Overview
Makey Makey Classic
Products
Grades 3–12
Grade Level
30 minutes
Time Required
Everyday Inventing
Category
Difficulty
CSTA Standards
CCSS Standards
Build the classic 'don't touch the wire' steady hand game using Makey Makey! Bend wire into a challenging path and use Makey Makey to detect when the loop touches the wire.
Learning Goals
- Understand how a circuit is completed by physical contact
- Bend wire into creative and challenging paths
- Use Makey Makey to detect circuit completion as a game trigger
- Design difficulty levels through wire path complexity
Materials & Preparation
Materials Needed
- Makey Makey kit
- Alligator clips
- Thick wire or coat hanger
- Cardboard base
- Small wire loop (bent paperclip)
- Computer with Scratch or buzzer app
Preparation
Pre-bend sample wire paths. Have pliers available for bending wire. Open a Scratch project or buzzer sound app that responds to Makey Makey key presses.
Build Activity — Step by Step
Bend the Wire Path
Bend thick wire or a coat hanger into a twisting, turning path. Mount both ends into a cardboard base so the wire stands up.
Make the Loop Wand
Bend a paperclip or thin wire into a loop that fits around the thick wire path. Attach a handle (pencil, stick, or cardboard tube).
Connect to Makey Makey
Clip one alligator clip from the wire path to a Makey Makey input (SPACE). Clip another from the loop wand to EARTH.
Program the Buzzer
Open Scratch and create a program that plays a buzzer sound and keeps score when the SPACE key is triggered (meaning the wires touched!).
Play and Challenge Friends
Guide the loop along the wire path without touching it. Each touch triggers the buzzer! Who can complete the course with the fewest buzzes?
Assessment
Students demonstrate their wire game, explain the circuit, and show their Scratch scoring program. Evaluate game design creativity, wire path difficulty, and programming logic.