Fantastic Digital Tools

Thursday, January 30, 2014

How To Turn ON An LED light with a Rasberry Pi

After teaching computer programming to high school students for a few years, I realized students need more tactile examples to keep them motivated. Therefore, I decided that with my Intermediate programming class, I would start teaching Python using Raspberry Pi's. It has turned out to be a great experience and a perfect motivator since they are having fun learning. Since Python can control functions on their Raspberry Pi's, I have seen students get very excited about learning how to code.

My class started out with this easy light up an LED project since most of my students didn't know anything about electronics or circuits. Below I have listed the basic items, vocabulary and steps you can use with your students. In the next tutorial I will show you how to program the GPIO software on the Raspberry Pi to make the LED light blink.

Class Time Needed
45 - 50 minutes (students did the vocabulary the day before)

Vocabulary

Solderless Breadboard, Basic Circuit, LED (Light Emitting Diode), Volts, Amps, Ohms, Negative v. Positive charge, grounding cables

Classroom Setup

I have a class of 21 and almost every student has purchased their own Raspberry Pi but I allow my students to work in groups of 2-3. Each group needs all of the materials below. My students turn in a video of their LED lighting up digitally on Edmodo for a grade, therefore, I have added a digital video camera (most used their phones) to the list but this is optional. I have also included links to all the materials so you can get more information or to purchase these.

Materials

Raspberry Pi Model B
Breadboard
LED light bulb
2 Wires preferably different colors
Header Pins to make the wires male
2 small jumper cables
Power Supply for the Raspberry Pi
Digital Video camera (optional)

Assembly (see video for explanation)
1. Power your Raspberry Pi (see above link for recommended power supply)
2. Connect your 2 wires to the Raspberry Pi. Starting from the bottom closest to SD card
- connect pin 1 with the black wire on right
- connect pin 3 with red cable on left
3. Connect your jumper cables to the breadboard
- grey cable to the blue line on the breadboard (this is the ground cable)
- red cable to red line on the breadboard
4. Connect your LED light to the breadboard
- the longer end will go where the grey cable is connected
- the short end of the LED light will go the where the red cable is connected
5. Connect your red and black cable to the breadboard.
- the black cable will go into any area of blue line and the red cable to any area of the red line
- the red and blue lines on the breadboard let electricity flow straight so if you put the cable anywhere on that row it will make the entire row active
6. If you connected everything correctly you should immediately see the LED light up.
7. If it doesn't light up check your LED light (go back to step 4), check your red and black cables are in the right pins and areas on the breadboard (go to step 5), etc.

Programming and Software

No programming is needed for this lesson just power and the supplies to make the LED light up. The Raspberry Pi will light up without any modifications to your operating system or any need for software.

Resources
Where to buy A Raspberry Pi

101science.com - Good Electronics Explanations

Introduction to Basic Electronic Concepts - This site helped my students learn how to draw a circuit and the basic needs of assembling a circuit.
My Rasberry Pi Pintrest Bookmarks - inspiration and good resources on what to do with your Rasberry Pi

Alternate Assessment
Students in my class turned in videos of their lighting up LED's via Edmodo. A small quiz was posted on Edmodo the day after to check student learning.

Questions
Feel free to post questions or comments.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Using Social Media to Illuminate Classroom Dynamics

Spark the light bulb over your students’ heads again and again. Join the revolution to end the ongoing battle with classroom boredom. Open new channels of curiosity with your students by learning how to use social media to engage students with 21st century communication and collaboration skills.

Above is the description of what Kate Matthews, Technology Teacher at Tyrone Elementary, and I will be presenting at the 2011 Georgia Education Technology Conference. Our presentation will include examples of how I use Twitter, Blogging, Diipo, Sophia and Classroom Parott in the high school classroom and how we both use Edmodo at the elementary and high school levels.

This is the Prezi presentation we will be using during our session. The presentation includes resources and video examples of how we use social media in our classrooms.

Using Social Media In The Classroom on Prezi

The following materials were created by the Edmodo team as well as educators to support teachers who are preparing to rollout Edmodo in their classroom. The files are from the Edmodo help center.

Sample Code of Conduct

Sample Edmodo Guidelines

Sample Letter to Parents- Introduction to Edmodo

Sample Letter to Parents- Invitation to Edmodo

Parent Guide to Edmodo (for parents)

Parent Guide to Edmodo (for teachers)

Student Guide to Edmodo (for students)

How to set up an Edmodo Student Account (video)

Lastly, featured below is the full segment of the Heavy Head Syndrome (HHS) video we talk about in the beginning segment of our presentation. It is kindly demonstated by Peppermint Patty while she attends school.

Friday, October 28, 2011

No Phone Booths, No Problem – Save Your Students With These Super 21st Century Tools

Mobi™ Mobile Interactive Whiteboard, CPS Pulse™ responders, TI-Nspire™ calculators, and multimedia can help spark student engagement in the classroom. On November 3, 2011 at the Georgia Education Technology Conference a group of my colleagues and I will be showcasing these 21st Century tools being used in our classrooms. The presenters are Keelan Seabolt, physics, Chris Cannon, economics, Beth Sims, 9-12 math, and myself in computer science.

The following are the resources, tools and lessons we will be showcasing during our presentation at the GaETC.

Economics
Lesson Topic: Opportunity Costs and Production Possibilities Curves
Standards: SSEF1d, SSEF2a

This lesson is used as an introduction to the concept of opportunity cost and Production Possibilities Curves. Students use the MOBI pad to interact with graphs as the class creates their own production possibilities curve based on a fictional "Robinson Crusoe" story.

Physics
Lesson Topic: Newton's Laws and Scientific Observation with a Classroom Responder System
Standards: SP1a,e, SCSh1a,b,c, 3e, f

The CPS Pulse™ responders presentation will show various uses of the responders in a science classroom. First, will be a demonstration on collecting and organizing useful student information through the responders. Second, a lesson on free-fall acceleration and scientific observation and hypothesizing will be shown that utilizes the verbal engagement and instant feedback functions of the responders. Finally, a more formal assessment (similar to a ticket out the door activity) will be shown that is used during a lesson on Newton's Three Laws of Motion (GPS Standards - SP1d) and allows for quick grading and breakdown of student responses.

9-12 Math
Lesson Topic: Transformation characteristics of the five parent functions, using graphing technology.
Standards: MM1A1b, MM1A1c, MM1A1e

This lesson is used as the introduction to the staticconcept of graph transformations among the different parent functions using the TI-Nspire™ software and CX Handhelds

Computer Science
Lesson Topic: Networking 101
Standards: BCS-CMW-8, BCS-CMW-9, BCS-CMW-10, BCS-CMW-11

In this lesson students used digital video cameras to create tutorials on how to setup a wireless home network. First students storyboarded their video and wrote down the steps to setting up a wireless home network. They used How Stuff Works and other online resources to help storyboard and then write their scripts. Students also used cue cards to remember the steps to setting up a home network. A rubric was listed on Edmodo where they could look up the guidelines to complete their video tutorials. The following are programs they used to edit their video:
Stupeflix
Windows Movie Maker
iMovie

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Science of Learning, Boredom, Curiosity & Video Games

If you have attended any of my workshops or read my blog entries you have probably learned that I am a big advocate of engaging students by using multimedia, technology and project based learning. Today I stumbled upon this video by Judy Willis were she explains her discoveries, as a neurologist turned educator. Willis decided that she wanted to find out why there was an increase in students being refered to her for ADD and other neurological problems, and to do so she became a teacher. In this video she explains her findings on "the science of boredom, lessons learned from video games, how to capture student attention, and the most important lessons for 21st-century learning." I hope you find her research as insightful as I did. You can find out more information about Judy Willis on her site Radteach.com.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

2011 Fantastic Digital Tool Kit Workshop

During my June 15, 2011 Field of Dreams workshop participants learned about digital multimedia tools that I have found to work well with students to engage them through project based learning. I am always in search of adding additional tools to provide students to learn effectively and communicate their ideas more dynamically. My 2011 workshop showcaseed a few new fantastic digital tools I’m really excited about.

Utilizing multimedia digital tools, such as the ones I am including below, can help students reach a higher level of learning. They can be used in the content areas such as science, social studies, math, business and computer science. The key to give students an authentic learning experience and to focus on higher order thinking skills (HOTS) is to provide them the opportunities to create, communicate and connect. For example, a student creation of a video or audio file to emphasize the learning of material you are teaching. Research shows the process of creating reaches a higher level of understanding and, as a result, helps students retain or learn difficult material better. As Edorigami states, "[It is] about [using] the tools or technologies... to facilitate learning." Over 2,000 years ago Sophocles said it best,"We learn by doing. That is the thing. For though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try."

I think Sophocles would enjoy the tools that are included in the 2011 Fantastic Digital Tool Kit Workshop Agenda.

1. Using Video to Teach In your Classrooms Requires Pre-Planning

2. Downloading your videos from YouTube or anywhere on the web

Keepvid.com
Youtube Editor
Realplayer

3. Picture Slideshow Creators

4. Audio Creators and Editors

5. Video Editors

6. Extra Cool Teacher tools

Alefo
Bag the Web
Brain Flips
Print What You Like
Prezi
Ahead
slideshare.net
Debate Online - video example how on how to use it in classroom
Stickam.com - live broadcasting

Sunday, June 5, 2011

InDesign And Movie Maker Workshop

Tomorrow I will have the pleasure of meeting and teaching some phenomenal marketing teachers in Gwinnett county. I will be teaching them how to use InDesign and Movie Maker 2011.

InDesign is a fantastic piece of software made by Adobe that allows you to create interactive layouts. The files from InDesign can be used to post on web pages as .swf files, saved as .pdfs, to print beautifully layout magazines, and much more. InDesign is a great program to use to advertise your CTAE program on the web or at school in print. It is also being used to create interactive magazines such as Martha Stewart's Living, Wired Magazine and Sports Illustrated. These three videos will demonstrate how this program and iPad's are revolutionizing the way we currently look at magazines.

Wired

Martha Stewart's Living

Sports Illustrated

During the workshop I will also be teaching how to use Movie Maker 2011. Another great program that luckily comes free with the Windows operating system. This program can also be used to promote your programs or to do alternative collaborative lessons in your classroom.

I am using this post to provide everyone with the resources I will be using during this workshop. Feel free to share resources you have or give me some feedback on how you use InDesign or Movie Maker in your classrooms.

Workshop Agenda

Adobe Video on How Marketing Fashion Designers Use InDesign

Adobe InDesign Resources:

Tip: If you do not have an Adobe account I highly recommend that you set up one. It is free and it will allow you to download and access their resources.

DECA Programs Resources:

Movie Maker 2011 Resources

Publish Your InDesign Files For Free On Issuu.com

Finally, I will leave you with this great video. It will help you and maybe your students get more excited about using InDesign in your classrooms.