Case Study Assignment 3
Year 7 Electronics Project
Title
Introducing electronics.
Brief Description
The project aim is to introduce simple electronics by using a fun concept. We
used the pre bought jitterbug kit as the basis. Pupils then had to design and
make a product using waste materials from home and school.
Resources
Jitterbug kit
Battery
Glue gun
Soldering irons
Double sided tape
Masking tape
PVA Glue
Paper
String
Waste items from home and school (toilet rolls, packaging, old craft materials,
fabric, carpet, etc)
Paint
Timescale
6 Lessons 80 minutes per week
Year Group
Year 7
The activity enabled pupils to:
Design and make a fun and good quality-working product.
They constructed a simple kit independently incorporating
a motor and switch. This circuit was incorporated as part
of a model, which was mounted either onto or around the
kit. They gained knowledge and understanding of simple
output circuits and components and how they can be
used produce a moving product.
How was this supported?
The project was taught through a number of
different sessions and focused practical tasks.
 The first lesson involved pupils seeing the
kit in action without decoration. This
prompted a large volume of exciting and silly
ideas, the students where able to imagine
the kit as different objects. We documented these ideas and then
discussed what materials could be used to create the characters. For
homework the pupils collected a variety materials for the next lesson.
 The pupils went on to construct the kit following their own circuit
diagrams and instructions.
 The practical task included circuit construction, component soldering
The theory included component identification from diagrams, using
circuit layout diagrams to fit components into the correct position.
 With the materials, and the working models the students where then
more able to start designing and making their own characters.
 Pupils had 3 sessions to manufacture their designs; the emphasis was
to keep up the level of fun and excitement .The practical task of making
allowed pupils to become familiar with the workshop and the tools.
 They where able to plan the making using flow diagrams and adapt as
necessary during the manufacture.
 The planning enabled pupils to work together and produce finished
working products.
The only problem students had with the kit were soon resolved with a blob of
glue. (The legs become loose when the motor is on). The project enables
students to see the fun side of electronic
Pupil outcomes
Overall the final products turned out superbly well, with
all students completing the project in good time and
working, which is excellent. The 'wow' factor is excellent
and students take home a very imaginative quality
product. Students enjoyed all aspects of the project and
were engaged through out.
The results of the project have been
photographed and presented as
rouges gallery in a school display.
We have also produced a small
video which will be used at our open
morning and each student will soon
be able to access it on our website.
(CD included)
As part of the pupil evaluation all
students have seen their products on
the projector in a slide show, giving
all students the opportunity to
comment on their final designs.
The pupils have gained a great deal
of experience and view electronics as fun and achievable.
I found the Jitterbug project an excellent introduction for
Year 7's to electronics, it introduced them to simple
circuits, components and the role and importance of
electronics in our society (personally I have learnt a great
deal from teaching this project how simple things can
captivate students of all ages. I have had requests from
my year 9’s and 10’s to do this project with them). In the future we may modify
the project to design and make our own PCB's to try and
control the bug in some way. As my experience and
knowledge of PIC programming
improves I would like to develop the
project further. This could be offered in
Year 7 as an introduction to PIC.
We had loads of fun!
Thank you
Author
Mrs Heather Pringle