Voltage Venture Slides
VOLTAGE VENTURE
Design, Build, and Power Your Own Interactive Game
The Challenge
Your mission is to engineer a tabletop game that uses real electricity to function.
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Must use foil, copper tape, or wires as conductors.
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Must include at least one light or sound indicator.
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Must apply Ohm's Law to ensure the circuit works safely.
Game Ideas
Steady Hand / Buzz Wire
Electric Trivia Board
Circuit Pinball
Operation-Style "Surgery"
Circuit Constraints
Series Path
At least one part of your game must use a series circuit.
Recall: Total resistance increases as more components are added!
Parallel Path
Incorporate a parallel branch for separate game features.
Recall: Voltage stays constant across branches!
Calculations
You must calculate the total current drawn from your battery source.
V = I × R
Available Materials
Cardboard
Copper Tape
Xmas Lights
Batteries (9V)
Think Outside the Box
How can you use insulators (plastic, paper) to create switches or triggers?
How will you connect your conductors (foil, wire) to ensure a closed loop?
Safety First!
Never short-circuit your battery by connecting the terminals directly without a resistor or bulb in between.
Phase 1: The Blueprint
Before you touch the glue guns or the copper tape, you must submit a technical schematic.
Schematic Rules
- • Use standard circuit symbols
- • Label every resistor/bulb
- • Show the battery polarity (+/-)
Calculations
- • Predict total resistance
- • Calculate current (A)
- • Calculate power consumption (W)
Voltage Venture Project Guide
Voltage Venture Project
Student Engineering Journal
Name:
Date:
PHASE 1: CONCEPT & MECHANICS
Game Title:
How does it play? (Brief description):
Winning/Losing Conditions (How does the circuit trigger?):
PHASE 2: COMPONENT CHECKLIST
POWER & OUTPUT
9V Battery
Xmas Bulbs (Qty: __)
Buzzer/LEDs
CONDUCTORS
Copper Tape
Aluminum Foil
Alligator Clips
STRUCTURE
Cardboard Base
Brass Fasteners
Masking Tape
PHASE 3: TECHNICAL VERIFICATION
Series Analysis
Total Resistance (R s):
Prediction: What happens to current if resistance increases?
Parallel Analysis
Equiv. Resistance (R p):
How does voltage behave across these branches?
Battery Voltage (V)
Total Resistance (R t)
Current (I = V / R)
Calculate Total Power Consumption (P = I × V)
PHASE 4: FINAL REFLECTION
Technical Challenge:
What was the hardest part of closing your circuit?
Problem Solving:
How did you fix a component that wasn't working?
Circuit Blueprint Sheet
CIRCUIT BLUEPRINT
Technical Schematic & Calculations
TEAM:
SEC:
Schematic Diagram
Symbols to use: [Battery] [Resistor/Bulb] [Switch] [Wire] Ensure all paths are closed loops
SERIES PATH ANALYSIS
| Component | Resist. (\(\Omega\)) |
|---|
| |
| |
| Total \(R_s\): | |
PARALLEL ANALYSIS
| Branch # | Resist. (\(\Omega\)) |
|---|
| |
| |
| Equiv \(R_p\): | |
Ohm's Law
\(V = I \cdot R\)
Power
\(P = I \cdot V\)
Resistance
Ser: \(R_1 + R_2\)
Par: \((\frac{1}{R_1} + \frac{1}{R_2})^{-1}\)
Voltage Venture Teacher Guide
Facilitation Guide
Voltage Venture: Creative Circuit Project
OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES
This engineering challenge pushes students to apply theoretical physics concepts—specifically Ohm's Law and Power dissipation—to a creative product. By the end of the project, students will have demonstrated mastery of series and parallel resistance behaviors.
Pacing Schedule
- Day 1 Blueprints & Calculations. Approval required before any material distribution.
- Day 2 Build Phase I. Base structural integrity and primary conductor routing.
- Day 3 Build Phase II. Component integration, circuit closing, and troubleshooting.
- Day 4 Showcase. Hosted "Voltage Arcade" for peer-to-peer testing and play.
Core Formula Review
\(V = I \cdot R\)
\(P = I \cdot V\)
\(R_s = \Sigma R\)
\(R_p = (\Sigma \frac{1}{R})^{-1}\)
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
| Criteria | Mastery (4) | Proficient (3) | Emerging (2) | Novice (1) |
|---|
| Circuit Design | Both paths functional; clean tape/wire joints. No exposed hazards. | Both paths present; minor functional hiccups (flicker). | Only one path type used correctly or messy execution. | Circuit incomplete; paths not closed. |
| Technical Math | All formulas and units (V, A, W, Ω) correct and justified. | Correct logic; minor arithmetic or unit errors. | Formulas used incorrectly or missing key units. | Calculations missing or totally incorrect. |
| Creativity | Novel mechanics; high theme integration across all materials. | Functional game; clear and consistent theme. | Basic functionality; visible effort but simple design. | No game elements; just a basic test circuit. |
| Blueprint | Professional schematic; correct standard symbols and polarity. | Correct symbols used; layout is somewhat unorganized. | Missing several labels or battery polarity signs. | Sketch is unreadable or logically inaccurate. |
Resource Prep
Pre-Build Checklist:
- • Strip Christmas light wires to expose 1" of copper strands.
- • Pre-cut cardboard into 12" x 12" game board squares.
- • Organize 9V batteries and snap connectors into team bins.
