Makey Makey
Cards
Make projects that connect to the
physical world with Makey Makey!
scratch.mit.edu Set of 5 cards
Cards in This Pack
● Set Up Makey Makey
Try These Cards In Any Order:
● Electric High Five
● Makey Secret Code
● Foil Piano
● Art Comes Alive
Or combine with other cards like “Make It
Fly” to create an external keyboard to
control a game!
scratch.mit.edu Set of 5 cards
Set Up Makey Makey
Instructions:
1. Plug the Makey Makey Board into
your computer using the provided
cable. You should see a light turn on
on the board to know it is connected
properly. (There is no need to install
drivers, etc.)
2. Open Scratch and create a new
project.
Makey Makey 1
3. Connect an alligator clip to any set of
holes along the “EARTH” strip on the
bottom of the board.
4. Connect an alligator clip to any of the
holes aligned with a keyboard key.
5. Create a script to run when that
keyboard key is pressed.
6. Close the circuit to make the program
register that keyboard key was pressed
by holding the metal part of each
alligator clip (key and EARTH).
Makey Makey 1
Electric High Five
Instructions:
1. Connect one alligator clip to EARTH.
2. Connect a second alligator clip to a
keyboard key.
3. Have each person touch an alligator
clip and give a high five to close the
circuit and see the result!
Makey Makey 2
Electric High Five
scratch.mit.edu
GET READY
Find a
partner.
Choose any sprite. Pico Walking
ADD CODE AND TEST
Add code to One person holds the alligator
happen when the clip connected to the keyboard
keyboard key is key. The other holds the clip
pressed. connected to EARTH.
Now, give a high five to close the circuit
and run your code!
Makey Secret Code
Instructions:
1. Use the blocks available under the
Makey Makey Extension.
2. Select a keyboard combination to
activate your secret code program.
3. Touch the alligator clips or connected
conductive objects in the right order
to close the circuit and see the result!
Makey Makey 3
Makey Secret Code
scratch.mit.edu
GET READY
Choose any sprite. Pico Walking Add the Makey Makey
Extension.
ADD CODE AND TEST
Choose the block combination to activate
your program, and write a script to run
when received.
Close the circuit to register
each keyboard press by
touching EARTH and each
keyboard input in order.
Debug your code and test the
conductivity of materials by
trying actual keyboard keys
versus the Makey Makey.
Foil Piano
Instructions:
1. Connect one alligator clip to EARTH
and various alligator clips to multiple
keyboard keys, which will represent
various musical notes.
2. Code a project so key presses play
different notes.
3. Use foil, bananas, Play-doh, or other
conductive materials as external keys.
Makey Makey 4
Foil Piano
scratch.mit.edu
GET READY
Choose any sprite Keyboard Optional: add the
or draw your own. Music Extension.
ADD CODE AND TEST
Select note sounds in the Sound
library to play when different
keyboard keys are pressed.
Or add the Music Extension and
You can use either the “when
select notes to play when different
[space] key pressed” block under
keyboard keys are pressed. Notes
the Events category or the blocks
can be customized for beat count
in the Makey Makey Extension.
and instrument.
Close the circuit to register each
keyboard press by touching EARTH and
a keyboard input.
Art Comes Alive
Instructions:
1. Create a drawing, informational sheet,
poem, or poster you want to connect
to the digital space.
2. Use a graphite pencil, foil, conductive
tape, or conductive paint to create
connection points with pieces.
3. Use Makey Makey and Scratch to
provide additional information when
participants interact with your work.
Makey Makey 5
Art Comes Alive
scratch.mit.edu
GET READY
Create your
drawing.
Choose any sprite. Pico Walking
ADD CODE AND TEST
Connect different pieces of your
drawing to alligator clips. Make
sure the conductive pieces don’t
overlap, so only one key is
registered as pressed at a time.
Don’t forget to connect EARTH.
Add code to play a sound (like a
recording of your voice) or have your
sprite say something when different
pieces of the drawing are touched.
