For our science unit 2 project we had to make solar lamps in groups of 2 or 3 or alone. I decided to work in a group of three. Our materials for the solar lamp were a resistor, a LED light bulb, A switch, wires, a solar panel and a battery. A first idea was to make a flashlight by using a can. It didn’t work so we had to make a new one. The new one was just a regular lamp and we used a butter container.
While creating our lamps we encountered a lot problems but some were major problems. At first we didn’t know the circuit to use to make the lamp. Then, we forgot to insulate our can. We also didn’t know how to use the sattering iron. We were a little behind. We had an idea about using broken cd’s to make the disperse but we never actually tried it out. I began to worry because every group was using a little glass jar to put around the lightbulb, except us. Then, when the due date arrived we managed to finish the lamp. But when we had to test it out it didn’t work. That is when everything went downfall because it didn’t work we decided to restart everything. We broke apart our lamp in that process we broke our light bulb, we pulled the tape off our solar panel and later I accidentally broke our switch. After that I gave up I told myself that we were going to fail and there was nothing I could do about. I got really mad at myself. I was totally discouraged because I got a bad score on my previous science project. So I told myself that I would never be good at science and that their is no point of me even trying. Then my conscious told me otherwise so I asked my partners if we could meet up to remake our project. I already had a new idea in mind and that was to use a plastic container instead of a jar. We weren’t able to meetup. Then we decided to work on it on Saturday and I couldn’t come but luckily one of my partners came, took it home and finished it(without using the switch). Then he handed it in. Then we were given a chance to redo our project on a Wednesday. We went to the makerspace with a brighter mindset and with a better plan. in 1 hour and 20 minutes we managed to do what we couldn’t do in 3 weeks. I learned that if you concentrate and work head on one thing you do it better and you finish it faster. We were also given a challenge, we had to use 2 switches instead of one switch. We ended up finishing the circuitry, now all we have to do is decorate our lamp and make holes for the switches. During Christmas break I helped assemble my baby brother’s electric toy motorcycle and because I working on circuits at school, I was able to help assemble the parts and the circuitry of the motorcycle.
I think we did this project to sort of practice and get better at some of the skills we were learning in class. For example being able to assemble wires is a good skill we might need in the future. These skills could save our lives one day, I think being able to work and understand electricity is a good skill I’m thankful Ms. Merryweather is teaching me. Thanks to her I know more about circuits and electricity.
This project I learned how to solder wires, use a switch in a circuit, make a circuit, light up a lightbulb and most importantly build a lamp. I think that the project was easier when I had to redo it because I actually knew what I was doing and I understood the main concepts way better. Next time I have a project like this, I think I will try to avoid everyone but my peers and my teacher. Because then we can work faster and have less distractions. When their are less distractions it’s easier to think and process what we will do in the future. What important I learned is that science backs up everything you do so you must first do the science.
The LED and the Resistor soldered together.
This is when we were soldering the wire that connected to the battery, onto the switch.