Project 26 - Button Segment "K-12 JUNO STEM KIT"

What You Can Build Using K-12 JUNO STEM KIT

In the "Button Segment" project from the K-12 JUNO STEM Kit, children build a simple interactive circuit using a push button and a segment display (like a seven-segment LED). When the push button is pressed, one or more segments of the display light up to reveal numbers or shapes. This hands-on activity lets learners physically control visible outputs, connecting user actions directly to electronics feedback.

What You Can Learn

• User Input Devices: Kids discover how push buttons can act as simple "on/off" switches to control circuits and outputs.

• Segment Display Basics: Learners see how segment displays are constructed from individual LEDs shaped to form numbers or letters.

• Basic Circuit Wiring: Students practice connecting a button, resistors, and display, mastering breadboard wiring and pin assignments.

• Cause and Effect: Pressing the button and instantly lighting segments teaches the direct response between user input and electronic display.

Real Life Problem Solving

• Troubleshooting: If segments don't light, children check connections, the direction of the segment display, and verify button function, learning step-by-step diagnostics.

• Device Understanding: The project models technology in calculators, clocks, and counters—everyday items with numerical displays.

• Design Thinking: Learners experiment with wiring different display pins to the button for new patterns or multiple segment control.

Additional Benefits

• Creativity: Students design custom numbers, patterns, or games using selective segment activation.

• Collaboration: This project encourages group assembly, testing, and sharing new display ideas.

• Confidence: Watching their button-driven circuit come to life inspires further exploration of user interfaces and interactive technologies.

• Foundation for Future Learning: This project builds the skills needed for bigger projects using displays, microcontrollers, and multi-button interfaces.

Why Button Segment Matters

The Button Segment project brings interactivity and immediate feedback to electronics. By making a segment display react with a simple button press, students experience the link between human action and digital output—just like in real gadgets and screens!

With Project 26: Button Segment, every child gets to light up new ideas and create fun, interactive circuits—one button push at a time!