Palermo Elementary students learn basic circuitry skills

PALERMO – Creative play at Palermo Elementary has grown from building blocks and clay to circuitry.

MakeyMakey kits are available for students in the library media center’s Maker Space to let imaginations run wild.

Lynn Millbyer, itinerant computer education specialist with the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation, said MakeyMakey embodies discovery learning – a trial and error of beginning programming skills.

Kits are comprised of a small computer board that plugs into a USB port. Students will be well on their way to circuitry fun once alligator clips are attached to various components of the board, such as letter keys, a space bar or arrows, and the clip’s other end is attached to an object that conducts electricity.

The person wanting to control the “keys” must hold one end of a remaining clip attached to the bottom of the board in order to complete the circuit; without that step the process won’t work.

Use of objects such as bananas, clothing, Play-Doh and more, will then replace strokes of the standard key board. Playing a plethora of online games or even typing a word document are all possible with MakeyMakey.

Tiffany Carpenter, school librarian, said MakeyMakey kits have enabled Palermo’s young students to complete hands-on challenges while letting their minds play.

They also go hand-in-hand with the Mexico Academy and Central School District’s core belief of valuing creativity and innovation.

Print this entry