Greenhouse Sense and Control Kit
The Greenhouse Sense & Control Kit is supported by student activities that can be edited to fit your course needs. Each activity builds students' computational thinking skills through Blockly programming and includes opportunities to focus on biology or environmental science concepts. Every investigation includes extensions that enhance engineering and design practices.
Grade Level: Middle School
Subject: Life Science • STEM
Activities
01) Program a Sunny Day for Plants
In this investigation, students use a //control.Node, a PASCO Grow Light, an EcoChamber lid and Blockly code to write a program that controls light output in order to model the sun's daily light cycle.
02) Code a Cooling Breeze for a Greenhouse
Students use Blockly code, a //control.Node, and Greenhouse Sensor measurements to program a fan that controls the air temperature inside an EcoChamber greenhouse illuminated by a Grow Light.
03) Program Perfectly Timed Rain
Students use Blockly code, a //control.Node, and Greenhouse Sensor measurements to program an automated plant watering system of their own design.
04) Optimize Water Movement in a Greenhouse
Students use an EcoChamber and a //control.Node along with all Greenhouse inputs (temperature, humidity, brightness, soil moisture) and outputs (USB Fan, USB Pump, Grow Light) to investigate ways humidity can be manipulated in a Greenhouse and write a program to identify an ideal plant choice based on Greenhouse sensor measurements.
5A) Program a Greenhouse Sense and Control System (Function-Based)
Students use an EcoChamber and a //control.Node along with all Greenhouse inputs (temperature, humidity, brightness, soil moisture) and outputs (USB Fan, USB Pump, Grow Light) to incorporate and modify existing Blockly code from previous investigations and use at least 2 sense-and-control approaches to program an autonomous Greenhouse.
5B) Program a Greenhouse Sense and Control System (Advanced)
Students use an EcoChamber and a //control.Node along with all Greenhouse inputs (temperature, humidity, brightness, soil moisture) and outputs (USB Fan, USB Pump, Grow Light) to incorporate and modify existing Blockly code from previous investigations and use at least 2 sense-and-control approaches to program an autonomous Greenhouse.
