I ❤️ My Stuffie
WHAT WILL YOU MAKE?
You know your stuffies love you–almost as much as you love them. Here’s a way to show it! A flashing LED makes a beating heart on the inside, and a few stitches with embroidery thread shows the love on the outside.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
You will learn to construct a simple circuit with sewn on/off swtich
STEPS
STEP 1
With the scissors or craft knife, open a small hole in your stuffie's arm. Cut along a seam, if you can, so the arm will be easier to sew back together. Then feed the head of the tactile switch down into the arm so the leads are sticking out. (If you need to remove a bit of poly-fill to get the switch in, just stuff it back in when you're done.)
STEP 2
Carefully snip another hole in the back of your stuffie (again, on a seam, if possible). Using transparent tape, tape together the ends of the leads sticking out your stuffie's arm and thread them, like a shoelace, through the stuffie and out the back. Set your stuffie aside.
STEP 3
Mark the long, positive (+) leg of your LED with the black marker. Then gently bend the legs of the LED apart. With the wire strippers, cut a 4" length of hookup wire and strip about half an inch off both ends. Using the soldering iron, solder one end to the negative (-) leg of your LED.
STEP 4
With your wire strippers, snip the positive leg of the LED to shorten it (this will keep the wire from flexing and breaking). Twist one end of the resistor (either end will work) onto the shortened LED leg, and solder in place. As before, use the third-hand tool to help hold the pieces.
STEP 5
Using wire strippers, snip one lead of your switch (it doesn't matter which one) to shorten about an inch. Then strip that wire, twist it to the resistor's free side, and solder in place.
STEP 6
Wrap electrical tape around both sides of the LED, covering the resistor and all solder points. Using a hot-glue gun, place glue to cover the connections on both sides of the LED to prevent breaks and short circuits.
STEP 7
Wiggle your fingers inside your stuffie and figure out where its heard (your red LED) should go. Use a pencil or piece of chalk to mark the spot inside, so the mark doesn't show through to the front. Using the hot-glue gun, put a blob of glue there, wait until it's tacky, and then set the LED in place, right up against your stuffie's chest. Hold until dry.
STEP 8
If you want, as a guide while sewing, use a pencil to draw a heart shape around the LED on the inside of your stuffie. Then, thread a needle with doubled-up red embroidery thread. Start from the inside so you can hide the knots, and carefully stitch a heard around the LED on the outside of your stuffie's chest
STEP 10
Use sewing thread and a needle to sew up your stuffie's back. Sew around the wires, leaving them sticking out, and leave an opening of about an inch so you'll always have access to the battery. Be sure to knot and secure the threads above and below the opening.
STEP 11
Hold or temporarily tape the battery between the two wires. Does the LED light up on the front of your stuffie? If not, switch the battery around. When the LED lights up, note which wire is against the positive (+) side of the battery and which is against the negative (-) side. That will tell you how to orient the battery holder.
STEP 12
Twist the wires into the battery holder, top and bottom, connecting positive (+) to positive (+) and negative (-) to negative (-). (On our monkey, the top wire was the positive wire.) Slip in the battery to be sure the LED is working. When everything is oriented correctly, reinforce both joints. Using the soldering iron, solder the wires in place, and using the hot-glue gun, cover them with hot glue. Then carefully stuff the battery and battery holder into the opening.
STEP 13
Using a needle and sewing thread, sew one half of the snap in the center of the small piece of felt, and the other half of the snap centered at the edge of felt.
STEP 14
Using the hot-glue gun, glue the small piece of felt (snap side out) on one side of the 1" opening. Then, making sure the two halves of the snap align, glue the free edge of the larger piece of felt to the other side of the opening, as shown. Fold to snap the two halves together.
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?
The metal snaps act as our switch. When snapped together, the LED inside your stuffie turns ON. When they are separated, the circuit is not complete and therefore the LED is OFF. by sewing a line from the battery holder and a separate second line from your LED wire inside your stuffie, we create a break in the circuit.
Materials:
- Hackable stuffie
- Tactile on/off switch with leads
- Transparent tape
- 5mm slow-flashing red LED
- Hookup wire
- One 68-ohm, 1/4-watt resistor
- Electrical tape
- Red embroidery thread
- Sewing thread matching the color of your stuffie
- One 3V coin-cell battery (CR2032)
- Coin-cell battery holder
- Two scraps of felt (any color): one 1" x 0.5" and the other 1" x 1.5"
- One sew-on snap
- Scissors (sewing scissors work best, if you have them)
- Craft knife
- Black marker
- Wire strippers
- Soldering iron and solder
- Third-hand tool
- Needle-nose pliers
- Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
- Pencil or chalk
- Sewing needles
Please Note
Your safety is your own responsibility, including proper use of equipment and safety gear, and determining whether you have adequate skill and experience. Power tools, electricity, and other resources used for these projects are dangerous, unless used properly and with adequate precautions, including safety gear and adult supervision. Some illustrative photos do not depict safety precautions or equipment, in order to show the project steps more clearly. Use of the instructions and suggestions found in Maker Camp is at your own risk. Make Community, LLC, disclaims all responsibility for any resulting damage, injury, or expense.
Maker Camp Project Standards
Based on NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)
National Core Arts Standards
The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school. These standards provide goals for Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art. The Anchor Standards include:- Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
- Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
- Refine and complete artistic work.
- Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
- Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
- Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
- Perceive and analyze artistic work.
- Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
- Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
- Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
- Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards. Learn more.Forces and Motion
- 3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.
- HS-PS4-5. Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.
CCSS (Common Core State Standards)
The Common Core is a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA).Measurement & Data
- Grades K-2
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.A.1 Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measurable attributes of a single object.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.MD.A.1 Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.MD.A.2 Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end; understand that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.1 Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.2 Measure the length of an object twice, using length units of different lengths for the two measurements; describe how the two measurements relate to the size of the unit chosen.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.3 Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.4 Measure to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing the length difference in terms of a standard length unit.
- Grades 3-5
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.MD.B.3 Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and two-step "how many more" and "how many less" problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.A.1 Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.C.5 Recognize angles as geometric shapes that are formed wherever two rays share a common endpoint, and understand concepts of angle measurement.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.MD.A.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.MD.C.3 Recognize volume as an attribute of solid figures and understand concepts of volume measurement.
Ratios & Proportional Relationships
- Middle School
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.1 Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions, including ratios of lengths, areas and other quantities measured in like or different units.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2 Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.
National Core Arts Standards
The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school. Also see Standards with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art for Visual Arts.NGSS 3-5.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
- 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
NGSS MS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
- MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- MS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
- MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
NGSS HS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
- HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
- HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
- HS-ETS1-4. Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.
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