brass fastener, while holding Earth, it will complete the circuit and activate the program for that component - Up, Down, Left, Right, Space, or Click.
Projects
Scratch Apps: https://makeymakey.com/pages/scratch-apps
Plug N'Play App: https://makeymakey.com/pages/plug-and-play-makey-makey-apps
Doll-E - There are many ways you can use this project. It can be an autobiography for students. You can use it over and over to have students talk about their emotions or opinions about subjects, topics, or their learning. They can put different decorations on the "doll" and put different words at any time. They can learn that a computer will allow them to communicate their own feelings or voice.
Decorate your Doll any way you want (I have markers, pompoms, crayons and pipe cleaners.
Put the brass fasteners where you want people to touch and start one part of your program.
#1 -Once you open Scratch, go the lower left and click Extensions.
#2 -Click on Makey Makey
#3 - Now you will have the Event blocks you need to connect to the Makey Makey.
#4 - Pull out however many you need and make sure to change Space to the correct command (left, right, etc.)
#5 - Now you need to record what you want people to hear when they touch the brass fastener. Click the Sound tab above the blocks. At the bottom hover over the speaker with the + and then click on the microphone.
#6 - The first time you MUST click ALLOW or you can't record.
#7 - After you make your recording you pull out the Sound block and place one under each EVENT block. Remember to chnage each recording block to the correct recording for that EVENT.
#8 - You can also choose TEXT TO SPEECH. You need to go back the extension (#1) and this time choose the Text-to-Speech extension.
#9 - If you chose TEXT TO SPEECH then type in what you want the computer to say for you.
#10 - Now decorate your doll (you can do this before or after the programming)
#11 - Put the brass fasteners where you want people to press. I suggest butterflying them a bit then attach the alligator clips. With the butterfly the clips don't fall off as easily.
#12 - Now flip over the doll and attach the other end of the alligator clips to the Makey Makey. Make sure you attach the correct brass fastener to the correct part of the Makey Makey that you have programmed. Up arrow goes to the correct brass fastener for that voice recording. Attach the green alligator clip to Earth. Test your program. Hold the metal part of the green Earth wire and then touch a brass fastener and listen to the voice recording.
Remember: You can create the code for these projects and have students get it from the Scratch Studio and remix. That way they have the blocks and they can just personalize it.
Another method for using Makey Makey - Plug N' Play APP
Interactive Poster: This project allows students to create a poster about whatever topic you want them to demonstrate their knowledge. I have had students create their posters in Google Drawing, but you can also have them just make it on a piece of cardboard and use crayons, markers, and whatever you have available.
#1 -Create your poster and put the brass fasteners where you want them.
#2 -Connect the alligator clips to the appropriate brass fastener in the back. Butterfly them so the clips don't slip off.
#3 - Go to the makey makey website and click on Apps and Plug N' Play for Poster.
#4 - This Plug N' Play app will do everything here so you don't have to use Scratch. You can import voice and pictures. Make sure you click Allow when the small window appears.
#5 - Click on the part of the Makey Makey the alligator is attached too. See the red circle above where I clicked on the Up arrow. I will now put in a picture and a voice recording for the Up arrow.
#6 - Once you have chosen the makey makey part go to the right side of the screen. A picture can be uploaded or have the students take a picture of the that they made themselves (Blue Circle). Students can also record their voice by clicking on the Green Circle.
#7 - Now it is ready to go. Hold the Earth and touch the brass fastener with your other hand. The picture will appear on the computer screen and the recording will play as long as you keep touching. You can download or save the program to your computer or just click out and it will be deleted.
Links of Interest:
Intro to Physical Computing: https://codingmadepractical.com/introduction-to-physical-computing/
Makey Makey Website: https://makeymakey.com/
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