NeuroMaker Hand Project Guided Assembly
Overview and Time Arrangement
Within the Project Guided Assembly Module, students learn the basics of mechanical and electrical engineering through the manual build of their kits. Each group of students is presented with a disassembled set of mechanical, electrical, and control parts. Students collaborate together to complete each portion of the build with reference materials and teacher guidance.
This module is separated into 4 sessions of approximately 50 minutes each with corresponding learning exercises and review. If wished, quick builds of the hardware may be completed in approximately a 2 hour session.
Note: The module must be completed before proceeding to any other curricular units. All other curricular units require completed assembly of the STEM kit.
Seeking to deliver this lesson as a student driven activity? View our project set up here.
Big Ideas
- What is mechanical and electrical engineering?
- What are microcontrollers and how do they interact with other materials?
- How do I designate and accept tasks for my team?
Module Goals
By the end of this unit students will be able to identify the essential parts of a real world technology product including controllers, motors, sensors, breadboards, power sources, switches, and related mechanical and wiring pieces. Students should be able to define hardware elements into mechanical and electrical components and should be able to delegate, accept and collaborate on strategies to build these items and check them with others. This module wishes to create a tactile, hands on experience that empowers students to guide their own learning in groups with teachers playing a co-learner role.
Video Resources
View the Full Build Process Here
View our Troubleshooting Video Here
NeuroMaker Hand FAQ Page
Lesson 1: Structural Assembly
The class is separated into different functional groups with each group receiving one kit. Students are presented with a learning and build guide which they must use to build the structural form of their mechanical hand as a team.
Teaching & Learning Resources
- Project Guided Assembly Slides (Google Slides)
- Assembly Guide (PDF)
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Interpret multi-step procedures from the text and diagrams in the instructions to build the structural form of their mechanical hand as a team
- Assemble the Robotic Hand using proper tools and techniques
Standards Alignment
CCSS:
ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.3: Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.7: Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
Basic Outline
Activity
Assemble the Robotic Hand, completing Section 1 Building the Hand. Students will:
- Review the STEM Kit Assembly Instructions for the Robotic Hand.
- Interpret the multi-step instructions from the text and diagrams in the instructions.
- Infer steps in the procedure by comparing previous and current models (images, diagrams, schematics, etc.) of the Robotic Hand found in the instructions as needed.
- Execute the instructions, completing Section 1 (Building the Hand).
Classroom Discussion
- Students will share their thoughts about assembling the Robotic Hand. Students will also discuss how they are able to infer steps from their interpretations of diagrams and images, or through trial-and-error.
- Emphasize the importance of reading carefully and visualizing thoughtfully. Encourage students to understand that being able to infer and interpret needs from visuals, as well as trial-and-error, are important skills used in engineering.
Lesson 2: Electrical Assembly
The class continues to construct in groups and are tasked with building the control system for their device. Students are introduced to components of an electrical circuit, microcontrollers, breadboards, simple sensors and switches.
Teaching & Learning Resources
- Project Guided Assembly Slides (Google Slides)
- Assembly Guide (PDF)
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Interpret multi-step procedures from the text and diagrams in the instructions to build the structural form of their mechanical hand as a team
- Assemble the Control Box using proper tools and techniques
Standards Alignment
CCSS:
ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.3: Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.7: Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
Basic Outline
Lecture/Classroom Discussion
- Discuss with students the fundamentals of an electrical circuit. Tell students that in the most simple form, an electrical circuit consists of three fundamental parts, including a power source, a conductor, and a load. A circuit often includes other components such as switches, resistors, etc.
- Introduce the essential electronic components (see Slides 37-48).
- Emphasize the importance of reading carefully and visualizing thoughtfully.
Activity
Assemble the Robotic Hand, completing Section 2 Building the Control Box. Students will:
- Review the STEM Kit Assembly Instructions for the Robotic Hand.
- Interpret the multi-step instructions from the text and diagrams in the instructions.
- Infer steps in the procedure by comparing previous and current models (images, diagrams, schematics, etc.) of the Robotic Hand found in the instructions as needed.
- Execute the instructions, completing Section 2 (Building the Control Box)
Lesson 3: Tendon Wires and Hand Structures
This class continues with students groups and tasks them with connecting their structural assembly, electrical control units and tendon connections together. Students experiment with the functionality of their complete or semi-complete builds.
Teaching & Learning Resources
- Project Guided Assembly Slides (Google Slides)
- Assembly Guide (PDF)
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Interpret multi-step procedures from the text and diagrams in the instructions to build the structural form of their mechanical hand as a team
- Follow the instructions to finish assembling the Robotic Hand
Standards Alignment
CCSS:
ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.3: Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.7: Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
Basic Outline
Activity
- Emphasize the importance of reading carefully and visualizing thoughtfully.
- Students will:
- Review the STEM Kit Assembly Instructions for the Robotic Hand.
- Interpret the multi-step instructions from the text and diagrams in the instructions.
- Infer steps in the procedure by comparing previous and current models (images, diagrams, schematics, etc.) of the Robotic Hand found in the instructions as needed.
- Execute the instructions, completing Section 3 (Connecting the Tendon Wires).
Lesson 4: Reflection and Debugging
This class continues with students in groups and tasks them to reflect on their build process, compare their expectations with their finished build and requires them to collaborate on improving designs that do not function as expected.
Teaching & Learning Resources
- Project Guided Assembly Slides (Google Slides)
- Assembly Guide (PDF)
- Self Checklist (PDF)
- Students Self Evaluation Form (PDF)
- Group Self Evaluation Form (PDF)
- Hand Assembly Rubric (PDF)
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Check and ensure that the Robotic Hand is functioning correctly
Standards Alignment
CCSS:
ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.3: Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.7: Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
Basic Outline
Check and Review
- Students will use the Self-Checklist to check that the Robotic Hand is functioning as designed and make changes as necessary to ensure functionality.
- Teacher can ask each group or student to do a self-evaluation (optional).
- Ensure that each group of students can successfully build the Robotic Hand. Use Hand Assembly Rubric to grade each group of students. Different grading options could be used.
Classroom Discussion
Students will share their thoughts on assembling the Robotic Hand so far with the class. They will also discuss how they were able to infer steps from their interpretations of diagrams and images, or through trial-and-error. Encourage students to understand that being able to infer and interpret needs from visuals, as well as trial-and-error, are important skills used in engineering.