Last week we soft released our first class in a series of maker classes designed for students who have already explored our beginner course, but now want to go a little further in making fun inventions to use with Makey Makey at home. 

This is series of classes for students who've finished our Beginner Level Makey Makey class or makers who already have basic knowledge about Makey Makey. (These classes work best for kids and inventors age 8 and up!)

In the beginner classes we focused on learning how circuits work, exploring Makey Makey, and making drawings as the signal to play piano apps. But did you know that you can create complex sensors with Makey Makey?

Lesson One: Crafting and Designing Switches

The first class in the Maker series focuses on crafting and designing switches out of everyday material.

We want to thank Scrappy Circuits for inspiring our binder clip switch! Learn more about Scrappy Circuits in our Let's Invent Webisode with Michael Carroll. 

Lesson Two: Hack a Toy

The second class in the maker series shares how to hack a toy with conductive sewing material. But don't worry! If you don't have access to conductive thread and fabric tape, we share an alternative method for using the components in your Makey Makey kit to hack a stuffed toy!  

Also included in this class is a challenge to invent your own body systems toy. 

We would like to thank Josh Burker and Patrick Benfield for the work these educators have done using Makey Makey to teach human body systems.

Lesson Three: Designing and Crafting Alarm Systems

In this class, you'll learn to code alarms with previous inventions, and be challenged to design your own alarm system.

Lesson Four: Recyclable Tilt Sensors

In this class, you'll start playing with movement and how movement can close a switch. Build a tilt sensor out of foil and a toilet paper tube and use it to control the Scratch cat!

Lesson Five: Using Secret Codes to a Create a Makey Makey Life Cycle Project

Want to know how to use order and sequence to trigger special effects in your Scratch projects online? In this guide, you'll 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!

Lesson Six: Advanced Sequencing, Music, and Secret Codes

In this class, you will learn how to create a variable and create your own sequence for secret codes! You'll code an alien synth, and you'll learn some great cardboard tips to boot. 

Lesson Seven: Making and Coding Pixel Art Finger Paint

So far in this maker series, you've crafted switches out of office supplies, hacked a favorite toy, designed your own alarm systems, created tilt sensors, and even created your own secret code invention!

In this project, you are going to really delve into a project that is equally physical and digital by building a Coordinate Plane Touchplane and Coding Pixel Art Finger Paint!

Lesson Eight: Invention Challenge

Instead of following a project guide in this final maker class, you will be challenged to create your own invention for someone else! In this class, you will use the design cycle to invent your own tactile math or literacy game for a younger user. This user can be a younger grade level student at your school or a younger sibling, cousin, etc!