OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

Students, in small groups, collaborate to design one thing that would turn the classroom into a sensory classroom. Students researched sensory disorders, sensory classrooms, and communicated with our SPED staff to assess the needs of our SPED students in order to create meaningful designs that could be used elsewhere in the building.

Meta description

• Subject Area: Computer Science, Technology, Engineering, Art
• Grade Level : 9-12
• Computer Science Domains:
  • Computing Systems
• Computer Science Principles:
  • Collaborating Around Computing
  • Communicating About Computing
• Materials:
  • Website, Micro:bit, Neopixels and some groups may also use Makey-Makey
• Considerations:
  • I pre-ordered many light diffusing materials (semi-transparent plastics, etc.) in order to create diffused light scenarios as neopixels are super bright and not appropriate “as-is” for this project.
    I uploaded the simple research document, the rubric we created as a class to evaluate projects, and a screenshot of an example of a mood board.

Lesson Plan

Overview

Students, in small groups, collaborate to design one thing that would turn the classroom into a sensory classroom. Students researched sensory disorders, sensory classrooms, and communicated with our SPED staff to assess the needs of our SPED students in order to create meaningful designs that could be used elsewhere in the building.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

Students were scaffolded into coding using Scratch, Arduino, and finally Micro:bit. Their final grades for the project are a reflection they must craft at the conclusion of the project. They will self-reflection on numerous soft skills (time management, creativity, group participation) and also on the design, and final product they created.

OBJECTIVES

1. Students will be able to use their knowledge of sensory disorders to create a lighting design in small groups to turn a regular classroom into a sensory classroom.
2. Students will use micro:bits, makecode.com, and neopixels to design, prototype, and completely build out one design in small groups.
3. Students will collaborate and compromise on design ideas in order to have a diversity of designs for SPED teachers to select from.

CATCH/HOOK

Students created a “mood” board, also known as a design board, to show their own knowledge about how light can influence a person’s state of mind, mood, and ability to focus on tasks.

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

Introduction to Sensory Disorders: Students completed a short research task and mood board on sensory disorders and sensory classrooms. This was a new concept for all students. We shared out as a class what we learned and also did a gallery walk of the mood boards students created in order to get a sense of what the whole class understood to be appropriate lighting scenarios for a sensory classroom.

Introduction to Micro:bits: Students were introduced to Micro:bits in a group setting. All materials were placed on the tables for small groups of students. Students hooked up the Micro:bit and I used MakeCode classroom to follow along as they did sample coding.

Introduction to Neopixels: Students then learned what NeoPixels are and how to hook them up to Micro:bits. We downloaded the extension in MakeCode and ran through Gary Stager’s sample Neopixel+Micro:bit tutorial. Students went through each of the 7 code sections and made sure they could get their neopixel to perform as desired. We also used a variety of materials (stuffing, frosted acrylic, plastic, colored saran wrap) to examine how the light of the neopixels would/could be altered if it was diffused.

Collaboration & Prototyping: After students brainstormed their own possible design solutions, they worked in small groups to “mash-up” concepts and create a new design. Students then prototyped this design with scrap materials. Additionally, most groups had time to hook up their neopixels/micro:bits to see the light in the prototype.

Rotation: The next few class periods had students rotating groups, re-thinking, redesigning, and prototyping these new design concepts. After two more class periods of this, students returned to their sketchbooks to do some independent thinking again and come up with new, different, creative ideas. We also used a rubric which guided students to make sure their ideas were aligned correctly with project parameters (such as hiding all electronics, having access to the battery pack, diffusion of light, and helps add to a sensory classroom “mood”).

Selection of final projects: The number of each projects was determined by how many studetns I have in each class. Larger classes are making 6 total projects and my smallest class is making 4. We used the rubric to identify students’ favorite/most aligned project and made a list on the board in front of the room. Students then voted for their favorite projects one at a time and I assigned group numbers and students to groups.

Re-Calbrate: Next up, students in the final groups took the general concept(s) of their project and did a “re-think”. Would it be possible to create this item? Is it buildable? Would materials be reasonably priced if we needed supplies? Groups did their re-thinking with teacher support to help answer some of the unknown answers about materials and costs, and can up with their final idea.

Building: Students then enter into the design thinking cycle where they prototype, test, re-design, fix, prototype, test, etc. Through constant evaluation and reflection on what they are making, students build (eventually) their final models.

Reflection & Presentation: Once all projects are complete and installed, presentation occur with SPED staff and students. The classroom will be darkened in order to showcase projects and the lighting effect each makes on its own as well as with all projects combined. Individually, students will complete a reflection as mentioned in the assessment section. As always, some projects may fail, but students would not fail the project as long as they can discuss in their reflection the reasoning(s) behind the failure of the design.

Supplements

Any items in this section are the property & under the license of their respective owners.

REVIEW

Presentations occur to both the classroom audience as well as staff and students from the SPED department.

STANDARDS