This lesson gives students the opportunity to complete more Little Bits challenges while making real world connections to technologies. If you choose to schedule all 3 of our Little Bits lessons, it is recommended that this be the second lesson.
There will be a brief review of electricity, current, energy and circuits and what they already know about Little Bits before the activities begin. (Most appropriate for grade levels 4-8.)
Lesson Time: 45-60 minutes
Student Activity 1: Student groups will work with an Exploration Pack of Little to answer the questions about the Bits and the circuits they make.
Student Activity 2: This activity has students make connections between a specific Little Bit and a technology used in the real-world. Half of the students will receive a picture of a Little Bit, and half of them will receive a picture of something in the real-world. They will need to find the person with the card that “matches” theirs, and then come up with 3 other real-world technologies that would use that Bit.
Student Activity 3: Groups will be created from the pairs in Student Activity 2. The pairs will share with each other what Bit and Real-World Technologies they and their first partner had discussed, and together, they will brainstorm a real world technology they can build using their Bits. If the teacher has craft materials, they can add to their prototype if needed, and then present their new technologies to other groups.
Group work: Students will work in groups of 3 or 4 (a total of 6 groups is best).
Science Standards:
3.PS.3: Heat, electrical energy, light, sound and magnetic energy are forms of energy.
4.PS.2: Energy can be transferred from one location to another or can be transformed from one form to another. Electric circuits require a complete loop of conducting materials through which electrical energy can be transferred. Electrical energy in circuits can be transformed to other forms of energy, including light, heat, sound and motion.
6.PS.3: There are two categories of energy: kinetic and potential.
7.PS.4: Energy can be transferred through a variety of ways.
Technology Standards: Strand: Design and Technology
Topic 3: Demonstrate that solutions to complex problems require collaboration, interdisciplinary understanding, and systems thinking.
Topic 4: Evaluate designs using functional, aesthetic and creative elements.