First Grade Communicates with Light

At the end of the spring semester, first graders come into the Lab to learn about and create with light and sound. Using two units from the Engineering is Elementary program out of the Science Museum-Boston, students learn about light and sound. As a culminating project, we have developed a way for students to communicate with each other.

After discussing the Morse Code system and S-O-S (which almost all the children were familiar with) we come up with a list of common words and a code system of long and/or short light bursts. Next, using breadboards, batteries, LEDs, momentary switches and jumper wires we create a simple circuit. Most of the circuit is made when the students get to class, but they are responsible for finishing up the connections so their light will work.

Next, the students are put in pairs and are given paper and pencil. They come up with a question using the words on the board and try to communicate that question to their partner. Once the partner things they know what is being asked, the partner responds with an answer. They each take turns asking and answering a question.

We finish by talking about how we created a communication system and how today, we also use similar ways to communicate using symbols like emojis or text short hand (like LOL). I different years, we also do a communicate with sound system where the students use 2 different sound combinations to communicate with their partner. For this exercise, they are given a list of words, but working as a pair, have to come up with a system that they agree upon and use that to communicate with each other.