This is a discussion for the Zombie Detector Experiment. Feel free to connect with the Learning Team here, or to discuss experiment tips, ask questions, leave comments or suggest experiment variations here.
I’m an elementary school teacher and i’m wanting to do the Zombie Dectector with my STEAM club. I’d love any tips, great questions and suggestions for getting the most out of this lesson. Any variations of the lesson as well. Thank you in advanced for your response.
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Zombie detector is a crowd favorite.
If you hadn’t see it yet at the bottom of lessons there is link to a teacher guide, here is that link: 1565 Zombie Detector Lesson Guide BL - Google Docs
I recommend not doing too much prep regarding explaining the IR temp before they get the program flashed on the arduino and see live IR temperature readings, explore first. Ask if students can get the data values to change? How does this work? Who has the hottest hands on your team? How hot is your neck and/or forehead?
You could have students do their own research in to what IR sensors are used for. This sensor is specifically geared towards use in automobiles for temp monitoring. As the students will discover the sensor is non-contact, it is reading the IR light values. Could get expand into to the electromagnetic spectrum and see where IR light is in relationship to Visible light and IR. Which has the longest / shortest wavelength?
I always like to introduce real world interesting phenomenon and examples when possible and think you could show some thought provoking images of IR temperate used for identifying people that are ill (high temps). This is used with international travel and used to help contain outbreak like obla that is currently happening in Congo:
There are some recommendations for how to setup a game in lesson. The general population has one or more people cool their hand with a can of cold soda or other team (scientists) measure everyone’s hand and find the zombie(FYI, Zombies have cold hands, or not open a debate). Have your student demo and teach about IR or play IR game with another class. Make your own game up maybe.
Have fun
Kevin