Flower power circuitry!
Create a beautiful flower bouquet that lights up!
How to Prepare:
Collect the following items before you begin:
- Coffee filters
- Washable markers
- Plate or other easy-to-clean surface
- Water
- Water dropper or syringe
- LED Diode Lights (such as these, available online)
- Wire (2 pieces cut to 8" lengths)
- Clothespin
- CR2032 coin battery
- Scissors
- Electrical tape (green)
- Mini disposable cup or mini clay pot
- Pipe cleaners
Create Your Circuit Flower!
Step 1: Start by flattening a coffee filter on a plate or other easy-to-clean surface. Then, using a washable marker, draw a thick lined circle about half way between the middle and edge of your coffee filter.
💡Activity Hack! You can use one colour or multiple colours. There are no rules, except make sure that you are leaving lots of white space so that the colours can spread.
Step 2: Add 1 teaspoon of water to the middle of the coffee filter. As the water moves through the paper, it should spread your colours out, and depending on your colours, may cause them to separate. You should end up with beautifully water coloured paper!
Step 3: Let your coloured coffee filter dry completely.
Time to Build Our Circuit!
Step 4: Test your LED! To do this, simply slip your coin battery between the legs of the LED. If it doesn’t work, turn the battery around. If it still doesn't work, you may need a new battery.
Step 5: Cut your wires (8" lengths) and carefully remove the coating of the wire. Strip about half an inch from each end to expose the wire.
💡Activity Hack! These are your contact points with your battery and LED!
Step 6: Take your coffee filter paper by the middle, roll, and bunch it to gather it up to form your flower. You should have a small “stalk”.
Step 7: Push the legs of the LED bulb through the paper from the bottom and a little to the side of the stalk in your paper. Then wrap one wire tightly around the first leg. Repeat with the other wire around the second leg.
Step 8: Slide the legs of the LED onto the bottom end of your clothespin (which you squeeze), so one leg is on each side. Tape into place. Now tape your stalk to the other clothespin end. This helps to secure everything!
Step 9: Wrap the wires around your clothespin, then separate the wires, and wrap them individually around each side as you get down to the clamping end of your clothespin. You want to end your wrap with the striped part of your wire on the inside of the bottom of the clothespin.
Step 10: Slide your battery into the bottom of the clothespin so it makes contact with the wires. If it doesn’t work, turn your battery around.
💡Activity Hack! You can wrap the clothespin with green pipe cleaners to make it look like the stem of the flower!
Step 11: You can use a mini disposable cup or a mini clay pot as a placeholder for your flower.
To turn on your flowers, simply open the clothespin and insert the battery. To turn them off, remove the battery. Even without the lights, you can create a beautiful flower bouquet!
🦺Safety Note! Make sure to not leave your battery turned on for long periods of time. With a little care, your circuit creations can last a long time!
Flower Circuit Complete! Congratulations!
How It Works
A circuit is like a pathway that lets electricity flow. Imagine it as a road where cars (electricity) can travel. Every circuit includes the following:
- Power Source: Just like a car needs fuel, a circuit needs a power source! This can be a battery or an electrical outlet.
- Wires: Wires are like the roads that connect different parts of the circuit. They allow electricity to move from one place to another.
- Components: These are the cool gadgets that use electricity like light bulbs, buzzers or motors. When electricity flows through them, they do their thing—like a light turning on or a buzzer buzzing.
This activity is inspired by: