If you have never used Microsoft MakeCode before, it is a wonderful tool to start learning how to code. Originally developed and released as a programming platform for the BBC micro:bit several years ago, it has now expanded to include several other platforms in the hardware and software space. Let’s start with the MakeCode version called MakeCode Arcade, a game development platform for you to create your own old-school style video games! With Makey Makey, you can invent your own controllers for the games you code!
And we've got tutorials to get you started!
Getting Started with MakeCode ArcadeIn this getting started guide, we will walk you through creating a new game in MakeCode Arcade, including navigating the environment, adding the Makey Makey code extension, and creating a simple “Hello World” program to move a character around the screen with Makey Makey. |
Code Classic TagBuild a basic tag game for our first real game with Microsoft MakeCode Arcade. In the introduction, create a character or ‘sprite’, and move it around the screen using the arrow keys on your keyboard or with your Makey Makey. |
Code Fruit CatcherThis game is called Fruit Catcher, and it is a run-and-collect game where fruit tokens fall from random points at the top of the screen, and the player controls a character to move back and forth and collects the fruit before it hits the ground. Let’s dig in and start catching fruit! |
Code a Drag RaceThis Drag Race tutorial is our first 2-player button-mashing game where each player controls a car! The faster each player presses their assigned key, the faster their car goes. We will explore locations, simulating friction, and specific key event blocks. Let’s get our engines revving! |
The Makey Makey Certified Educator Workshop is an intensive, hands-on, 3-hour virtual class during which you’ll learn how to teach Invention Literacy, Making, and Design Thinking using the award winning Makey Makey. This workshop is designed for teachers who have experience teaching Makey Makey with students, but want to know how to further this work!
Check out this amazing final project from Amanda Mandry at Planetario de Serón who attended!
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Have you ever thought of combining Makey Makey and the BBC micro:bit? The Code-a-Key Backpack enables you to do just that! The Code-a-Key Backpack is an adapter board to connect the micro:bit to Makey Makey and gives micro:bit control of the Makey Makey key and mouse pins on the back of the Makey Makey board. Trigger key presses in your Makey Makey projects with motion, temperature, light, sound, and so much more to unlock a new realm of invention possibilities!
Sometimes pressing a button is just too much! What if you could use light to control your mouse clicks, press a key or better yet… make music on your computer! Using the Code-a-Key backpack with the micro:bit, we can do just that… build a flashlight piano!
We designed and built the Code-a-Key backpack to combine the strengths of both the Makey Makey and the BBC mico:bit (V1 or V2) into your projects in a simple and elegant way. No wad of wires, breadboarding (unless you want to!), or complicated circuits. The Code-a-Key Backpack enables the micro:bit to trigger up to 6 keypresses and full mouse control on the back of your Makey Makey. On top of that, the micro:bit can read if you have pressed a key or used the mouse and respond in any number of different ways… display an image on its display, play a sound, or even control a servo motor. Elevate your inventions with the Code-a-Key backpack!
Check out this great idea from Andres Garcia!
Molt per explorar amb #codeakey de @makeymakey i @microbit_edu primicia de la #Bett2024 que ha portat la @Robotica_rocio al #ScratchEdMeetup
— Andres Garcia (@andrestweetter) January 27, 2024
Hem automatitzat el ratolí programant la @microbit_edu ...haurem de descobrir possibilitats! pic.twitter.com/7rpMUMS59W
lt was so fun to meet Elena Vercher at BETT! She got a great video of our bicycle pump project idea!
What projects do you envision with the Code-a-Key backpack?
Now, a decade after the initial launch of Makey Makey we still get emails and calls from customers who have questions about their Makey Makey they have from 8 or 9 years ago… still working! The main question that comes up from those customers is “Does my Makey Makey work with the new backpacks?”
Our answer to the question “Does my Makey Makey work with the backpacks” is a simple question, “What version of Makey Makey do you have?” This then inevitably prompts the question, “How do I know what version I have?”
We are here to answer that question publicly for everyone! When you flip your Makey Makey over and look at the back of the board you will see all of the electronics bits, the black headers, and the USB port. If you look next to the power header (The top middle header), between the header and the USB port you will see some printed information.
The first piece of information you come to is the version number of your Makey Makey! It should start with a lowercase “v” followed by a 1.X (where X is a number ranging from 2 to 6). Wahoo, you now know what version of Makey Makey you have! (If you are not seeing a version number, you will want to review this post about Fakey Fakeys.)
To the right of your version number is the manufacturing date (Month_Year) of your specific Makey Makey board. You now know your Makey Makey’s birthday, feel free to celebrate it with us on social media, and we will be sure to send birthday wishes your way!
Now that you know what version of your Makey Makey, what does that actually mean? It means that if you are looking into purchasing and using our backpacks you need to make sure that you have a newer version of Makey Makey. We created a simple reference table for you to use to check if your Makey Makey is compatible with the different backpacks we sell.
You may still be curious why your Makey Makey doesn’t work with our backpacks. That is a fair question and the primary answer has to do with the power/output header at the top middle of your Makey Makey. Over the years, the number of “pins” on that header and what their function is have changed a few times with the different versions of the board. Some have power, some don't; some have pins swapped around; some 8 pins, some 6 pins.
When designing our backpacks we worked to make them as backward compatible as possible while maintaining a simple plug-and-play setup (Nobody likes complicated setups and gotchas!).
When you are looking to add backpacks to your invention toolbox, be sure to check the version of your Makey Makey as well as the notes on the backpack product page. We try to make any compatibility issues known and as clear as possible.
Last question you may have… “What do I do if my Makey Makey is so old it doesn’t support the backpacks I want to add to it?” The best thing to do is to reach out to us at support@joylabz.com and let us know, we have a few options for you!
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Elena Vercher is an amazing Makey Makey ambassador. She's just released a really great new project that combines Tinkercad with Makey Makey and Scratch.
Check out her Instructables project to explore the mythical world of mandrakes, and learn how to blend creativity, problem-solving, and technical skills to craft unique mandrake creations to help achieving a better world. By integrating STEAM elements (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), students will design and 3D print a mandrake pot using Tinkercad, build an interactive mandrake figure with upcycled materials, and bring it to life using Makey Makey and Scratch programming.
]]>Elena Vercher is an amazing Makey Makey ambassador. She's just released a really great new project that combines Tinkercad with Makey Makey and Scratch.
Check out her Instructables project to explore the mythical world of mandrakes, and learn how to blend creativity, problem-solving, and technical skills to craft unique mandrake creations to help achieving a better world. By integrating STEAM elements (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), students will design and 3D print a mandrake pot using Tinkercad, build an interactive mandrake figure with upcycled materials, and bring it to life using Makey Makey and Scratch programming.
This mandrake project aligns with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Quality Education (SDG 4), Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). By merging creativity and technology, we contribute to a sustainable, innovative, and interconnected future.
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It's always fun to see Makey Makey on TV (Did you know we were on the Simpsons?)! Check out this great introduction to foodie pianos with Lyla in the Loop on PBS Kids. Lyla mentions how much fun it is to play the piano on her app, and then shows how to hold EARTH and play each pickle to play a musical note! Check out the video clip on PBS Kids.
“Lyla is curious and resourceful, and when it comes to figuring out solutions to everyday problems, she doesn’t give up, even when it takes several tries to get it right,” said Sara DeWitt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, PBS KIDS. “We know audiences will quickly be drawn to Lyla’s determination and can-do-attitude, and we’re excited to introduce this warm, funny, and smart series to our viewers.”
LYLA IN THE LOOP centers on Lyla and her family – mom Lydia and dad Louis, who run Loops Lunch diner; older twin sisters Liana and Louisa; younger brother Luke; and sidekick Stu, who always does exactly, literally, what was asked. With her family and best friend Everett Phan, Lyla tackles all sorts of challenges, from building her own homemade carnival games using repurposed materials, to riding along and lending a hand on the neighborhood trash and recycling route, to making a puppet show that recreates the Jamaican folktale, Anansi and the Goat.
Exciting news! We are unveiling the latest addition to the Makey Makey creative platform next week at Bett in London! Come to the OKdo stand #NJ71 to see it in action, follow us on social for updates, and place orders from the Makey Makey website. Available soon from select international sales partners like OKdo!
What is Bett? Bett UK is the world’s largest education technology exhibition. Join us & 30,000+ educators for three inspiring days of cutting-edge EdTech content, networking, and product discovery!Makecode Arcade and Makey Makey are like the dynamic duo of game development. By combining the two, you can create truly unique gaming experiences that go beyond the screen. Imagine playing a platformer where you have to jump on a real-life trampoline to make your character jump, or a racing game where you steer with a steering wheel made out of cardboard.
]]>In honor of Hour of Code, we are releasing a set of exciting new activity guides that will teach you how to code your very own 8-bit games using Makecode Arcade. And the cherry on top? You can use your handmade Makey Makey controllers to bring your games to life!
What are you waiting for? Grab your Makey Makey controllers, fire up Makecode Arcade, and let your imagination run wild.
Getting Started with MakeCode ArcadeFirst things first! If you are new to MakeCode, check out this Getting Started guide to get oriented with the MakeCode Arcade platform. |
If you're not familiar with Makecode Arcade, it's a powerful platform that allows you to create and play retro-style games right in your web browser. With its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop coding blocks, even beginners can dive into the world of game development with ease. And now, with the new activity guides, you'll have step-by-step instructions to help you along the way.
Coding Sprite Movement with a Classic Game of TagWith these new activity guides, you'll be coding 8-bit masterpieces in no time like this classic game of tag! This beginner guide will teach you how to code a simple chase game and control it with your favorite DIY Makey Makey controller. |
Ready to embark on your coding adventure? These activity guides will take you through the process of creating your own 8-bit games from scratch. From designing characters and backgrounds to coding velocity and collision events, you'll have all the tools you need to bring your gaming dreams to life.
Learn to Code Falling Fruit and Scoring with Fruit Catcher!After learning how to code chase, create your own classic run-and-collect game modeled after our fruit catcher app. In this game, the player tries to catch the fruit before it touches the ground. You'll learn how to make it rain tacos and to add scoring events to your 8bit games. |
Makecode Arcade and Makey Makey are like the dynamic duo of game development. By combining the two, you can create truly unique gaming experiences that go beyond the screen. Imagine playing a platformer where you have to jump on a real-life trampoline to make your character jump, or a racing game where you steer with a steering wheel made out of cardboard.
Not only will you have a blast coding and playing your games, but you'll also learn valuable skills along the way. Problem-solving, logical thinking, and creativity are just a few of the superpowers you'll develop as you dive into the world of game development.
Whether you're a seasoned coder or a complete beginner, these guides are designed to be fun, engaging, and accessible to everyone. Which makes them the perfect guides for Hour of Code!
Stay tuned because we will be releasing more MakeCode Arcade soon!
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Great News! We added a Makey Makey extension to MakeCode Arcade! What is MakeCode Arcade? This Microsoft programming environment enables students to quickly develop programming skills by creating and modding retro games. With a few blocks or lines of code, students can create custom games for others to play.
This Microsoft programming environment is free and safe! It enables students to quickly develop programming skills by creating and modding retro games. With a few blocks or lines of code, students can create custom games for others to play.
Creating games in MakeCode Arcade is simple and easy. Follow their tutorials to get started. This guide will share how to add the Makey Makey extension to any project so you can control your games with Makey Makey!
Head to MakeCode Arcade, in the drawers of coding blocks, you will find the Extensions drawer at the bottom of the list. Click the + Extensions to open the drawer and add the Makey Makey extension.
You can search for "Makey Makey" or scroll for the extension. Just look for our logo!
Once you've added it, you'll have a Makey Makey drawer that has two distinct blocks of code.
The easiest way to use Makey Makey with MakeCode Arcade is to add the "use makey makey default keys" block to the "on start" event block. Then you can build (or mod a preexisting game) and play this game with your own alt controller built with Makey Makey!
You can also add a second player with the second coding block. A perfect addition for our new Player 2 Backpack
This new way to code with Makey Makey is a great place to try out our new Player 2 Backpack so you can code two player games and have twice the fun! This code is a little more complex, but here is a brief overview. (We will add full tutorials to our Resource page soon!)
Just make sure you create two player sprites, add the "move player with buttons" so you can control the sprites and use both Makey Makey extension blocks. "Use Makey Makey default keys" will control the first player with arrow keys and you can "set simulator keys for player 2" to control the second sprite with WASD!
What's even cooler than 2 player games? Playing together while apart!
Check out Microsoft MakeCode's new Multiplayer Extension! Code your game, share the code, and play with friends!
You can try our networked game below. Open the game below.
Then click "Host Game" to share a link or QR code with friends.
We are working on fleshing out more code tutorials for Makey Makey and MakeCode Arcade. Here are a few of our favorite inspiration games so far:
We love this extension so much! Our friends at Code Ninjas made this rad game in Make Code Arcade called Paddle Skedaddle. Put the Extension to the Test with Code Ninjas. Fill out this form to "Explore A World Where Kids Write the Code!"
For this build, you will create a directional stomp pad and conductive touch point that surrounds this dpad so you can dig your way to treasure! Fill out this form to "Explore A World Where Kids Write the Code!" and see the game examples!
]]>Winter is here, and what better way to embrace the chilly weather than by building a snowman? But wait, why settle for an ordinary snowman when you can create a Snowman Operation game using Makey Makey? Get ready to have some frosty fun as we guide you through the process of building your very own interactive snowman game!
Before we dive into the snowman shenanigans, let's quickly explain what Makey Makey is. Imagine turning everyday objects into touchpads and using them to control your computer. That's exactly what Makey Makey does! It's like magic, but with a dash of quirkiness.
First things first, you'll need some materials to bring your snowman game to life. Here's what you'll need:
Now that you've gathered your frosty materials, let's move on to the next step!
Find a shallow box and draw a snowman.
Draw or print a snowman for your box. Then trace the shapes of the items that will be inside the snowman. Get creative and experiment with different objects to see what works best for your snowman operation game. After tracing the shapes, cut each shape out of the box.
Now comes the fun part! Wrap aluminum foil around the inside of the shapes to make each shape conductive. This will allow your snowman to send signals to the computer when touched. It's like giving your snowman a superpower!
Connect each shape with conductive tape. All of these shapes will connect to only one input on Makey Makey. So make sure each shape is connected with conductive tape, and that each shape is connected together.
Attach the shapes to the space input on Makey Makey and attach an alligator clip from the EARTH input to a pair of metal tweezers. Plug Makey Makey in and open the alarm web app.
Now that everything is set up, it's time to play doctor and perform some snowman operations! When someone operates and accidentally touches tweezers to the tape, the Makey Makey will send a signal to the computer, triggering the alarm. You could even program the computer to play sounds, display images, or even add an LED to make the snowman's eyes light up! The possibilities are as endless as a snowflake.
Remember, building a Makey Makey snowman operation game is all about having fun and letting your creativity run wild. So, gather your materials, build your snowman, and get ready for some frosty, interactive fun. It's time to let your inner mad scientist shine and create a snowman that's truly one of a kind!
]]>The holiday season is fast approaching, and it's time to start thinking about gifts for the tech-savvy kids in your life. If you're looking for a gift that will spark their creativity and get them excited about STEM learning, look no further than Makey Makey STEM products.
Makey Makey is an invention kit that allows users to turn everyday objects into interactive controllers for video games, music players, and more. It's a fun and easy way to learn about coding, electronics, and engineering.
Makey Makey products are perfect for kids of all ages, from beginners to experienced coders. There are a variety of different kits available, so you can find one that's the right fit for your child's skill level and interests.
Whether your child is a budding video game designer, a musician in the making, or simply loves to create new and innovative things, Makey Makey is the perfect gift for the holidays.
This holiday shopping guide will help you find the perfect Makey Makey product for everyone on your list, from beginners to experienced inventors. Whether you're looking for a kit that will engage your child in STEM or a more advanced project for a teen, we've got you covered.
Are you looking for a fun and educational gift for an 8-year-old? Look no further than Makey Makey! Makey Makey is an invention kit that allows kids to turn everyday objects into interactive controllers for video games, musical instruments, and more.
Here are a few ideas for Makey Makey gifts that 8-year-olds will love:
Once your child has a Makey Makey kit, they can start creating their own inventions! Here are a few ideas:
Here is a tip for parents: If you're not sure how to get started with Makey Makey, there are many resources available online and in libraries. You can also find Makey Makey tons of tutorials on our YouTube Channel!
Your Young Inventor can turn a hand into a video game controller with this Bundle! Simply attach alligator clips to the fingertips of a glove and connect them to the Makey Makey board. Just clip the alligator clips to the fingertips of a glove and touch the thumb to control the game. You can even use this glove invention to make music or play other interactive games. This project is a great way to learn about STEM concepts like circuits and even designing for accessibility. It's also a lot of fun!
Shop the Project: Young Inventor Bundle, Dishglove |
For this project, kids will create their own custom video game controller using Play-Doh! Connect the alligator clips to Play-Doh shapes and touch them to control the game. Kids can make any shape, so there is plenty of room to get creative!
Shop the Project Young Inventor, Playdoh |
Imagine a world where everyday objects transform into instruments of innovation. With the Young Inventor Bundle and everyday objects around the house, your 10-year-old can be challenged to invent a unique alarm! This is the perfect project to embark on inventive journeys together. Collaborate, problem-solve, and celebrate achievements as a family.
Shop the Project: Young Inventor Bundle |
Calling all parents of curious and creative 10-year-olds! Uncover the budding inventor in your child with our Makey Makey Young Inventor bundle. They can hack a hula hoop to make sketches with their feet!
Shop the Project: Young Inventor bundle, Hula Hoop |
Is your tween creative? Do they love to invent and build things? If so, the Makey Makey Creative Engineer bundle is the perfect gift for them! With Makey Makey, your tween can turn their wildest inventions into reality. They can build musical inventions or even invent their own board games.
Tweens can turn things up to 11 by crafting their very own cardboard guitar! Learn to upload your own guitar sounds to the Makey Makey Sampler or code sounds in Scratch to turn recycled cardboard into a musical instrument!
Shop the Project: Creative Engineer Bundle |
Tired of your tween on a screen? With the Creative Engineer Bundle, they can focus on building handmade inventions like this Makey Makey Snowman Operation. Even better? Creation encourages tweens to engage with others to share their new handmade creation!
Shop the Project: Creative Engineer Bundle |
Combine their love of math, coding, and making with this integrated STEM Makey Makey project. The Pixel Art Fingerpaint project is a Math Geek’s dream! Your teen will craft a coordinate plane and then code the plot points in Scratch Programming. The Creative Engineer Bundle is the perfect gift to get them to combine hands-on making with digital coding.
Shop the Project: Creative Engineer Bundle |
With the Creative Engineer Bundle, your teen can set up this large-scale (see what we did there?) piano in about an hour! Then, invite friends and family over to tinkle the ivories with their feet!
Shop the Project: Creative Engineer Bundle |
With the Creative Engineer Bundle, your teen can build a talking paper calculator. This emphasis on accessibility can build empathy and help your engineer open up a world of possibilities accessible for all!
Shop the Project: Creative Engineer Bundle |
Today's #FunFactFriday post is written by Colleen Graves who actually writes the majority of these blog posts! LOL! But today is a reprisal post from her blog where she blogged about maker projects before coming to Makey Makey as our Director of Communications, Community, and Creative Content.
A few years ago, I created a sound word game with one of my favorite Piggie and Gerald books, Pigs Make Me Sneeze. Around the same time, I saw a post from Tom Heck in the Makey Makey Educator group where participants in his workshop created an invention that helps young students learn new words. It was a serendipitous a-ha moment for me! I made my own interactive word board so that my kinder kids could be empowered to play the sight word matching game on their own! It's been a project I've shared with educators ever since!
Today I wanted to share it as our Fun Fact Friday post for any educators that are looking for some Friday inspiration!
When I made this project, was able to watch some of my kinder kids who were still getting the hang of reading sight words find confidence in becoming self sufficient by utilizing the word wall. Watch them use the sound board to find the right matches below.
In case you are interested, here is the Scratch Game that I created to play the sounds. I went a little overboard making the words pop-up, but it was a fun Scratch challenge for me to attempt having my word only appear for a short time, and then go back to the Scratch cat.
This really isn't hard to make! Just use brass fasteners and code key presses in Scratch or use our Interactive Poster app to have words and sounds display for each site word. Here's a tutorial I made before the Scratch update, but it is still the exact same coding!
While it is cool for teachers to make their own manipulatives, it is even cooler when students can use these ideas in their own projects. One year I had 5th graders create interactive literacy games for their reading buddies. You can challenge your own students with this guide from that challenge.
Let us know what you and your students Makey Makey with this idea!
Colleen Graves
Director of Communications, Community, and Creative Content
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Add a physical computing element to your fraction lessons with this guide on using Makey Makey and Scratch to generate fractions! Use water and conductive tape to tinker with math and logic!
Please print out a multiplication chart of your choice and place brass fasteners from our Craft+Code kit over the number solutions and the equations you want students to work on.
Place conductive fabric tape from the brass fastener to the edge of the paper to make an easy spot to clip an alligator clip.
Connect the Player 2 Backpack to Makey Makey Classic to plug and play inputs on the back of your Makey Makey.
Upload images of solutions on our Interactive Poster App. You can even record the audio of the entire multiplication fact for each input on your project. When students touch an input, the poster will speak the multiplication fact and answer!
Combine the love of math, coding, and making with this integrated STEM Makey Makey project! Code a calculator in Scratch and create your own talking paper calculator.
Create a paper calculator with conductive tape and brass fasteners. Draw out each number and use conductive tape to draw the number. Then, place a brass fastener through each number and operator.
With this paper calculator, you hold EARTH while you touch each number, tap the operator, and then the equals symbol to form your equation and hear the answer. Just like a real calculator!
Since this project employs a lot of alligator clips, place conductive fabric tape from the input to the end of the paper to make an accessible spot for the alligator clip to clip onto. Label each track with the number or operator it is attached to.
To code in Scratch, you need all letter and number inputs and will need to change the key inputs, or remap, your Makey Makey.
Print out a remap worksheet, then head to the remap page to change Makey Makey inputs to the numerical inputs and the letters you use for this project. Keep the SPACE input the same, as it will function as your equals button. Use the letter T for addition, S for subtraction, and X for multiplication.
Now, you can use our example Talking Calculator project in Scratch or code your own!
To make things a little easier, attach the Makey Max backpack and clip all inputs to Makey Makey and Makey Max to get ready to calculate!
Check out more addition, subtraction, and even multiplication examples with this paper calculator in action in the video below!
Experience enhanced learning by creating a giant tool for kinesthetic learners. Create an oversized calculator with cardboard and foil tape, and let your littles go big by tapping out calculations with their feet!
Here are even more ideas for how you can use Makey Makey to supplement math instruction:
The possibilities are endless! With Makey Makey, you can create any interactive math game or activity you can imagine!
]]>Is Candy corn conductive? Test it out and if your candy corn isn't working out, test more items and when you find a conductive fall item, plug and play our Match the Beat web app!
Check out this Instructable guide by Barb Seaton that shows you how to make interactive numbers that will read you a story about pumpkins!
Maybe you want to try using Makey Makey to tinker with Output? You can hack Halloween lights with this quick tutorial from Brilliant Labs.
Come back next week for more fun Halloween and fall inspired ideas on what you can invent with Makey Makey!
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🎮MakeCode Arcade + Makey Makey Workshop: Dive into the world of game development with our MakeCode Arcade workshop. Learn to code your own games and interactive experiences using MakeCode’s user-friendly platform. It’s the perfect coding gateway to engage students hands-on learning while sparking their imaginations.
🐱Scratch + Makey Makey Multimedia Projects: Unleash your inner inventor with our Scratch workshop. Create interactive literacy projects, animate language, and tinker with math. All while using Scratch’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Entice your students to explore the world of coding in a fun and dynamic way.
Imagine a classroom where bananas become piano keys, Play-Doh transforms into a drum kit, and everyday objects become conduits of musical expression. As we step into the enchanting world of the music classroom, we'll discover how Makey Makey is orchestrating a symphony of innovation, turning conventional music lessons into a truly electrifying experience.
The simplest (and most popular) way to make music with Makey Makey is by creating your own banana or piano! Plug your Makey Makey into a computer, use the alligator clips to connect bananas (other fruits or anything conductive), open the piano app in any web browser, and play away. Try adding food coloring to water and color code your music!
Use some HVAC tape to create a giant piano on the floor!
Super Easy Floor Piano |
You can get more complicated with your build and make an oversized full scale piano with this Makey Makey + Scratch project.
Make a Full scale paper piano with conductive tape, brass fasteners, pencil lead, and Makey Makey!
Our Sampler is a fun way to create music based on pressing arrow keys or WASD. You can record your own sounds, upload sounds, or choose from our curated samples!
Here are some guides to help you make your own music or sounds with different software apps:
Create your own Ableton controller with Makey Makey and you can trigger samples, control loops and play beats with this arcade inspired device. Using arcade buttons and a Makey Makey, you can build your own custom controller and perform electronic music live, all with the push of an arcade button.
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Over the last two years, we've developed new plug and play apps, released booster kits, and even new Makey Makey backpacks (an expansion board set that makes it easier to use the back of your Makey Makey!)
All these new products, mean we've been working hard to create more quality resources for you! We are happy to feature a new beginner course with SEVEN new guides for exploring Makey Makey with our plug and play apps. With these projects, you can learn to invent an alarm, create a self portrait with our Sampler app, or even design your own divergent game controller.
Use these Invention Literacy Foundation guides in order to start exploring Makey Makey and the world around you!
Connect Makey Makey to the conductive objects in your home and you can instantaneously give the objects in your living room new purpose.
Teachers, here are embeddable slides to accompany each guide in the section: Exploring Makey Makey with Plug and Play Apps: https://makeymakey.com/Slides2023
Are you unsure how to get started with Makey Makey?
A Makey Makey is a bridge between the digital and physical worlds that allows anyone to become an inventor. It is an instrument, like a paintbrush, a guitar, or a sampler. However, sometimes you need to simplify things for a first time user! Our Bongo app is a great first step in learning how Makey Makey works. This guide gives step by step pictorial directions for learning how to use Makey Makey for the first time. Grab your Makey Makey and get ready to tap out some smooth jams.
For Teachers: We’ve been hard at work updating our resources to accompany all of our new apps. Now you can shorten your planning time and teach problem solving and invention literacy skills on the fly with our new embeddable Google slides!
As a continuation of the bongo class, this section of the guide focuses on attaching alligator clips to Makey Makey and stressing the importance of an EARTH connection and a Key Input Connection.
Makey Makey works by alligator clipping into everyday things that have some conductivity. When you hook an alligator clip into a banana and you hold an alligator clip connected to EARTH, you are actually the conductive stuff that closes the circuit and makes Makey Makey work! But what materials can we use with Makey Makey besides bananas? What does it mean for an item to be conductive? or an insulator? or even a resistor? Check out this guide to find out!
With our new plug and play alarm app, you can spend more time inventing your physical alarm trap since we took care of the coding on this one! In this guide, you will build a sensor that activates our alarm app. We did the coding and created an alarm, but you get to decide how the alarm will work.
Want to make a Jeopardy-style quiz show for your classroom or maybe have a trivia night at home? With our new Buzzer App, you can easily build your own custom switches. Our app does all the work to see who buzzed in first!
In this guide, you will be inspired to make your own creation after reading Doll-E 1.0. Then you'll create soundbites to add to your doll's database using our Makey Makey Sampler app.
Create a self portrait that will talk for you! Create four drawings (a self portrait or things you like!) and alligator clip each drawing to Makey Makey so you can add images and sound to each drawing with our Interactive Poster App.
In this final guide, you will be challenged to create game controllers for our Soccer app. Leaving this the perfect ending to our plug and play apps. After this, you'll be ready to start designing or coding your own projects and games to use with Makey Makey.
It's time to head back to school! We are celebrating with a bundle and save sale along with some weekly blog posts giving you the best tips and tricks for using Makey Makey in your classroom this year!
Today's post is all about creating interactive poetry with Makey Makey! Here are some of our favorite project ideas!
Did you know you could make poetry with our music sampler? Students could make or upload sound bites to accompany a poem, or even read and record poetic sound bites. Our Sampler will allow you to record up to 5 seconds in length. If you need a longer sound bite, you could use a free online recording tool like Sodaphonic. Make sure recordings are saved as WAV files and then upload them to the Sampler library.
Here is "A Jelly-fish" by Marianne Moore made interactive with graphite drawings and our Sampler App.
Need a more in-depth tutorial on saving and exporting samples? Check out this guide on creating Interactive Posters with our Sampler App.
Sketch it! Play it! PoetrySketch it! Play it! Poetry: This guide shares how to think of a poem visually, express those ideas in drawing form and then code soundbites with Scratch. |
Blackout PoetryBlackout Poetry: Taken from Austin Kleon's idea to "Steal like an Artist". Black out poetry is created by blacking out some words on a preprinted or discard book page. This is a great exercise in copyright and creative writing! (Check out this online Black Out Poetry generator if you do not have discarded books.) |
Draw and Code a Poem GeneratorDraw and Code a Poem Generator: In this project, students write different parts of a poem, code them in Scratch, and draw a poem generator. |
Interactive Drawing Challenge
Interactive Drawing Challenge: Create an interactive drawing that teaches something or create poetry from drawings! Take this quick design challenge to try out drawing your circuits. Connect your drawing to our Makey Makey Sampler app to plug and play, or code your drawings to speak with Scratch! |
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Are you looking for an exciting way to make STEM education come alive in your classroom with Makey Makey?
With the Makey Makey Classic, the possibilities are endless! Imagine drawing your own game controller, taking a cat selfie, or dancing like never before. This innovative product is designed to make STEM education fun and engaging for students of all ages.
To make it even easier for you to secure funding, we have partnered with Intellectible - a web platform that uses AI technology specifically designed for educators like you. Intellectible will assist you in writing grant proposals so that you can secure funding for this amazing product.
Apply for Grants with Intellectible |
Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity! Draft your grant now via Intellectible by following the link for the product you are most interested in! If you want to have multiple Makey Makey products in a grant, focus on one product to start your grant application, but as you draft the grant and budget, you can add other products easily into your budget. Use Intellectible to get your grant started, revise as needed, and then copy and paste into your grant application.
Makey Makey provides an ingenious twist to the concept of circuitry by transforming everyday objects into interactive touchpads. From bananas and aluminum foil to plants and even human touch, this invention kit encourages students to think beyond conventional boundaries and engage with science in an entirely new way.
But Makey Makey's impact on the science classroom goes far beyond just fun and games. By immersing students in the process of invention, it fosters creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. It encourages collaboration, as students work together to brainstorm ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and celebrate their achievements. Moreover, Makey Makey provides a tangible link between science and the real world, enabling students to grasp complex concepts by experiencing them firsthand.
Whether you are an educator looking at ways to implement this technology into your classroom or a curious student eager to explore our little invention kit, we've got some great science projects for you to delve into!
By creating a conductive pathway between objects and your computer, you and your students can design your own unique experiments, combining scientific principles with the joy of discovery.
In this first project, we looked at multiple ways to create a Morse code machine with simple everyday objects. Since this requires only one key press, it's a great intro into inventing with Makey Makey.
Simply invent multiple one button devices that work like a button press, plug to a Morse Code Project like this Scratch Project or this Github "Learn Morse Code" experiment and try out your inventions! Which of your inventions work best as a Morse telegraph machine? And why?
Another great science experiment with Makey Makey is to measure distance, rate, and time!
How does acceleration change from a downward drop, to a flat surface, to an uphill ramp? With Makey Makey timing gates, you can measure the change in rate over your desired distance and catch the correct time as your toy car drives over these simple DIY switches.
Create timing gates for Hot-Wheel's tracks and measure time with a self designed Scratch project, or use our plug and play Timer app.
Check out the full guide to create your own timing gates. |
If you want use our Timer App, it is pretty straightforward. For one timer, it uses two key presses: one that triggers the timer to start and another to trigger the timer to stop. You can adjust how the time is displayed in the options menu. You can also add more timers by clicking the lock and adjusting how many timers you want to activate.
For a basic timer, choose a single timer and the “Stopwatch” mode. We recommend using “MM:SS:CS” for your time format if you are using multiple timers. If you are using the single timer the keys for start and stop are LEFT (start) and UP (stop). To reset the timer use the SPACE key.
Imagine a classroom where static posters and dioramas come to life, captivating students with interactive elements and sparking their curiosity about the wonders of science!
By harnessing the power of Makey Makey, you can revolutionize the way science is presented, engaging your students in hands-on exploration and making curricular concepts tangible!
By incorporating conductive materials, such as copper tape, aluminum foil, or conductive paint, students can transform their static displays into interactive marvels.
Picture a scientific diorama of a living plant, where touching different elements on the diorama triggers audio recordings about each part of the plant providing an immersive experience! Creating hands-on projects in this way will help students synthesize concepts, but it will also enable students to turn around and become the teacher in the classroom with their own interactive displays!
Students can create their own images and soundbites for these unique interactive posters and dioramas with our new poster app! Go to https://makeymakey.com/poster to try out the app.
Students can take photos with the app, or search for creative common images to add to their poster.
To add sounds and images, make sure to accept permissions to use the camera and microphone on each device.
To add a sound or visual to a key press, select a key, click on the corresponding button.
On the right side is a visual creator and an audio creator. With a keypress selected (the selected keyboard key turns yellow when selected), click on the upload arrow in the visual creator to add a web, jpg, png, or gif file. Or click on the audio creator to upload a wav or mp3 file.
Make sure to allow the app to use the camera and microphone.
Once a photo is uploaded to a key press, you will see it in the visual creator on the right hand side of the screen. To record audio, make the microphone is enabled your microphone and hold the button to record sound, just like in our Sampler app.
With sound and image uploaded, press down on the up arrow key on Makey Makey to see the picture in the display area and hear the sound. Students can add up to 18 images and sounds. If you want students to download, onceWhen all images and sounds are mapped, have them can click the download arrow in the center of the screen to export the entire poster and re-upload as needed.
Student guide for using the Poster App |
We've got a full guide for how to code your own life cycle posters in Scratch available for free here!
In this guide, students will learn how to code sequence and secret code projects and how to connect them to drawings or other physical elements in the real world that trigger animations in the digital world!
Which of these three projects are you excited to try in your classroom?
]]>Lernen Sie Ulla Hauptmann kennen, eine leidenschaftliche internationale Pädagogin, die kreative Wege gefunden hat, Biologie und Informatik mit Makey Makey in ihrem Klassenzimmer zu verbinden. Ulla hat einen Hintergrund in Biologie und Informatik und unterrichtet derzeit Schüler der 5. bis 13. Klasse an einer öffentlichen (Überwald-Gymnasium, https://ueberwald-gymnasium.de) in einem kleinen deutschen Ort. Ihr innovativer Ansatz, Makey Makey in ihren Lehrplan zu integrieren, hat ihr eine Auszeichnung als Pädagogin eingebracht und sie ist Referentin bei der Hopp Foundation in Weinheim.
Q: Tell us about yourself and your role on campus. Erzählen Sie uns etwas über sich und Ihre Rolle auf dem Campus.
A: I started my career as a biologist but later went back to school to learn computer science. Currently, I teach biology and computer science at a public school in a small town where you can see chickens from my classroom window! My role on campus involves designing and delivering engaging lessons that integrate technology and hands-on learning experiences to inspire my students to explore the intersection of physical computing.
Ich begann meine Karriere als Diplom-Biologin, und habe später Biologie und Informatik für das gymnasiale Lehramt studiert. Derzeit unterrichte ich Biologie und Informatik an einer öffentlichen Schule in einer kleinen Stadt,und kann Hühner aus meinem Unterrichtsraum sehen!! In meiner Rolle als Lehrerin versuche ich neue Technologien in meinen Unterricht zu integrieren und meine Schülerinnen und Schüler zu inspirieren zum Beispiel die Schnittstelle zum Physical Computing zu erkunden.
Q: How did you become interested in Makey Makey? Wie bist du dazu gekommen, dich für Makey Makey zu interessieren?
A: Makey Makey caught my attention as it allowed me to bring computer science to my students in a unique and physical way. I was intrigued by the idea of "Scratch meets real life" and how Makey Makey could bridge the gap between the virtual and physical worlds. I attended several webinars and workshops on Makey Makey and was hooked on its potential to enhance my students' learning experiences.
Makey Makey erregte meine Aufmerksamkeit, da es mir ermöglichte, meinen Schülern Informatik auf einzigartige und physische Weise näherzubringen. Ich war fasziniert von der Idee "Scratch meets real life" und wie Makey Makey die Kluft zwischen der virtuellen und der physischen Welt überbrücken könnte. Ich habe an mehreren Webinaren und Workshops zu Makey Makey teilgenommen und war begeistert von seinem Potenzial, die Lernerfahrungen meiner Schüler zu verbessern.
Q: How did you become a Makey Makey trainer? Wie bist du Makey Makey Trainer geworden?
A: After a year in school administration, I realized my passion was in the classroom. I started teaching online classes and then began exploring other areas I could teach. Makey Makey was a natural fit. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, our school had invested in materials for tinkering, and I had planned to become a Makey Makey trainer in 2020. However, the training was delayed due to the pandemic.
Nach einer kurzen Zeit in der Schulverwaltung wurde mir klar, dass meine Leidenschaft im Klassenzimmer lag. Ich fing an, Online-Kurse zu unterrichten und begann dann, andere Bereiche zu erkunden, in denen ich unterrichten konnte. Die Einsatzmöglichkeiten von Makey Makey im Unterricht waren etwas, das ich gerne mit anderen Lehrkräften teilen wollte.. Vor der COVID-19-Pandemie hatte unsere Schule in Materialien zum Basteln investiert, und ich hatte geplant, 2020 eine Makey Makey Fortbildung anzubieten. Die Schulung verzögerte sich jedoch aufgrund der Pandemie.
(See Ulla's German translations for this project here: Conductive Drawings/ Leitfähige Zeichnungen )
Q: Tell us about your experience with the Hopp Foundation and your Makey Makey training. Erzählen Sie uns von Ihren Erfahrungen mit der Hopp Foundation und Ihrer Makey Makey Ausbildung.
A: The Hopp Foundation, founded by Dietmar Hopp, founder of the the German software company SAP, invited me as a trainer to host a Makey Makey training, which lasted for four hours. I started by giving teachers Play-Doh and asking them to create whatever they wanted, and then taught them how to connect it to Scratch, a visual programming language. We then moved on to creating LED circuits, conducting conductivity tests, and exploring conductive drawings, paintings, scrappy circuits and more. I had brought along a ton of projects, including conductive paintings and switches, and thanks to the support from the Hopp Foundation, teachers were able to take everything home to have as an example for their own classroom. We also experimented with creating Scratch games and built joysticks for Makey Makey. In fact, I even laser cut a box for the joystick to make it more durable and portable. (Check out the full handout from the training. )
Die Hopp Foundation in Weinheim, gegründet von Dietmar Hopp, einem der Väter des deutschen Softwareunternehmens SAP, hat mich als Referentin einer vierstündigen Makey Makey Fortbildung eingeladen. Zu Beginn der Fortbildung haben die Lehrkräfte leitfähige Knete erhalten und den Arbeitsauftrag etwas zu Kneten, das später als Steuerung einer Geschichte eingesetzt werden kann. Wir haben Scratch, eine visuelle Programmiersprache, genutzt, um eine kleine Geschichte zu programmieren. Im Anschluss daran haen wir LED-Schaltkreise gebaut, Leitfähigkeitstests durchgeführt, leitfähige Zeichnungen und Gemälde erstellt und diverse Schaler selbst gebaut. Ich hatte eine Menge Projekte mitgebracht, darunter leitfähige Gemälde und Schalter, und dank der Unterstützung der Hopp Foundation konnten die Lehrer alle selbstgebauten Projekte mit nach Hause nehmen, um diese in ihrem Unterricht nutzen zu können. Wir haben auch mit der Entwicklung von Scratch-Spielen experimentiert und Joysticks für Makey Makey gebaut. Tatsächlich habe ich sogar eine Schachtel für den Joystick lasergeschnitten, um ihn haltbarer und tragbarer zu machen. (Sehen Sie sich das vollständige Handout aus der Schulung an.)
Q: Can you tell us about some of the projects your students have created with Makey Makey? Können Sie uns etwas über einige der Projekte erzählen, die Ihre Schüler mit Makey Makey erstellt haben?
A: One of the most enjoyable projects my students have worked on was coding a story using Makey Makey as an input device. They selected cards representing the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations and used Makey Makey to create a story around those topics.
Eines der schönsten Projekte, an denen meine Schüler gearbeitet haben, war das Programmieren einer interaktiven Geschichte mit Makey Makey als Eingabegerät. Sie zogen zufällig eine Karte mit einem der 17 Nachhaltigkeitsziele der Vereinten Nationen, erstellten dazu eine Geschichte in Scratch und steuerten diese mit dem Makey Makey.
One of my favorite creative projects using the new Makey Makey backpacks is an interactive hidden object book/poster that students design. The students draw a house with hidden objects, and when you touch a metal pin on the drawing, the Makey Makey triggers stories about the objects or people depicted in the illustrations. (See Ulla's German translations for this project here: Interactive Poster/ Interacktive Geschten)
Eines meiner liebsten kreativen Projekte mit den neuen Makey Makey Backpacks ist ein interaktives Wimmelbildbuch/Poster, das die Schüler entwerfen. Die Schülerinnen und Schüler zeichnen ein Haus mit versteckten Objekten, und wenn Sie einen Metallstift auf der Zeichnung berühren, löst der Makey Makey Geschichten über die in den Illustrationen dargestellten Objekte oder Personen aus. (Siehe Ullas deutsche Übersetzungen für dieses Projekt hier: Interactive Poster/ Interacktive Geschten)
Q: What are some of the challenges you faced in integrating Makey Makey into your curriculum?
Was sind einige der Herausforderungen, mit denen Sie bei der Integration von Makey Makey in Ihren Unterricht konfrontiert waren?
A: One of the challenges I faced initially was getting my students familiar with the concept of using everyday objects as input devices. It took some time for them to grasp the idea of turning Play-Doh or fruit into conductive materials.
Eine der Herausforderungen, mit denen ich anfangs konfrontiert war, bestand darin, meine Schüler mit dem Konzept vertraut zu machen, Alltagsgegenstände als Eingabegeräte zu verwenden. Es dauerte einige Zeit, bis sie die Idee begriffen, Play-Doh oder Früchteals leitfähige Materialien zu nutzen.
Check out all of Ulla's translated materials before you go!
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We are stoked to be a part of the world of Make Music Day, a global celebration that ignites the power of music and creativity in people of all ages. Make Music Day and its community are revolutionizing the way we approach music. Each chapter around the globe is discovering new ways to make melodies and empower the next generation of musicians.
Last year we supported Make Music chapters all over the US! We were wowed by art installations in New York, and foodie pianos in Wisconsin! (See last year's projects here.)
This year the event is happening all over the world on June 21st! Find an event near you!
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Our content creator and educator extraordinaire, Colleen Graves was recently featured on Bird Brain Technology's Podcast: Flocking Amazing! Give it a listen below!
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Panelists include: Marvin Jaen a talented music educator with unique and interesting idea for incorporating Makey Makey and Music; Yui Shikakura and Enrico Bertelli educators at Conductive Music in the UK (a company that teaches technology and music at schools around the UK and the world); Victoria Davis the Director of Education for the amazing Opera on Tap program.
]]>We're excited to share with you some amazing new projects on how to page! If you're not familiar with Makey Makey, it's a fantastic platform for inventors and creators of all ages. With Makey Makey, you can turn everyday objects into touchpads and use them to control your computer. It's a great way to learn about electronics, programming, and engineering while having fun. We've got a guide for a new coding platform, a new way to demo Makey Makey, and even a fun alarm challenge! Read on to learn more.
Great News! We added a Makey Makey extension to MakeCode Arcade! What is MakeCode Arcade? This Microsoft programming environment enables students to quickly develop programming skills by creating and modding retro games. With a few blocks or lines of code, students can create custom games for others to play with their Makey Makey inventions. Check out the guide here.
Matthew Moore has shared some great Makey Makey and other computing projects on his Always Computing blog over the years! We wanted to share this awesome Makey Makey Interactive storybook idea he presented at the Scratch conference in Europe. Check out this great project to create your own four page story in Scratch!
With our new plug and play alarm app, you can spend more time inventing your physical alarm trap since we took care of the coding on this one! This guide takes you further by exploring the switch concept. Switches are a simple type of sensor. Sensors and microcontrollers power our world. But what is a sensor? And what is a microcontroller? And how do they work together? Check out this guide to learn more.
We saved the best for last! You'll love our great new guide for first time Makey Makey demos. Check out these quick and fun demo ideas from Michael Carroll of Scrappy Circuits.
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Makey Makey is a fantastic tool for teaching STEM concepts in a fun and engaging way. Here are some resources and information that may help you in your grant application to secure Makey Makey for your classroom:
Featured Partnership: Rural Tech Fund
We are happy to announce a new partnership with Rural Tech Fund!
Through our partnership, educators who receive Makey Makey donations from the Rural Tech Fund will now receive a seat from Makey Makey in our Certified Educator Workshop, a 3-hour virtual class during which educators will learn how to teach Invention Literacy, Making, and integrating STEM into a vast array of educational topics using the award-winning Makey Makey. The workshop includes a pair of Booster Kits which are materials for the participant to get their feet wet inventing with Makey Makey.
For those who have never heard of the Rural Tech Fund, can you give us a little bit of background?
The mission of the Rural Technology Fund (RTF) is to help rural students recognize
opportunities in technology careers and gain the education necessary to work in the computer industry. We accomplish this goal by providing rural public schools with technology education equipment, distributing scholarships to rural students pursuing technology-related majors, and advocating for the inclusion of computer science curriculum in schools. The RTF also participates in distributing assistive technology devices to schools to better support students with disabilities, thereby increasing overall inclusive technology exposure. Addressing the digital divide between rural and non-rural communities is at the heart of our work.
Can you speak to the need for technology education and access in rural communities?
Rural areas are not typically home to technology company offices, and therefore community support is often lacking for tech-related internship opportunities, education training programs, and mentorship. Exposure to technology is critical in gaining interest in the field, so funding to supply opportunities, particularly in these rural areas, can help reach underserved rural populations. We’ve reached over 170,000 students in over 800 schools in all 50 states!
How have Rural Tech Fund schools used Makey Makey?
We have donated many Makey Makeys to schools across the US. Classrooms have been using Makey Makeys in countless ways, including
Many of our donations go to support STEM clubs for students to explore and gain exposure to various avenues of computer science.
If someone reading this is interested in Rural Tech Fund, how do they apply or find more information?
Our grant application is on our website: https://ruraltechfund.org/apply-for-grants/
The application is open year-round for educators. We have examples of projects we have funded and guidelines for projects right on that page.
For more information about the RTF, please visit our website (ruraltechfund.org) and follow us on social media (@ruraltechfund on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn)
We are really excited about the partnership between Rural Tech Fund and Makey Makey, can you provide some details about it and the benefits of the partnership from your perspective?
This partnership provides valuable resources for our educators. It is important to us that our grant recipients feel supported when they receive their technology donations. Being able to offer the Certified Educator Workshop to our educators means that they will be best positioned to successfully integrate the tech into their classrooms and support their students in endless exploration. This promotes long-term usage of the technology, which means more students can be exposed to the amazing benefits Makey Makey can offer.
We have been donating and also traveling to conferences with Makey Makeys because they provide a great opportunity to pique interest in circuits and ignite curiosity about all the things one could program.
]]>We love the innovative ways that educators (in both formal and informal learning spaces) introduce learners to music and Makey Makey. Each month, we like to feature an educator and a unique project they've worked on recently. To read more educator posts, simply sign up for our newsletter.
Conductive Music UK has been on our radar for some time! We’ve been fans of Yui since 2018 when she became a Makey Makey ambassador! She is an early education specialist and makes the most amazing comic style instructions which you've likely seen a few on our how to page. She is part of the team at Conductive Music UK. Enrico is the co-founder of Conductive Music, he loves traveling and sharing his love of technology and music with kids.
Conductive Music UK was recently listed as one of the top Music & Technologies Resources, as published in the UK Government's new National Plan for Music Education. We met with them to learn a little more about the company and their phenomenal workshops.
Tell us about Conductive Music
In the UK, all schools do not have a music teacher set aside for each school. So Conductive Music UK works with music education hubs as a government funded Community Interest Company to work in schools around the country to provide some quality music education. Conductive Music provides music and technology workshops for children as young as 4 and they also teach teachers!
The UK government provides this funding as a way to level up communities. Conductive Music is cited in the UK government Department of Education's National Plan for Music education as an example of best practice in Digital Technology for Music Education.
One of Conductive Music’s main objectives is to come in and celebrate music arts with these kids because in general, the less funding a school has- the less money that school has for the arts.
The team at Conductive music engages students with music making and technology. They make sure to use all free websites https://conductivemusic.uk/learn/ to keep promoting music even after they leave the building. Here is a great example of a lesson with a free site to promote learning more about song composition:
https://conductivemusic.uk/2020/06/experiment53/
Their goal is to engage students with music and technology, but also to help students know about career paths they could pursue in music. Kids find movies engaging, so the workshop leaders discuss the ideas behind composition and film scoring. Some of their workshops are even based around making foley sound effects for films.
How did you get started with Makey Makey?
“We backed Makey Makey through the Kickstarter in 2013. At the time, we looked for things that we thought would work for teaching music, we would grab it and try to break it, and then try to make educational content with it.
With our work, we work in partnership with music education hubs to bring educational music content to students in school.
Oftentimes we enter schools where students have had very little music education. We want to offer new experiences to kids with challenging backgrounds. Our workshop is a catalyst to get them started in a new challenge. Now, we are also working with kids with disabilities. Some of these kids who have never liked school, are now finally enjoying something at school.
Here is an example of what we do:
This all started as a very small project with 5 schools in East London, Newham. In the beginning, we used Arduino for a two day workshop with a group of 15. We moved to Makey Makey because it is more accessible for students.
We realized that if Makey Makey sends letters, we could challenge students to create scales with Makey Makey and even learn to solder and create a shield for Makey Makey.
How do you engage students in music making?
We challenge students to invent an instrument. We tell them, “Don’t think of a typical instrument, here is cardboard and you can design your own”.
We have them draw connections with pencils, because it is important to use everyday materials in a different way.
Can you tell us about some of your workshops with students?
With very young students we use plug and play apps, as kids get older we give them more choices in their decisions. We’ve started using MakeCode Arcade with secondary students. We challenge them to create musical video games. The spirit of the game they create is to make music.
To help them understand the concept, we share a few games we designed in MakeCode Arcade. We then share how the musical notes are controlled by arrows on the keyboard, then we have them plug in Makey Makey and students will hold Makey Makey and use their hands to Play to Play the dinosaur bones on this game.
Next we move to the Crocodile Lake game, where the students learn to connect alligator clips to Makey Makey to extend the connections.
The third experiment is to create a high five game where students high five to make musical connections. We ask the students to think about things like, “How can we make it a shoulder game?"
The last challenge is to make a ruler piano to play music in the little ghost game.
After two hours, we have performed one or two songs together and hopefully instilled a love of music.
Shout out to Yui
Dr. Yui Shikakura is a teacher, researcher and performer, specialized in Music Education, with a focus on cutting-edge Edu-Tech. Yui’s background is rooted in Japanese traditional music, with a PhD in Kabuki and education.
Yui has published papers on Kabuki performances during the Japanese occupation of Korea, co-authored a syllabus aimed at BA & MA students, specializing in primary education, and a chapter on Creativity and new technologies for Tokyo University.
As an educator, Yui designed innovative approaches for Japanese traditional music, as well as spearheading the new field of music-lead STEAM education, by designing a blended learning playground for Conductive Music CIC, London. Yui delivers STEAM workshops daily and regularly tours across England, Japan, Germany, France, Spain, Thailand, Hong Kong and Oman. She also works as a graphic designer, producing posters for operatic re-makes, such as, La Traviata meets Japanese comedy in Asakusa Toyo-kan, Tokyo (2019-2022).
Shout out to Enrico
Enrico founded Conductive Music CIC in 2012 to support young people in the creation and performance of their own music. As a teacher and researcher, Enrico focuses on the Conductive Music remit of engaging children from challenging backgrounds through open source technology. His background is in percussion and technology applied to Contemporary Classical acoustic and electroacoustic performance, with a 15-year international career as a practitioner and workshop leader. Enrico has 3 years experience as business development manager at The Cultural Capital Exchange, in the field of Knowledge Exchange, connecting Academic Researchers with Art Organizations across the country. He regularly tours internationally, delivering workshops, lectures and concerts in theatres and Universities across Europe, Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong.
Did you know you can download, edit, or print Scratch blocks for your lessons? You can even print blocks for unplugged coding in the classroom? Check out this awesome library of images from iCompute!