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instructables

Chain Reactions With Strawbees and Makey Makey

by MakeyMakey

Gamify your chain reaction by using a Strawbees grabber connected to Makey Makey to start a timer in Scratch
when you grab a conductive egg. Drop the egg on the Strawbees roller coaster track. When the egg rolls into the
egg drop, it stops the timer.

Here is what our full project in action looks like!

ht t ps://www.yout ube.com/embed/eKxm5u9wyHg

Supplies:

Makey Makey Classic


Strawbees
STL File to hold Makey Makey onto Strawbees inventions (Thank you Erik T for creating this!)
Copper tape (or aluminum foil and double stick tape)
Scratch Game for the Chain Reaction where Makey Makey starts and stops the timer.

Step 1: Build Strawbees Inventions


Chain Reactions With Strawbees and Makey Makey: Page 1
Build a roller coaster track and mechanical arm or grabber with Strawbees!

Here are some resources to get you started playing with these chain reaction elements:

The Strawbees roller coaster track tutorial

ht t ps://www.yout ube.com/embed/f186_3nqnSM

The Strawbees Mechanical Arm or Grabber

ht t ps://www.yout ube.com/embed/nVLp8KnJYAY

Make sure you've printed this STL File to hold Makey Makey onto your Strawbees inventions. (Thank
you Erik T for creating this 3D printing le!)

Step 2: Code a Timer in Scratch and Recorder Variable

To create a timer in Scratch, you'll want to create a to see if a speci c key is pressed.
variable and name it "Seconds timer." You need to
code your timer to "set to 0" when the green ag is So our code in the rst image is triggered by the up
clicked. arrow and changes the timer by 1 every second
forever unless the "space" key is pressed. If the "space
To have the timer start with a key press, use the key is pressed" then the timer script is stopped.
"When up arrow is pressed" hat to trigger the timer.
Place a "wait 1 sec" stacking block from the control To record the time it takes for your egg to drop, you
palette in side a "forever" loop and attach a "change need the following code to set the "record time." For
seconds timer by 1" to the "wait 1 sec block. Now fun we also added a cloud variable, so for now, our
Scratch will count up by 1 second forever! This is one way to check if we need to "record the time" is set to
quick and easy way to code your own timer. record if it is less than the current longest time of our
"longest time variable." (This is the code in the second
You'll want to use another key press to stop the timer. picture)
By placing the "if __ then" block underneath the
"change timer by" block, you can tell Scratch what to See our full Scratch game here, and use the code
do if another key is pressed. Find the "key pressed" pictures below to help you with your Scratch project.
sensing block in the sensing palette. This block checks

Chain Reactions With Strawbees and Makey Makey: Page 2


Chain Reactions With Strawbees and Makey Makey: Page 3
Step 3: Make Strawbees Grabber Into a Makey Makey Switch

In this step, you are going to make your grabber into a Make sure the two copper traces never touch or you
Makey Makey switch! You'll wire one grabber to the will accidentally set o your circuit. For the hinges, we
"up arrow" to start the timer, and the other side of the left the backing on our tape so it could be exible.
grabber to "EARTH." When the two sides pick up the (Like a bandaid!)
foil covered egg (or ball) it will complete the circuit Then hook one alligator clip to your straw and the "up
and start the timer in Scratch. arrow" and one alligator clip to the other connection
and "EARTH."
To wire the grabber, you'll use foil for the hands, and
some conductive copper tape to create your wiring.

Chain Reactions With Strawbees and Makey Makey: Page 4


Step 4: Create an Egg Drop Landing Switch

Chain Reactions With Strawbees and Makey Makey: Page 5


Build your Egg drop lander however you want! Ours your Makey Makey.
was designed by an 11 YO. To wire the landing bed as
a switch, use two copper tape traces and connect We used this STL le from Strawbees Inventor Erik
some foil to the edge of your Strawbees landing pad. Thorstensson to attach our Makey Makey to the
Make sure there is an air gap between the two aps of Strawbees Egg drop landing pad.
foil. When the egg lands on the foil, it will press the
two pieces together and trigger the "space key" on

https://youtu.be/eKxm5u9wyHg

Step 5: Connect Makey Makey to Scratch

Plug in your USB and test your start and stop timer! Here is the whole project described and played during our
webinar with Strawbees!

ht t ps://www.yout ube.com/embed/o5hPi-MihZI

We'd love to see your projects! Share what you made with an "I made it!" or tag us on social!

Chain Reactions With Strawbees and Makey Makey: Page 6

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