Script: Welcome back, remote sensing scientists. Isn’t it incredible what our human sensors can do? And even more incredible that scientists have been able to mimic the capabilities of the human senses in technology! Today, you’ll be helping us to understand the air of the Ingenia environment by designing and testing a sensor that can detect humidity–how much moisture is in the air. Our weather in Ingenia can change drastically! Being able to sense humidity and prepare ourselves for wet or dry days is important to leading a comfortable life. Can you help us create a technology to solve this problem?
Script: We’ve been exploring and learning about all the different ways sensors are used in our everyday lives. Think about your daily routine. What sensors do you experience on a typical day? I’m going to say a series of prompts, and you will turn and talk with someone near you to respond:
Students will work in teams of 2-3 to design and build a hygrometer using everyday items. A Hygrometer is a sensor used to measure humidity
TryEngineering.org has a similar lesson here.
5 min Script: We’ve been learning about how scientists and engineers design sensors to provide information about different things. Sensors are used in lots of different ways for many different tasks. Today, you are challenged to create a hygrometer - a technology that detects changes in humidity. The goal is to be able to report a change of humidity in the classroom. Your hygrometer design can only use the materials provided.
10 min Show students other familiar sensors that measure change using the images or videos for demonstration. Focus student attention on the “hand” or arrow that moves as something is sensed. Ask:
Explain to students that the concept of the moving “hand” or arrow will be important in their hygrometer designs. They will need to include a “hand” or arrow that can move as the humidity changes. Ask:
55 min Group students and dismiss them to begin designing their hygrometers.
TIP: If needed, show students this video to give some ideas for designing a hygrometer. (sciencebuddies.org)
5 min Gather students together. Explain that in order to test their hygrometers they will need to leave them overnight and check the humidity reading the next day. Have students place the hygrometers in different locations around your classroom or school.
10 min Lead a group discussion. Ask:
5 min Script: We’ve made hygrometers to measure the humidity in different places. What types of places do you think a hygrometer is used in? Wait for student response. Hygrometers are important tools for many different places and technologies. Think about things that could break or become damaged when wet. If there is high humidity, or a lot of moisture in the air, that damage could occur even if you don’t see actual water around.
10 min Display the Thermopro Hygrometer webpage and read through the various uses: https://buythermopro.com/knowledge/10-uses-for-thermopro-hygrometer/
Have students consider different places in their home or neighborhood that may benefit from a hygrometer. As students search for an appropriate location, they should consider: does this location have problems with humidity? How do you know? Is the air ever too humid/wet or too arid/dry? Once you can sense and measure the humidity here, what else could you do to solve the problem?
