STEM Coding Max

Model 3: Outdoor light

Brightness for dark corners

Grade
5-7
Time required
1-2 Double lesson
Difficulty level
Model: easy, Programming: easy
Model type
Mobile device, individually positionable and usable for lighting
Download didactic material

MODEL DESCRIPTION / TASK

The students plan and realize a lighting system that can be positioned at any location. The system activates a white LED light when motion is detected by a sensor. The light turns off after a specified time period. The system operates only when there is a certain level of brightness, activating itself in darkness.
To expand the system, differentiation can include integrating an additional switch. This allows for manually turning the light on and off for continuous illumination.

EVERYDAY RELEVANCE

The automatic triggering of an action has a strong motivational effect on students. Triggering the physical property "light" is quick and easily understandable for everyone. Additional possibilities for enhancing the basic task allow for personalization of the theme.

Integrating this topic into pre-vocational orientation could focus on information technology career fields. Automated switching based on detecting physical properties is widely used in many areas. Particularly, detecting movements is increasingly important in various fields of information technology, such as gesture control.

Key questions

  • Where can automatic lighting be used in everyday life? (Communication)
  • What functions should the system ideally fulfill? (Collaboration)
  • Under what conditions should the system turn on or off? (Critical thinking)
  • What factors should be considered to ensure the system can be used at different locations and operates reliably? (Creativity)

Subject relevance
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Informatics
Basics of programming, time loops
Mathematics
Proportionality Theorem
Technology
Stable building, Constructiontechnology
Physics
Light, Change in motion
Biology
Light colors in plant growth

Lesson progression
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Introduction phase

Classroom Discussion (without App)

  • Query scenarios: Where and how are automatic lighting systems used? (courtyard lights, night lights, alarm systems, etc.)

  • Discuss the potential applications of the collected scenarios:

  • e.g., Courtyard light - Function: Turn on (sensor detects movement) only at dusk, turn off after 30 to 60 seconds.

  • e.g., Night light - Function: Turn on (sensor detects movement) only in darkness, turn off with increasing brightness.

  • e.g., Alarm systems - Function: Delayed activation (sensor detects movement) in darkness, turn off blinking light after 30 to 60 seconds.

  • Collect desirable properties of courtyard lights (various on/off times, time delays, etc.).

 

Provide assistance if necessary:

  • Show sensors, actuators, and components from the construction kit; use presentation media if needed.
Planning phase

Classroom Discussion (with App)

  • The teacher outlines the procedure using the steps provided in the app.

Partner or Individual Work (with App)

  • Students familiarize themselves with the app and download the corresponding task.
  • Students complete the two tasks (multiple choice and drag & drop) to plan the system in the app.

Optonal Partner or Group Work (without App)

  • Students sketch a possible system.
  • Students discuss the results and agree on a design.
Construction phase

Partner or Individual Work (with App)

  • Students use the app to build the courtyard light. The app guides them step-by-step through the process.
  • The system is wired.
Programming phase

Partner or Group Work (with App)

  • Students write the program for the courtyard light. The app guides them step-by-step through the process, and assistance is available within the app.
  • The program is transferred to the RX controller.
Experimentation phase

Partner or Group Work (with App)

  • The courtyard light will be put into operation and tested. It should only respond to movements detected by the sensor in darkness.
  • Possible disruptions in functionality must be identified and resolved. Assistance is available within the app.
  • Potential optimizations in hardware (e.g., adjusting the height of the sensor) and programming the sensor sensitivity (movement and brightness) can be made.
Final phase

Optional: Presentation and Allocation of Differentiation (with App)

  • The option for differentiation for advanced students is provided in the app:
    The system can be enhanced with an additional button so that it can also be used as a desk lamp or room light.
  • The further procedure is carried out using the app.

Plenary Discussion

  • Review of the project within the class group.
  • Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the individual solutions and the differentiations.

 

Information and Notes
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Methodical and didactic tips
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Differentiation Options

The system can be extended so that the lamp can also be operated manually.

Motivational aspects

The topic of lighting is familiar to all students from their everyday lives. Automatic detection of conditions is also commonplace in many smart applications. Therefore, students are familiar with and use automatic brightness adjustments from smart devices or motion-sensing lighting solutions.

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Additional material

  • For the introduction to the topic, consider using a real object related to lighting such as cabinet lights, night lights, or similar.
  • Use drawing tools like paper, a whiteboard, or a projection surface as visual aids.

Building instructions

Circuit diagram

Functions of the model and their technical solutions
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Functions of the sensors

 

Technical solution

 

Detection of a movement

 

 

Evaluating the signals on the gesture sensor

 

Output of light

 

 

Illumination of the white LED

 

Differentiation:Initiating a manual lighting process

 

 

Input of a signal on a push-button

Material lists​

Material list Basic circuit of the lighting system
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Sensors
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Function


1 RGB gesture sensor


1. Switching on the system only in the dark

2. Triggering of the switching process on movement
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1 Button


Switching for manual use of the system

 

Actuators
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Function


1 LED, white
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1. Lighting

 

 
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Material list Differentiation task of the lighting system
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Sensors
​

Function


1 RGB gesture sensor


1. Switching on the system only in the dark

2. Triggering of the switching process on movement
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2 Buttons


Manual activation for continuous operation and in darkness

 
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Actuators
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Function


1 LED, white
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1. Lighting
 
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