Light and Sound Student Edition 2026
G RANT NUM BER – 2341 962
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Conducting a Light and Sound Show Challenge You and your team will design and build an interactive Conductor’s Magical Box that creates a light and sound show in response to motion. You will “conduct” the show by moving your hand into and out of the open end of the box. A distance sensor will detect how far your hand is from the sensor. Your code will use that distance to control the lights and music. The goal is to create a system that responds clearly and consistently as the conductor moves their hand through the box. • • •
Include blinking lights. Play different musical tunes at different hand distances. Allow each tune to play for at least 10 seconds.
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Specifications –What your design must do. Before you begin designing, identify exactly what you solution must do. (Example: They system must play different music when the conductor’s hand moves into different zones.) Create a short list of the required specifications for your design. Constraints — Things that limit your solution. Identify the limits your team will need to work within. Evidence: Create a short list of the constraints your team will need to consider.
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Materials Cardboard Glue gun Tape Ruler Hummingbird LED lights Hummingbird distance sensor Other approved classroom materials You do not need to use every material available. Choose only the materials that help your design work effectively.
Light and Sound Assessment Rubric Criteria Alternative Designs
1 – Beginning One design idea described. No explanation of how it meets the project goals or constraints.
2 – Developing Two design ideas described. Provides a reason why one design was chosen based on ease of implementation or expected performance.
Music Design
One tune plays regardless of hand distance. Tune is less than 10 seconds long.
Two different tunes are triggered at different distance zones (e.g., 0–20 cm and 21– 40 cm). Each plays at least 10 seconds.
Light Design
LEDs remain solid (on or off) during the show. No blinking or color changes.
LEDs blink continuously during the show. Blinking is not tied to user motion or music.
Final Design and Code
Includes a photo of the prototype and an unannotated screenshot of the final code.
Includes a photo and code with 1–2 sentence explanation of what the code does.
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3 – Accomplished Three or more design ideas clearly described. Preferred design selected and justified using at least two criteria (e.g., sensor effectiveness, light/sound coordination, user control). Three or more distinct musical segments are triggered at clearly marked distance zones (e.g., 10–30 cm, 31–50 cm, 51–70 cm). Each segment plays for at least 10 seconds. Includes a silent zone (e.g., <10 cm or >70 cm) as part of the design. LEDs are coded to blink in distinct patterns and/or colors for each distance-triggered musical segment. Patterns visibly change when the hand moves between marked distance zones. Lights are synchronized with hand movement and music transitions. Includes a photo of the final product, annotated code (e.g., comments in Snap), and a 3–5 sentence explanation of how the code triggers lights and music based on distance. The physical box includes clearly labeled distance zones in cm. Code uses ifelse logic to vary output based on distance ranges.
Testing and Evaluation
No structured testing. No explanation of what worked or didn’t.
Redesign Thinking
No redesign is attempted or discussed.
Reflection on Learning
Provides one vague or general statement (e.g., 'I learned how to code.').
Conducted 1–2 test trials to check whether music/light respond to hand motion. Brief explanation of one success or failure. Describes one change that might improve appearance or function (e.g., repositioning sensor). No changes implemented. Names two specific things learned (e.g., 'how to use the distance sensor' and 'how to blink LEDs').
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Conducted at least three test trials. Documents exact outcomes for each distance zone (e.g., 'At 25 cm, tune 2 played and blue lights blinked.'). Explains fixes made after testing. Implements at least one redesign (e.g., code update, repositioned LEDs). Explains what was changed and how it improved performance. Explains at least two learnings with specific examples from the project (e.g., 'I learned how to use “if-else” in Snap to switch between songs based on distance.').
Knowledge and Skill Builders (KSBs) KSB 1—Preliminary Design. Before you build the Conductor’s Magical Box, create a plan for how it will respond when you move your hand. You will be conducting the ‘show’ by moving your hand in the Conductor’s box. A distance sensor will detect how far away your hand is from it and this information can be used by you to turn on lights and create and change sounds. The distance sensor operates most effectively between 10—80 cm, but you may want to make the box about 60-80 cm (about two feet) so it fits on a desk or table. You may mark distance zones inside the box. Decide what the music/sound and lights should do in each zone. Remember that sound may respond slightly slower than the LEDs, so your design may need to account for that timing difference. Evidence: Create a preliminary design sketch and a short explanation. • • • • • •
Show the sensor location. Show the direction the conductor’s hand will move. Show planned distance zones. Show approximate overall dimensions using the measurement system your teacher requires. Show approximate placement of lights or other major components. Explain what should happen in each zone and the sequence the computer should follow.
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Below is an example of a Conductor’s Box; notice the small opening at the end for the distance sensor to be inserted. The tape indicates a zone where no music is played.
This is the front of Conductor’s Magical Box. The LEDs are positioned in the center of the aluminum foil, which is used to spread out the light from the LED so it has a greater impact. Now think about what you would like to have happen when you move your hand from the starting position. Do you want a defined starting position? Should a song play, or should individual notes sound? What kind of lighting effects would you like—specific colors, blinking patterns, or color changes synchronized with the music? Keep in mind there is a lag time from when you move your hand until the sound starts, the LEDs are quicker to respond. Evidence 7
Explain the sequence of actions the computer must make, step-by-step, as your hand moves through the box.
KSB2—How the Distance Sensor Works Use the BirdBrain Technologies resource to learn how the Hummingbird distance sensor works and how to read its values in Snap.
farther from the sensor.
Test the sensor: Build and run a simple program that shows the sensor values changing as you move your hand closer to and
https://learn.birdbraintechnologies.com/hummingbirdbit/snap/program/15-1
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Evidence: Submit a screenshot of the code, 3 sample distance readings from different hand positions, and one short statement about what you noticed about how the sensor responds.
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KSB3—How single color LED Works Use the BirdBrain Technologies resource to learn how to connect and control a single-color LED with the Hummingbird. Start by writing and testing code that turns one LED on and off. Then connect a second LED and write code that allows you to control both LEDs.
https://learn.birdbraintechnologies.com/hummingbirdbit/snap/program/6-1
The code above is for one LED. Now write code to make two LEDs blink. Evidence: Submit a screenshot of your code controlling two LEDs and a short statement describing what you learned about controlling them.
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Extension Challenge: Make the two LEDs blink in a pattern. Try changing the timing or sequence—for example, alternate them, blink them together, or create your own pattern.
Alternative Light and Sound System Designs Before choosing your final design, create at least 3 meaningfully different design ideas for your Conductor’s Magical Box. Evidence: Submit 3 design sketches with short explanations. At this stage, you are exploring possibilities. You do not need to decide which design is best yet. • • •
• Include approximate size and major component placement. Show sensor location and distance zones. Describe how the lights will respond. Describe how the sound or music will respond.
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Optimal Light and Sound System—Part 1—The Structure Review your 3 alternative designs. You may choose the design you think will work best, or combine the strongest features from multiple ideas to create a new best design. Evidence: Submit a final sketch of your best design with approximate dimensions, sensor/light/major component placement, distance zones, and a short explanation of why you selected or created this design. • Use at least two design reasons, such as reliability, ease of use, sensor placement, light/sound coordination, or user experience.
Optimal Light and Sound System—Part 2—Light and Sound Code
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Before building the final program, use pseudocode to describe the logic of your program in plain language. Pseudocode is a simple, fake code used to plan computer programs using plain English Your pseudocode should show what happens in each distance zone, which tune/sound should play, what the lights should do, what happens in any silent zone, and how the program moves from one condition to the next. Build and test the code using your pseudocode as a plan. Expect to revise the code as you test it. Evidence: Submit your pseudocode, a screenshot of the final code, and a short explanation of one change you made while testing. .
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Develop Your Prototype Build the Conductor’s Magical Box using your final design as the starting plan. As you build, you may change the physical design if testing shows that something works better another way. You may adjust dimensions, sensor placement, LED placement, materials, or other physical features. Optional: Mark distance zones on the box if that helps your team test or conduct the show more accurately. Evidence: Submit one photo showing the audience view, one photo showing the conductor view, one photo or screenshot of the final code, and a brief note describing any major changes made during construction and why.
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Test and Evaluate Engineers test designs to find out what actually works. Test your Conductor’s Magical Box at least 3 complete times. During each trial, move your hand through every planned distance zone and compare what you expected with what actually happened. If you make a meaningful change after testing, run another trial to see whether the change improved performance. Evidence: Submit the completed test table and a short testing summary explaining whether the design met the challenge requirements, what worked consistently, what did not work as expected, and what changes you made Distance Zone Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Additional Zone
Expected Result
Actual Result
Change Made
Redesign Ideas Engineers improve designs based on what they learn from testing. Review your test results and identify at least one change that could make your Conductor’s Magical Box work better. Evidence: Submit one redesign idea and a short explanation of why you think it would improve the system. If time and materials allow, make the change and test it again. If you do not make the change, explain what you would change and what you expect to improve. If you do make the change, briefly describe what happened after you tested it
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Reflection Even if you completed the challenge as a team, each team member will complete their own reflection. Use specific examples from the project. Evidence: Submit your own reflection as a short written response, audio response, video reflection, or another format approved by your teacher. • What is one important thing you learned about the distance sensor, LEDs, or code? • What part of the project was most challenging, and how • • • •
did you respond to it? What did you contribute to your team’s final design? What changed from your original idea to the final prototype? If you had more time, what would you improve next?
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Light and Sound Assessment Rubric Criteria Alternative Designs
Music Design
Light Design
Final Design and Code
Testing and Evaluation
Redesign Thinking
Reflection on Learning
1 – Beginning
2 – Developing
3 – Accomplished
One design idea is shown. The sketch or explanation is incomplete.
Two design ideas are shown with sketches and brief explanations.
One tune plays, or the music does not clearly change based on hand distance.
Two different tunes are triggered by different distance zones. Each tune plays for at least 10 seconds.
At least three meaningfully different design ideas are shown. Each includes a sketch and enough detail to explain how the system would work. Three or more different musical segments are triggered by clearly planned distance zones. Each plays for at least 10 seconds. The design may also include a silent zone. LEDs use planned blinking patterns or other changes that clearly respond to different distance zones and coordinate with the sound design. The prototype reliably responds to multiple distance zones. Pseudocode clearly plans the logic, and the final code controls both lights and music as intended. Final evidence includes the required prototype views and code. At least three complete trials are conducted, with every distance zone tested during each trial. Expected and actual results are recorded, and changes made during testing are explained. A specific redesign is supported by evidence from testing. The team either tests the redesign or clearly predicts how the change would improve performance. The individual reflection uses specific examples to explain learning, challenges, contributions, changes from the original design, and possible next improvements.
LEDs turn on or off LEDs respond to the but do not respond system and may blink or consistently to the change as the hand moves. conductor’s movement. A prototype and code The prototype and code are created, but the respond to hand distance design or program in more than one zone. does not fully Pseudocode and final code respond to hand show the basic logic of the distance. system. Limited testing is completed, or results are not recorded clearly. A possible improvement is identified with little explanation.
At least two complete trials are conducted. Results show what happened in the different distance zones and identify at least one problem or success. A specific redesign is identified and explained, including why it could improve the system.
The reflection gives general statements with few project examples.
The reflection explains specific learning and describes the student’s contribution to the project.
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