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Electronics Projects for 12-Year-Olds?

Posted by Cliff on from the questions-that-never-stagnate dept.

nepheles asks: "I've recently been asked to teach some electronics classes for a group of 12-year-olds. They're all new to it. Electronics always seemed boring in school, so for them, I've been looking at hands-on projects: I've considered making basic motors, steady-hand games, and Morse-code communication systems. What experiments have you seen in electronics that amazed you, and that could be recreated in the classroom? What cool things have you made that would be simple enough for a kid to do? At a meta level, how would you like to have been taught electronics?"

5 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. AM Radio by kisielk · · Score: 4, Informative

    Super easy to build. We made a bunch of boards for some elementary school kids and had them solder on the components and play with the thing in general. We were kind of time limited to a few hours, but it was a good experience.

  2. Have You Considered... by jazman_777 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    making a Tesla Coil?

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  3. Take an oscilloscope.... by GrpA · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you show them anything with AC or that has any cyclic voltage variation, show it to them on an oscilloscope.... It's much easier to a 12yo if they can visualise what is going on.

    However basic electronics is the stuff that 12yo kids get - show them the foundations...

    The wire-wound rheostat.
    The two-pencil carbon arc.
    Heating nichrome wire to make a poor filament.
    Build a battery in a beaker.
    Hand-wind a motor and build it on plywood with
    wire.
    Electromagnet locking to a piece of metal.
    Morse key, with a solenoid recording the results.

    You want to show them something so that the building block *stays* in their mind....

    If the idea is simple enough, it stays with them forever.

    GrpA

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  4. LED flashlight by john_is_war · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Have them make LED flashlights. It's a good oppertunity to introduce basic circuits, along with ohm's law. And if yoiu really want to get into it, you could do pot work for variable intensity.

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  5. These still exist by John+Miles · · Score: 4, Informative

    A co-worker bought one of these awhile back, and I was impressed with it. Not a bad choice for a bright 12-year-old.

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