Grade 8 Physical Computing

Students design interactive systems that sense, decide, and respond, moving from breadboard circuits to documented prototypes.

Learning Objectives

• Wire input and output components safely and correctly.
• Write code that reads sensors and controls actuators.
• Test, document, and revise a physical prototype.

Lesson Sequence

1. Circuit fundamentals and safe breadboard practice.
2. Digital input, analog input, and serial monitoring.
3. Outputs, thresholds, and interaction design.
4. Prototype challenge, testing, and final explanation.

Assessment

Students submit a working interactive system, circuit diagram, code, testing notes, and a concise technical explanation.

Teacher Notes

The core difficulty is reliability. Students should learn that a prototype is not finished just because it worked once.