Great project for 9th graders!

I used the sample circuits in this article to prepare my students to design their own Friendship Detector, then students built their own circuits with an LED, resistor, 2AA batteries, 4 swit... See More

I used the sample circuits in this article to prepare my students to design their own Friendship Detector, then students built their own circuits with an LED, resistor, 2AA batteries, 4 switches made from paper clips and paper fasteners, and aluminum foil wiring. Inexpensive and it really drove home the idea of series and parallel, as well as open and closed circuits. Students got to make their own choices about how to arrange their questions in series and parallel, depending on their own priorities.

Design Project in Electrical Circuits

After students learn about simple series and parallel circuits common in a car using a 12 volt battery, students must create a working electrical circuit with four inputs and one output that... See More

After students learn about simple series and parallel circuits common in a car using a 12 volt battery, students must create a working electrical circuit with four inputs and one output that operates logically. Wiring of simple logic devices is provided and students have to come up with an electronic design (using a 1.5 V battery) that determines if a person is a friend by answering four questions. Student designs vary but the standards for science and engineering are addressed in this design project for high school students.