Makey  Makey  Video  Game  Controller  Design  

Lesson  Plan    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makey  Makey  Video  Game  Controller  Design  3    55  minute  periods  Standards:  

1.1.PO.1  Evaluate  information  to  generate  ideas.  2.2.PO.2  Purpose  solutions  by  discussing  data  collected  to  answer  a  question.  1.2.PO.3  Describe  how  one  system  operates  by  comparing  it  to  another  system.  

Objectives:  

•   Students  will  review  the  history  of  video  game  controller  designs  •   Students  will  sketch  a  prototype  of  a  newly  designed  video  game  controller  •   Students  will  create  a  new  video  game  controller  •   Students  will  connect  the  Makey  Makey  and  play  the  original  crafted  controller  •   Students  will  test  and  evaluate  newly  designed  controllers  

 

Materials:  

•   Computer  with  Internet  Access  •   Video  Game  Controller    •   Makey  Makey  boards  •   Squishy  Circuit  Conductive  Dough  or  other  Conductive  Material  •   8”  x  10”  size  Cardboard  (1  per  group)  •   Scissors,  1  per  group  •   Crayons,  1  box  per  group  •   Video  Game  Controller  Sketches  Sheet  •   Controller  Design  Choice  Worksheet  •   Scratch  Website    

o   Whack  a  Mole  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/43681296/#editor  o   Feed  the  Mouse  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/129962408/  o   Heart  Game  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/130042853/  o   Complicated  Maze  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/130043212/  o   Pac  Man  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/23162018/  o   Simon  Says  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/20016532/  o   Super  Mario  Bros  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/58226576/  

                 

Introduction  Discussion:  

•   Ask  for  a  raise  of  hands  who  has  played  video  games  before.  •   Ask  students  why  they  like  the  games  they  chose.    •   Ask  students  to  describe  the  video  game  controllers  that  they  use.  •   Then  ask  students  if  they  think  that  the  design  of  the  controller  is  important.  •   Show  the  students  a  video  game  controller  and  ask,  what  if  the  power  button  was  over  here  (unable  to  

reach)  or  what  if  the  controller  was  so  small,  when  you  meant  to  press  one  button,  you  accidentally  pressed  two?  Or  the  size  of  the  controller  was  so  big,  your  fingers  couldn’t  reach  all  of  the  buttons?  

•   Tell  students  today  we  are  going  to  take  a  look  at  the  history  of  video  game  controllers  and  over  the  next  two  classes  you  will  be  creating  your  own.  

Lesson:  

•   Using  an  overhead  projector,  show  the  students  the  following  websites,  and  discuss  as  an  entire  class  the  changes  in  the  controller  shape,  sizes  and  colors  over  time.  A  great  example  to  discuss  with  students  is  the  controller  that  was  created  specifically  for  Pong,  and  that  it  may  not  be  a  good  controller  for  other  games.  *Pong  controller  can  be  found  on  the  time.com  site  below,  then  click  on  the  1975  tab.  

o   http://content.time.com/time/interactive/0,31813,2029221,00.html  o   http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/art-­‐controller.htm#page=early  

 •   After  discussion,  provide  students  with  the  links  to  the  Scratch  games,  asking  them  to  pay  attention  to  

the  keys  needed  to  play  the  game,  and  their  finger  movements.  Give  students  time  to  play  each  of  the  Scratch  games  on  the  computer,  approximately  15-­‐20  minutes.  

o   Whack  a  Mole  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/43681296/#editor  o   Feed  the  Mouse  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/129962408/  o   Heart  Game  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/130042853/  o   Complicated  Maze  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/130043212/  o   Pac  Man  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/23162018/  o   Simon  Says  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/20016532/  o   Super  Mario  Bros  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/58226576/  

 •   After  students  have  had  a  chance  to  play  the  games,  hand  out  the  “Video  Game  Controller  Sketch  

Sheet”.  Students  are  to  sketch  out  controller  designs  and  state  which  game  the  controller  is  best  used  for.  When  they  have  finished,  collect  the  worksheets.  

àThis  is  a  good  place  to  stop  if  the  class  period  is  over.    

After  the  class  has  left,  it’s  time  to  decide  which  students  will  be  grouped  together.    Match  up  students  that  have  similarly  designed  controllers  for  a  specific  game.  Example:  Bobby  and  Lisa  have  similar  controller  design  sketches  for  Pac  Man,  so  they  will  both  be  in  the  same  group  and  assigned  to  create  a  new  controller  for  Pac  Man.      

 

 

 

Day  2:  

Lesson  

•   Tell  students  the  following:    

o   During  the  last  class  we  took  a  look  at  the  history  of  video  game  controllers  and  how  the  design  of  the  controller  can  affect  our  playing  of  the  game.  Today  I  have  assigned  you  to  a  group,  and  each  of  your  groups  has  been  assigned  one  game  in  Scratch  based  on  your  sketches.      

o   Once  you  are  in  your  groups,  take  a  few  minutes  to  play  the  Scratch  game  you  have  been  assigned.  Then  find  the  sketch  on  your  worksheet  of  the  game  you  have  been  assigned  and  compare  your  sketch  with  your  group  members.  Then,  keeping  in  consideration  what  you  have  learned  about  controller  shape,  size  and  button  placement,  as  a  group,  decide  on  ONE  controller  design.      You  will  need  at  least  five  buttons:  start,  up,  down,  right,  and  left.  Your  goal  is  to  create  a  video  game  controller  that  will  result  in  the  best  play  of  your  assigned  game!    

o   Once  you  decide  upon  a  controller  design,  cut  out  your  controller  from  a  piece  of  cardboard,  and  don’t  forget  to  draw  and  color  in  your  buttons  and  arrows.      

o   As  a  group,  you  also  need  to  complete  the  worksheet  “Controller  Design  Choice”.    

•   As  students  get  into  groups,  hand  out  a  pair  of  scissors,  crayons,  and  a  sheet  of  cardboard,  and  the  Controller  Design  Choice  worksheet  to  each  group.    

•   At  the  end  of  class,  collect  the  cardboard  controllers  and  worksheets.  

 

Examples  of  Controller  Designs  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day  3:  

•   Tell  students  the  following:  o   To  review,  we’ve  researched  the  changing  of  video  game  controllers  over  time,  considered  why  

the  designs  have  changed,  and  created  a  new  video  game  controller  based  on  the  needs  of  our  game.  Today  you  will  be  using  the  Makey  Makey  board  to  connect  your  controller  to  the  game  your  group  has  been  assigned.  Then  you  will  be  able  to  play  the  game  with  your  controller!    Let’s  take  a  look  at  a  video  that  shows  the  capability  of  the  board.    

•   Show  the  students  the  video  on  this  page,    https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/makey-­‐makey-­‐quickstart-­‐guide  to  show  the  abilities  of  the  Makey  Makey  board.  

•   Demonstrate  how  to  connect  the  Makey  Makey  board  to  the  computer.  •   Demonstrate  how  to  add  the  conductive  clay  to  the  cardboard  controller  and  connect  the  Makey  

Makey  to  the  clay  on  the  controller.  •   Hand  out  the  cardboard  controllers  from  the  previous  class  meeting  and  allow  the  groups  to  work  on  

connecting  their  boards.  •   Tell  the  students  that  each  group  member  should  have  a  chance  to  play  the  controller.    •   Go  around  the  room  to  assist  students.    •   Give  the  students  20  minutes  to  play.    

 

Evaluation  

•   After  20  minutes,  tell  the  students  that  they  will  now  have  the  opportunity  to  play  other  groups  controllers  and  rate  them.    

•   Tell  students  to  bring  a  notebook  with  them  and  answer  the  following  questions  about  each  group’s  controller:  

o   What  were  your  first  impressions  about  the  controller  before  you  played  it?  o   What  were  your  opinions  after  you  played  the  game?  o   What  was  done  well?  o   What  could  have  been  improved?  

•   Come  back  together  as  a  class  and  discuss  findings.  •   Ask  students:  

o   Regarding  the  design  and  the  Makey  Makey  –  what  worked,  what  didn’t?    o   Comparing  other  group’s  controllers,  what  was  the  same,  what  was  different?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher  Tips  

•   Squishy  Circuit  Conductive  Dough  can  be  made  http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/apthomas/SquishyCircuits/conductiveDough.htm  or  purchased  

•   https://www.amazon.com/Squishy-­‐Circuits-­‐Conductive-­‐Play-­‐Dough/dp/B01N9X9W48/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493753441&sr=8-­‐2&keywords=squishy+circuits+dough