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Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)

Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Project Overview 
 

Your names and grades: ​Tiffany St.Clair(10th), Dwayne McKenzie(10th), Ki´Yell Groves(10th), Carmin Florence(10th), and 
Kalyani Yancy(10th)  
Your project’s title: ​Firefly
Your teacher’s name: ​Mrs. Mathieu  Your school: ​Arabia Mountain High School 
Your project summary: ​Our project is a device that allows people to call for help after a hurricane or tropical storm. When 
activated, this device flashes an LED light and turns on a siren allowing the device holder to receive emergency assistance. In 
making our prototype we were able to overcome our constraints and create a working device. This device was cost efficient 
and did not take much time to make. It is very easy to use and suitable for all ages.  

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

 
 
 
 
 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Define the Problem 


Guide 
 
Before you even begin to work on your project, it’s important to first ask a few questions to guide your work. On the next page, you’ll
answer the following questions in order to develop a problem statement.

1. First, think about why there is a ​need​ for your project’s solution. What would happen if the problem wasn’t addressed? What
is the impact of the problem?

2. Second, think about the ​audience​ affected by the problem and your solution. Are there any particular traits of your audience
you should consider? Can your project’s solution be more inclusive by considering other audiences with different abilities or
challenges?

3. Third, think about if there are any particular ​constraints or specifications​ your solution must adhere to. These can be things
like size, timing, cost, or any other factor that puts a limit on possible solutions. Your constraints or specifications may be
given to you in a prompt, or they may be considerations or goals in your design that you want to follow yourself.

Finally, use your thoughts on all of the above to create a ​problem statement​. A problem statement is a short (one to a few
sentences) description of the problem which includes the need, audience, and any constraints or specifications. ​A problem
statement is specific.​ For instance:

● “​Build a better mousetrap”​ ​is not a sufficient problem statement. It addresses a challenge, but none of the items above.
● “​John’s house is infested with mice that only eat oranges. Design a mousetrap that can trap mice with oranges using only
supplies from John’s house before his friends arrive this weekend.” ​is a much better problem statement as it addresses the
need, audience, and design constraints such as supplies and timing.

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Define the Problem 


  
Need: ​The need would be when during a hurricane or other major tropical storm, there may not be any electricity or power, those 
who need help and could not be found with standard vision could send out a S.O.S of sorts to let others know that they’re there and 
need help. 

Audience: ​The audience is the people affected by the hurricane or tropical storm, including men, women, and children of all ages. 
  

Constraints or Specifications: (​ Number each below) 


1. Lack of Electricity 
2. Time Management 
3. Cost 
4. Size 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Problem Statement: ​People living in coastal areas have a higher chance of encountering a hurricane or similar tropical disaster, 
where power and electricity may be unavailable. So in case of emergency, micro bits would help people that are in need of 
immediate help or assistance receive it. 

Brainstorm & Evaluate Solutions 


Guide 
 
Before you get too committed to one way of solving a problem, it’s important to ​consider alternatives and get feedback​. In fields
like robotics, this may help you consider ways to reduce time and material costs. Even in computer science design, you might find
that one way of approaching the problem gets you the same result for less code!

Many designers review their brainstormed solutions by placing them on ​a chart to compare their pros and cons​. These charts
often compare things like:
● Time and material costs
● How well the solution meets the problem’s constraints/specifications
● If there are any major unknowns or difficulties with this approach
● Safety
● If there is any particular skill required
● ...and any other items relevant to the project.

To make comparing these different concerns easier, often a “​decision matrix”​ is used. A decision matrix is a chart in which each
approach is scored by how well the approach meets those concerns. The scores can then be tallied to see which approach won the
most points.

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

On the next page​, you’ll be asked to make your own decision matrix. For each row, write a short description of each of your
brainstormed approaches and then put a score in each column using the following metric:

1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Excellent

Tally up the scores in the last column to help you pick your approach (the higher the number the better). ​Duplicate the page as
needed if you have more ideas.​ Finally, use the “Get Feedback” page to share your best approach with others and note the results!

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Brainstorm & Evaluate Solutions 


Decision Matrix 

Short description of approach  Quick to  Little  Meets  Little  Total  


make  Resource  problem  Technical  Score 
Cost  constraints  Difficulty  (higher is better) 

Example: ​Plexiglass city model that uses pressure sensors to detect “pedestrians” (marbles) that 
move through its streets and use LED lights to direct walking traffic flow  2  1  3  2  8 

1) The micro bit could send an SOS signal 


  2  1  1  2  6 
 

2) The micro bit could be used as a siren  


2  1  2  2  7 

3) It can be used as a megaphone 


1  1  2  1  5 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Brainstorm & Evaluate Solutions 


Get Feedback 

Suggestions made:  New ideas given: 


Make the siren louder  Build a protective case to put it in 
 
 

Concerns raised:  Things others liked: 


Is it loud enough? Does the sound go far enough?  The design 
The concept 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Prototype 
Guide 
 
Before creating the final product, many designers (especially in engineering) build what is called a “​prototype​.” A prototype is an
early sample or model of the final product used to test or learn from before making the final product. Prototypes are used to help test
a solution before committing the time and materials needed for the final product. Prototypes often have the following characteristics
compared to the final product:

● Are simpler
● Made of cheaper materials
● Not decorated or as well-polished
● Easier to work with
● Sometimes smaller or reduced in capacity

For instance, in computer science this may be a simplified, shorthand version of a particular program that accomplishes most of the
program’s goals, but to a lesser extent. In engineering, this might be a smaller, more cheaply built version of a robot.

Now that you’ve decided on the intended solution to your problem, it’s time to make a prototype. ​Your prototype should help you
learn about the characteristics of your design solution and be testable.

On the next two pages, briefly describe the approach or solution you chose from the previous brainstorming steps and why you
chose it. Answer the planning questions about your prototype and then, in the “diagram/explanation” section, draw and label the main
components and capabilities of the prototype you will create. If your project consists mostly of code, you can draw a flow-chart of the
code’s logic. ​Be sure to write some short explanations of anything not obvious from the drawing!

Additional resource: ​Prototyping Toolkit


Attach an additional page if you need more space.

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Prototype
(Remember: The total cost for all prototyping AND your final design should not exceed $30. Plan ahead!) 
 

Chosen solution/approach and reasoning: 


We chose to use the micro bit to activate a siren and a flashing led light that sends for help. We chose this because it seemed like 
the best fit for the problem. 

What inputs/sensors are there? 


Led lights and a speaker. 

What outputs are there? 


There is a siren and a flashing light. 

What processing will your project do? 


It will be activated by a button so when there’s a danger the person can send an alert to other micro bits by pressing the button. 

Will it store any data, and if so, what?   


It will store the codes to flash the led lights and activate the siren when the button is pushed. 

Will the data be transmitted to another device, and if so, how?  


The data will not be transmitted to another device.  

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Prototype (continued) 
 

Diagram/picture/explanation of your prototype: ​Our prototype is a box casing around the microbit.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Testing & Redesign 


Guide 
 
Designing a solution is almost always an “​iterative​” process. An iterative process is one that repeats itself, ideally improving each
time, until reaching the desired goal. An important part of such a process is ​testing​ at each stage of the process to assess your
solution in relation to the goal. A product may be tested and ​redesigned​ many times before reaching its final version.

In robotics design, this might look something like:

1. Build a prototype
2. Test the prototype
3. Evaluate the data from the test to see if it meets the desired solution and constraints
4. Redesign an improved prototype
5. Repeat

In a pure programming project, the iterative process might be different versions of your program. Your first prototype program might
not be able to accomplish all of the design specifications, but after testing to verify working portions, you might create new versions
with further capabilities.

This process would continue until the prototype is ready to be considered the final product, either by tweaking the prototype or by
completing new builds.

So now that you have a prototype, it’s time to test it! Determine the best way to test your prototype against your problem’s intended
solution and constraints and fill out the next page with what you’ve learned. You can then duplicate the next page for any major

 
additional tests and redesigns. Ideally, all data and multiple trials should be recorded, but it’s up to you on how many iterations you
will go through here.

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Testing & Redesign 


Duplicate this page for any additional major tests & redesigns  
 
How did you test your prototype? 
We tested our prototype by building a case for the microbit, programing the microbit, and pressing the button to see what 
happened. 

What were the results? ​(Report your actual data as possible. Attach additional pages if needed.) 
Our results were that the microbit was able to flash the led light and sound the siren. The casing worked well. 

How well did your prototype meet the needed specifications/constraints? 


Our prototype was the proper size, wasn’t very costly, and was able to carry the sound. 

Things my design is doing well:  Changes I need to make: 


The design is flashing the led light and is able to make the siren  We need to make the casing better and the siren louder. 
sound. 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Final Product 
Guide 
 
Now that you’ve built your prototype, tested it, and redesigned it as needed, it’s time to ​communicate​ the solution you’ve made! On
the next two pages, first briefly describe how your final design meets the initial constraints or specifications set in the Define the
Problem step. Answer the questions about your final design and then use the next page to diagram and explain your project. If your
project is mostly coding, you can draw a flow chart of the code’s main logical components. Be sure to explain any items that are not
clear from the drawing.

Attach an additional page if you need more space.

There are a couple of remaining things to think of:

● You’ll need to list out your materials and supplies.​ With the exception of non-consumable items that your teacher lets you
use (such as robotics or electronics kits), your total supply cost must not exceed $30. Use the “Materials and Supplies” page
to list out what materials you had to buy, how much they cost, and attach pictures of your receipts.
● Did you use any code that you didn’t write yourself (such as code found online)?​ If so, use the “References” page to list
which parts of your code you found elsewhere and where you found them. The majority of your project should be original work
by your team.
● Did you use supplies or equipment from an industry, laboratory, or individual outside of your class?​ If so, use the
“References” page to note those supplies, where they came from, and provide some contact information for the individual who
worked with you on those items.
● Don’t forget to work on your video presentation for the Student STEM Challenge Competition!
● Additional resource: ​Storytelling Guide

   

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Final Product
(Remember: The total cost for all prototyping AND your final design should not exceed $30!) 
 

How does your final design meet your constraints/specifications? (​ If you run out of space, describe on your diagram below.) 
The final design is easy to operate and has a speaker so it is loud enough for people to hear. It is cost efficient and did not take as 
much time to make. 

What inputs/sensors are there? 


Led lights and a microphone. 

What outputs are there? 


There is a siren and a flashing light. 

What processing does your design do? 


It will be activated by a button so when there’s a danger the person can send an alert to other micro bits by pressing the button. 

Does it store any data, and if so, what? 


It will store the codes to flash the led lights and activate the siren when the button is pushed. 

Is the data be transmitted to another device, and if so, how? 


The data will be transmitted to another device by radio waves. 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Final Product (continued)


 
 

Diagram/picture/explanation of your final product: ​Our final product is a box casing around the microbit which allows it to be 
mounted on the wall. This casing protects the microbit while also making it easier to locate in an emergency. 
 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Materials & Supplies


 

You’ll need to list your materials and their cost. Don’t forget to attach receipts! 
With the exception of non-consumable items that your teacher lets you use (such as robotics or electronics kits), your total supply cost must not exceed $30. Use 
this page to list out what materials you had to buy, their total cost, and to attach pictures of your receipts as evidence. Feel free to add additional pages as needed. 
 
Microbit kit-$19.00 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Total Supply Cost:  $19.00 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

References
 

Did you use any code that you didn’t write yourself (such as code found online)? 
If so, use this box to list which parts of your code you found elsewhere and where you found them. The majority of your project should be original work by your team. 
Use whichever format your teacher requires. 
 

Did you use supplies or equipment from an industry, laboratory, or individual outside of your class? 
If so, use this box to note those supplies, where they came from, and provide some contact information for the individual who worked with you on those items. 
Computer 
Mrs. Mathieu 
Micro bit 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp
Teacher Leadership Program (STLP)
Honeywell Student STEM Challenge

Team Member Contributions


 

Please explain the different roles and divisions of tasks amongst your team members here. 
 
Tiffany- Google doc and designing the prototype 
Dwayne- Google doc and designing the prototype 
Ki’Yell- Drawing of prototype 
Carmin- The video demonstration 
Kalyani- The video demonstration 
 

In partnership with Honeywell and the GA Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing
(CEISMC)
https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/community/stlp

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