A curriculum casebook jointly researched by
Miyagi University of Education andFirst Steps in

STEAM Learning
With guidance and supervision byProfessor Akinobu Ando
Miyagi University of Education

Project-based learning withrobotics for elementary andjunior high school classroomsw
ho e ron g gsoea c L bodf i rte cRo es!
oll se A rte lassuFu dA rcot a n ouyinForeword
These days, the movement to promote STEAM education is attracting attention acrossthe globe. In a complex and fast-changing world, STEAM education is a key ingredient in

us living better lives and keeping society moving forward. There's also a need for us herein Japan to prepare our elementary and junior high schoolers for the interdisciplinary

free study and inquiry-based science and mathematics periods that will become a partof high schools in 2022. We can add to this a demand for STEAM-focused classes whichmatch each child's developmental level and are key in cultivating information literacy
which, according to the country's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, andTechnology, forms the foundation for further learning. These classes are expected toencourage students to engage with their learning by offering challenges and creative
activities geared towards their own interests.

It could be said the issue at hand is that, rather than being unable to add more time toan already-packed schedule, we simply don't offer children the opportunity to conduct
their own research outside of designated periods. This is without even mentioning theresults of evaluating this research and the burden doing so places on the teachers whoare expected to guide them.

To drastically reduce these barriers, our research focused on implementing STEAM-

centric lessons which can be easily worked into existing subjects and schedules. The
themes in these lessons revolve around societal issues relevant to existing curricula,guiding students in creative projects and research as they combine and use devices

with the latest programming materials and sensors. A special emphasis was placed on

encouraging students to dive deeper into their studies by connecting the content at handto other courses.

One could say that, compared to a curriculum that goes full STEAM ahead, ours is justa bit of the stuff. I believe that the experiences accumulated through multiple STEAM

Bits modules will lead to more robust STEAM learning during comprehensive studies andelsewhere.

The research in this casebook was built on the cooperation of the Miyagi Universityof Education-affiliated elementary and junior high schools and Sendai City schools

in planning and testing each lesson, and Artec in developing the materials including

programs and blocks used with each device. It serves as a report on the work we've

done in implementing these lessons over three years, and in it you'll find complete lessonplans as well as the programs developed for them. I sincerely hope it will catch theattention of instructors and prove itself to be of some use.

Akinobu Ando
Professor, Miyagi University of Education
Department of Technology Education
President, Institute for Information Literacy
and Competency Development

Table ofContents

ScienceTechnology

Engineering

Arts

Mathematics

Foreword
By Professor Akinobu Ando, Miyagi University of Education

1

Chapter 0
What is STEAM Learning?
Extra Credit

2022: Year Zero for STEAM Learning

3…12

Chapter 1
STEAM Bits Case 1: The Power of the Wind
Extra Credit

Digital Measurement with Microsoft Hacking STEM

…13
…24

Chapter 2
STEAM Bits Case 2: The Secret of Clean Water
Extra Credit

Solving Social Issues with STEAM

…25
…36

Chapter 3
STEAM Bits Case 3: Shake Resistant Skyscrapers
Extra Credit

ＧＩＧＡ School: No OS Left Behind

…37

48

Chapter 4More STEAM Bits: A collection of lessons in digital measurement andprogramming using Artec Logger and ArtecRobo…49

Closing Conversations
Professor Akinobu Ando (Miyagi University of Education) and Takeo Miyake (Editor-in-Chief)
STEAM: Where Do We Go from Here? (Editorial Postscript)
266

Chapter0

What isSTEAM?
'STEAM is an acronym which stands for for Science, Technology,
Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics. What it means iscross-curricular exploratory learning with a heavy emphasis oncollaboration in everything from problem ﬁnding to problem solving★1.
STEM is a similar framework, though it doesn't include the arts. In thischapter, we'll take a closer look at the diﬀerences between STEM and
STEAM learning.

★1 From handout 6-1 of the Central Council for Education's Summary ofDeliberations in the Curriculum Subcommit tee's 19th Joint Conference on the
New Paradigm in Elementary and Secondary Education During the 129th
Meeting of the Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education (2021).

What is STEAM?

A Tale of STEM and STEAM
Chapter 0

STEM stands for Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics. This concept
was born in the United States of America todescribe a collection of elements in scienceand technology. It's also one of the mostimportant parts of any plant! STEM began
to attract attention as a means of cultivating
the human talent in science and technology
needed to stay in manufacturing on theinternational stage. The United States' STEM
Education Act of 2015 allocated a great dealof the country's budget for use in humanresource development, including teachers.
The continued adoption of the Internet andincreased access to electronic devices in
the 21st century added a critical need foraccessible, human-centered design as well as
fluid expression of information to our existing
body of manufacturing knowledge andtechnology. With this trend as a backdrop,
additional support has gathered aroundpromoting STEAM education, which includes
the elements of design and expression
covered by the Arts.
Additionally, the skills and knowledge
acquired in the humanities and social
sciences will also be required due to theircomplex relationship with solving our myriadsocial challenges. This has led some to thinkof the A as standing not just for Art, but
Liberal Arts.
This is what has led many countries to view
STEAM learning, with strong STEM in theform of the hard sciences, as the essential
education for citizens facing life in a new era.
Japan's educational system has also taken
this stance.

4

What is STEAM?

The STEAMification of learning describes areiterative process of creation and learning.

Exploratory and projectbased learning

CreateIndividual
passion

STEAMified
Learning

In 2016, Japan's Cabinet Office set its sights on the
Super-Smart Society, or Society 5.0 as the successor
to the hunting and gathering, agricultural, industrial,and information eras.

Chapter 0

In 2018, the report Human Resource
Development for Society 5.0 ★ 2 by the Ministryof Education, Culture, Sports, Science, andTechnology (MEXT) named the cultivation oftalent with both humanity's unique strengths
and the ability to reason, judge, and express
themselves in the face of unforeseen challenges
as essential in supporting and leading a newsociety in which we share our lives withadvanced AI and robots. Individually optimized
learning, acquiring the academic fundamentals
and information literacy, and bridging the gap
between science and the humanities were
determined to be a key part of this.

From the Cabinet Office Society 5.0 website:
https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/english/society5_0/

It also clearly described a need to breakaway from the separate tracks for humanities
and science seen in high school higher
learning, instead integrating the two withframeworks such as STEAM and design
thinking.

Learn

Knowledge acquired fromarts and science

At the same time, the Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry's (METI) Vision for a Future
Classroom declared a need for this integrated
learning from a young age, using the trial-anderror process of STEAMified learning to tackle

Figure from the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry's
Vision for Future Education (2nd Proposal) in June, 2019

the issues faced by our society.

2021 saw the Central Council for Education set out tobroadly define the scope of the Arts in STEAM learning.

The curriculum guidelines put into effectin 2020 named information literacy as thefoundation for all learning, and programming
education is a crucial element in STEM and
STEAM learning.
High school curriculum guidelines additionallydefine STEAM education as interdisciplinary
learning across subjects used to identify andsolve real-world issues ★ 3.

“Focusing on the aspects of STEAM learningwhich cultivate the character and talents
required for citizens to prosper in modern
society, with its complex relationship toevery STEAM field, it is of critical need todefine and promote the A in STEAM as notjust covering the arts and literature, but
the broader scope of liberal arts education
including health and lifestyle, economics,
law, government, and ethics.”

From a Central Council for Education report (January 26, 2021)★ 2 “Human Resource Development for Society 5.0: Changes to Society, Changes to Learning”, MEXT (2018)★ 3 “Learning Innovations in Response to Advances in Technology, High School Reform for a New Era (11th Proposal)”,Executive Committee for Educational Reform (2019)5

What is STEAM?

Inquiry-Based Studies in High School
Integrate
Chapter 0

In order to promote STEAM learning, Japan'shigh schools will add cross-disciplinary as wellas math and science-focused inquiry-based
subjects to their schedules.
These cross-disciplinary inquiries involve
challenges beyond the framework of traditional
subjects, while the challenges of science andmath-focused inquiries fit within the scope of
those subjects ★ 4.

HighSchool

STEAM
Learning

Programming
Elementary &Junior High

Inquiry Based
Learning

Cross-Disciplinary Learning

Improvedinquiriesinotherclasses

EnrichCreated from “Promotion of Cross-Disciplinary Learning Including STEAM”,
MEXT (2021)

While STEAM education is designated as
an opportunity for high school students toengage in CD studies, it is also paramountfor children to set a foundation for thisby engaging in hands-on activities andexperiencing science for themselves or
through cross-disciplinary and inquiry-based
studies, programming education, and more. A
report from the Central Council for Education
states that, “Depending on students' learning
situation, working STEAM education intocross-disciplinary learning is certainly feasible
even at the elementary and junior highschool level.”

STEAM Learning

Created based on a Central Council for
Education report (January 26, 2021)

This is to say, cultivating abilities like
information literacy which form the foundation forlearning in all subjects starting in elementary andjunior high is the first step in forming the base forthese new subjects in high school and university.

★ 4 “Promotion of Cross-Disciplinary Learning Including STEAM”, MEXT (2021)
6

Perspective&
Outlook

Improvedinquiriesininquirybased
subjects

What is STEAM?

STEAM at the Lower Levels
Improving ICT with GIGA School

MEXT's Path to GIGA School proposes
three stages for implementing personal
computers, starting with using searchengines to help improve the learning
experience in every subject and thentying what students learn into the realworld as they take the challenges facing
society head on. It also clearly details
that computers can play a role in STEAM
education.

Chapter 0

Starting in 2020, Japan's GIGA (Global
and Innovation Gateway for All) School
concept seeks to promote and help
the spread of STEAM-like learning inelementary and junior high school byproviding every student with their own
computer as well as a high-capacity
network. This is expected to help solve
issues such as the disparity in computer
access between regions as well as Japan's
relatively low usage of ICT in learningcompared to other countries.

The Path to GIGA School, MEXT (2020)

ICT for anyone in any subject at any time
Use search engines and software for individual and grouplearning

A computer for every student: Deeper, moreenriched classes
Engage in document creation, communicate in both one's
native and foreign languages, visualize diverse numerical data,
and record videos of scientific experiments

A computer for every student: Solve real
problems by tying learning into the real world
Use the process of inquiry across a range of situations
From the Path to GIGA School, MEXT (2020)

STEAM Library: Bringing School and Society Closer
The goal of STEAM learning is to get
students to use what they've learned in eachsubject to identify and solve the issues in realsociety, however there can be serious limits
on the information students pick up in school.
This is where the Ministry of Economy, Tradeand Industry's STEAM Library comes in. STEAM
Library is a collaboration between industry andacademia, an online library filled with learningmaterials, model lesson plans, and evaluation
criteria built around corporate activities andsocial initiatives like the UN's Sustainable
Development Goals.

The METI STEAM Library homepage
https://www.steam-library.go.jp/

7What is STEAM?

The STEAM Difference
Traditional classes have students work throughthe chapters of a textbook in sequential order.

STEAM learning, however, involves having students

Chapter 0

work to solve a given social issue through inquiry
and investigation. While this cyclical four-step

Themeprocess of inquiry may resemble the learning
process students are already familiar with,this process may change dramatically with theintroduction of personal devices in elementary

Present

Gather Data

Organizeschool, starting with the ability to use informationand communications technology, or ICT.

The inquiry is areiterative process,refreshing students'
perspective andthe task itself as it
continues.

Created based on "2018 Notice on High School Curriculum Guidelines:
Period for Inquiry-Based Cross-Disciplinary Study", MEXT (2017)① The Theme② Gather Data

Set and explore challenges
through hands-on and otheractivities.

Find and gather necessary information.

[Applying ICT] Set themes related to real-world issues
and challenges related to career paths, classes, andcross-disciplinary learning⑤ Set a New Theme④ Present③ Organize

Organize your discoveries andthoughts to determine conclusions
before presenting them.

Organize, analyze, and think
about the data you've
collected.

[Applying ICT] Convey information
by writing papers, doingpresentations, presenting posters,
and making proposals

Just like this, STEAM learning motivates
students to learn by allowing them to set
goals and tasks according to their own
individual interests. It also carries the benefitof getting kids to make their own mistakes anddiscovery as they build, present, and express
themselves.

8[Applying ICT] Research literature, search online,
and perform interviews, surveys, experiments, andfieldwork[Applying ICT] Analyze data using statistical analysis,
text mining, and other analysis tools
Created based on the Path to GIGA School, MEXT (2020)

On the other hand, there
are certainly questions as
to how to make time toprepare and teach theseclasses as well as how toevaluate students' work.
Professor Ando

What is STEAM?

Start with a Bit of STEAM
Let's see how we can use
bite-sized STEAM modules toget students on their way toa full-fledged STEAM course!

Inquiry-based learningin high school

Our research aimed to create STEAM modules
which can fit comfortably inside of and align withexisting subjects before students move on to
separate, full STEAM courses.
While the former might be considered going full

STEAM ahead, ours is just a bit of the stuff. That

In-class
modules

Chapter 0

Inquiry-basedlearning
during free study
periods

Professor Ando

(Full STEAM)(STEAM Bits)being said, we'd like to start by narrowing down fiveelements of these smaller modules.

First Steps in STEAM: The Five Elements

1

Set theTheme

2

Apply ICT3

Mix
Disciplines

4

Get
Creative

5

Reiterate

Let's start with an existing subject. We'll pick an issue which is both relevant to the unit being studied
and to the real world, then aim to solve it. This is a worry-free way to engage in cross-disciplinary
learning.
■ While it may be more realistic to start in an existing STEM subject here, relevant social issues areapplicable to all subjects.
Actively use ICT with devices as you start by gathering data and making observations, then finish
by organizing, finding conclusions, and presenting the results. This helps both to cultivate and give
students an opportunity to cultivate and showcase an information literacy which is the foundation for
all learning.
■ This casebook uses computers and educational programming materials as measuring instruments inscientific experiments.
Encourage students to use the qualities and skills they've acquired in classes already to solve problems.
It's a great sign of success if you can get them to relate what they're doing to things they've alreadystudied and what they're learning in other subjects.
■ Science: Take an interest in nature, make observations, and experiment.
■ Technology: Increase knowledge and skill in mechanisms and making, including programming.
■ Mathematics: Convert data into numbers and graphs in order to think logically.

Urge students to get creative by making, moving, searching, and gathering in order to solve the task.
The most important part of making anything is thought and experimentation. Have your class organize
their thoughts and present them to their classmates.
■ Engineering and the Arts: Solve problems, convey information, plan, and design.

Once the challenge is solved, inspire your students to take an interest in new
topics and what they learn in other classes. This will let them use their freestudy periods effectively.
■ It also helps get them ready for inquiry based learning in high school!

9What is STEAM?

Digital Measurements with STEAM
Chapter 0

During the course of our research, one of the methods we used to fit STEAM learning into an
existing class schedule was to use ICT devices in technology and science classes to take digital
measurements.
This involved taking the measurements from tools used in traditional experiments andobservation like thermometers and putting them into charts and graphs. Digital measurement
aims to incorporate devices like personal computers as well as programming tools into thescientific process, allowing us to visualize natural phenomena like energy, water currents,and seismic intensity using graphs and other methods. These devices and programming tools
already being available at schools means that you can perform any number of experiments
simply by mixing and matching sensors or making adjustments to your measurement methods.
Our research worked to verify the efficacy of digital measurement in STEAM learning by tying it
into real-world topics and using it in various ways to gather, compare, and analyze data as wellas organize and present results during the course of an inquiry.

Make the Device＋

Apply ICT
Sensors=

Digital Measurement

Programming Tools(microcontroller)

ICT Device(PC or tablet)

Experiment, Observe, and Solve!

So we can use a
motor to makeelectricity!

What shapeshould thepropeller be?

It could
use a few
adjustments!

Don't forget the
programming!

And a graphto make it all
clear!

With digital measurement, figuring out how to measure something is a creative activity in andof itself. It also includes a wide variety of STEAM elements. It should also be noted that the setup
and process of taking digital measurements can take up quite a bit of class time in elementaryand junior high schools, meaning that the best option is to offer a package of hardware withsome pre-assembled components along with sample programs and other materials. One of thegoals of our research was to develop these materials for schools.
On the next page you'll find a table summarizing three modules that we have done yearly
since 2019.

10

What is STEAM?

STEAM
Element

Chapter 2:
The Secret of Clean
Water (page 25)

Chapter 3:
Shake Resistant
Skyscrapers (page 37)◎ [Junior High]Learn about electrical current
and energy, measurement andcontrol, and wind power as
you think about how to use
propellers to make an efficientenergy source (science).

◎ [Elementary]
Investigate how watersupports life (general studies).
◎ [Junior High]Do a deep dive into theconcept of aqueous solutions(science).

◎ [Elementary]
Learn about the earth and natural
disasters as you design anearthquake-resistant skyscraper(science).
◎ [Junior High]Learn about the nature of
volcanoes and earthquakes(science) as well as humans andnature (social studies).

PC or Tablet
ArtecRobo 2.0
DC Motor (used as a generator)

PC or Tablet
ArtecRobo 2.0
Conductive Wire (electrode)

PC or Tablet
ArtecRobo 2.0
Servomotor, Accelerometer[S] Electromagnetic induction[T] Programming, digital
measurement[E] Making and tuning
propellers, creating scientificinstruments[A] Creating propellers, theenergy crisis[M] Read graphs, gather andanalyze data

[S] Conductivity and theproperties of aqueous
solutions[T] Programming[E] Creating scientific instruments[A] Environmental issues[M] Read graphs, gather andanalyze data

[S] Earthquakes and seismic
intensity, pendulums andvibration[T] Programming, digital
measurements[E] Architecture, creating scientificinstruments[A] Architecture, disasterprevention[M] Read graphs, gather andanalyze data

◎ Build scientific instruments◎ Build propellers with optimal
shapes and materials◎ Make a conductivity sensor◎ Collect samples of local waterand drinks (fieldwork)◎ Compare different methods
for checking for polluted
water such as oil sheen◎ Build a seismograph◎ Design and optimize the shapeand size of a building

Tie in non-science courses toinspire further learning

Compare water quality upstream
and downstream and gain aninterest in the chemical andphysical aspects of conductivity

Get a hands-on experience withearthquake-resistant structures,
engage in discussion withclassmates, and bring awarenessto this module's relationship withother subjects and to our daily
lives

Set the
Theme

Chapter 0①

Chapter 1:
The Power of the Wind
(page 13)②

Apply ICT③

Mix
Disciplines④

Get Creative⑤

Reiterate11

2022: Year Zero for
STEAM Learning

A
R
T
X
E
t
i
d
e
Cr

Inquiry-Based Studies inHigh School

Chapter 0

Seven New Ways to Explore

The new high school curriculum guidelines set to start in 2022 here in Japan focus on one key
word: inquiry. While high school students previously had one free study period, this has beenrebranded as a general inquiry period, with six additional subjects added which revolve around
exploring classical literature, geography, Japanese history, world history, science, and mathematics.
These math and science-related subjects in particular have a strong relationship to STEM and STEAM
learning. While students' general inquiry period allows them to perform cross-disciplinary studies
across a wide range of fields, math and science inquiries involve investigating various natural andsocial phenomena through a scientific and mathematical lens.

Math and Science Sow STEAM Talent

Natural Science Bachelor Degrees
by Country (per million)（Population）
The driving force behind putting these math and
1.26
3000
1.17
science inquiries into the curriculum is Japan's own
2500
1.65
recent lack of talented workers in science and2000
engineering combined with a serious case of science
1.12
1.96
1500
phobia. Compared to countries like Germany and the
1.22
1000
United States which have drastically increased thenumber of students studying science and engineering500
in the past 10 years, Japan has only shown a relatively
0
08 19 08 18 08 18 08 18 08 18 08 19 （Year）
modest growth of 112% during this same period as
JP
USA
GER
FR
UK
SK
shown in the graph to the right. According to the results Created based on the Japanese Science and Technology
Indicators, MEXT and NISTEP (2021)
of 2019's Trends in Mathematics and Science Studyshown in the graphs at the bottom of this page, there were drastically fewer Japanese students
who enjoyed studying science and math in junior high school compared to those who found thesesubjects fun in elementary school. In the same survey, the number of students who would like towork in a math or science-related field has failed to climb above 50% of the international average
since 2011. An invaluable ingredient in changing this trend is giving kids fulfilling experiences inmaking things for themselves as well as science starting from an early age and combining this withinterdisciplinary studies and inquiries at the elementary and junior high school level with a special
focus on math and science.

Do you have fun studying math?

(%)
100

70
60

79

30

Junior High SchoolInt'l Average (JHS)

65

81
70

65

67

84

39

40

2003

2007

85

73

75

71

71

48

50
40

Int'l Average (ES)

(%)
100

90
80

Do you have fun studying science?

Elementary School

52

84
77
70
56

60

Int'l Average (JHS)

81

82

83

77

78

59

59

2003

2007

90
88
80
63

90
87
81
66

92
86
81
70

50
40

2011

2015

2019

Created based on Trends in Mathematics and Science Study, MEXT (2019)12

70

Int'l Average (ES)Junior High School

87

90
80

Elementary School

30

2011

2015

2019

Chapter

1

The Power ofthe Wind
Electrical Current and Energy(Junior High Science)
STEAM Bits Case 1“Today we're going to be working at a wind energy company.
Our job is to use a limited number of materials to develop a propellerthat can generate a lot of electricity!”This module focuses on wind power, taking lessons on electricalcurrent and its uses from the ﬁrst unit of junior high science and tying
it into energy conversion and measurement and control studied intechnology classes. We challenged students to use a propeller togenerate as much energy as possible, aiming to oﬀer a STEM and
STEAM class which ties existing science and technology studies into
everyday situations and societal challenges.

The Power of the Wind

Before You Start
Junior High Science: Electrical Current and Energy

Overview

Chapter 1
14Modern society requires us to view life through the lens of science, actively questioning
the world around us and fostering a proactive attitude towards finding the answers to thosequestions. There are some students, however, who have trouble linking what they learn inschool with real life and the issues facing the world. This is especially true for science.
In our research, we aimed to create this cross-disciplinary module using Goal 7 of the
Sustainable Development Goals: Affordable and Clean Energy, a social issue which also falls
nicely into the category of science. It's critical that we find a way to work hand-in-hand withnature and the limited resources on our planet to build a sustainable society that remains inharmony with the natural world. This module challenges students to use a propeller to generate
as much energy as possible. Its main goal is to get junior high school students working withconcepts they already study in science such as electricity and its uses, experimenting with using
electrical current to generate light and heat, and understanding how conditions can affect theamount of light and heat that you can make.
On the other end, the new technology and home economics curriculum ask students toconsider energy conversion as a means to solve issues on a personal and societal level, finding
the challenge in the issue, planning, designing, and then making electronic circuits or physicalmechanisms then evaluating, improving upon, and correcting their manufacturing processes andresults. Consequently, this module calls upon students to find better solutions for social issues
by using engineering skills to find the issue, make the project, and then evaluate, improve, andcorrect it while using their knowledge and abilities acquired in science class to experiment andget the resulting data. The final step is to use their own reasoning, judgment, and expressive
abilities to analyze their data for trends.
In order to explore the theme of this module, we used a computer and microcontroller tomake a digital measurement tool for each piece of experimental equipment in a science lab.
The experiment itself had students use science to record, analyze and interpret their results,
technology to use their computer and program, engineering to design optimal fins for theirpropeller and build their measuring instrument, math to handle their data, and the Arts to view
what they've learned from a social perspective. We chose to evaluate this module's worth as a
STEAM course by seeing whether it truly allowed students to use what they've learned at school
to solve the challenge at hand.

The Power of the Wind

Making it STEAM
STEAM
Element①

Set the Theme

Module Content
This module can be used in a junior high science unit on electricity and energy, using wind power as asource of renewable energy. It can also be used in a technology unit on measurement and control, ora social studies unit concerning energy in society.

7

SDGs

Aligned to

AFFORDABLE AND
CLEAN ENERGY②

・ We also prepared a sample program in advance to cut down on the amount of time required forprogramming in Scratch.

Chapter 1・ This module uses a DC Motor as a generator in a turbine sensor and the ArtecRobo 2.0 Core Unit
to measure the amount of power generated. Analog values were converted into digital ones andshown as a graph on the ICT device.

Apply ICT

Science

Learn about electromagnetic induction

Technology③

Mix Disciplines

Learn about energy conversion as well as how to use computers for programming and spreadsheet
softwareEngineering

Design and make a propeller, troubleshooting, and solve problems in daily life and society at large

MathLearn how to handle and process numerical data like graphs

Arts

View the studies in this module through a holistic and societal lens・ This module aims to get students to build an efficient power source using a range of materials andoptimal shapes.
・ In order to keep it within the constraints of a tight schedule, we used blocks to make a simplified
measuring instrument and placed most of our focus on the experiment itself.

④

Get Creative⑤

Reiterate

The lesson here aims to bring an awareness to non-science courses to inspire further learning.

15

The Power of the Wind

Designing the Materials
This meter uses the ArtecRobo 2.0 Core Unit to measure the amountPower Meter of power generated by a DC Motor connected to a propeller. Thisdata is put into a graph on your PC or other device, allowing you tocompare the output.

USB
Cable

Chapter 1

Core Unit(ArtecRobo 2.0)

Press buttons on theCore Unit
to start and stop themeasurement

Data Readout

Power Meter

Making the basic structure of the power meter out of simple
Artec Blocks parts allowed us to adjust different parts of the metersuch as the size of the propeller or the meter itself according to
the parameters of the experiment. We also used the ArtecRobo 2.0
Studuino:bit Software to prepare a sample program which could be
adjusted on the fly.
Wiring the Meter

16

The Power of the Wind
Showing the Data
The data we log can be shown in multiple ways. Using a project Excel from ENG Windmill andWind Turbine on Microsoft's Hacking STEM webpage (find out more in Teacher's Tips on page24) allowed us to graph voltage in millivolts (mV), current in milliamperes (mA), and power in
microwatts (µW)
Using the software included with ArtecRobo 2.0 also allowed us to program a graph which canbe displayed on any OS without the need for dedicated graphing software. We were also able todisplay the power output on the ArtecRobo 2.0 Core Unit's LED display.
Graphing Data Using Excel

Scratch Program and Graphs
Live Power

Chapter 1(s)Real Time Output
Live Power(s)

LED Power Display
Total Output

17

The Power of the Wind

Designing the Module(Miyagi University of Education Junior High School)

This module tackles creating the energy-efficient power sources our society needs by
combining trial and error with real measurements. This aligns with the goals of junior highscience classes in cultivating skills, knowledge, reasoning, judgment and expression in addition
to a motivation to learn and a sense of humanity in students. This is why this module inparticular stresses the need to tackle societal issues as well as craft a narrative. We managed
to get the total class time down to two hours to make it effective within the shortest amount oftime possible.

Module Overview
Chapter 1

Time
Part 1(60 minutes)

Part 2(60 minutes)

Tips

Content
・ Understand how to use propellers to spin turbinesin order to produce power.

・ Get students thinking about the material, size, shape,and mass of their propeller.
・ Use the tools given to you to produce a maximallyefficient design.

・ Take your propeller and measure the relationshipbetween rotation and power, using your PC toobserve the results.

・ Experiment using the control parameters devised inpart one.

Thoughts on Teaching
Yohei Nishikawa
Instructor
Miyagi University of Education Junior High School

While students may understand that wind power is a more environmentally-friendly
way to get power, they may not be aware of its drawbacks. In an age where countless
amounts of research and development are being done to overcome these hurdles,
students will play the role of employees at a wind energy firm as they design, build, andevaluate their own propellers.
Even as I taught, I found myself thinking across disciplines: feeling grateful towards mymath teacher, applying what I learned in technology classes during the course of theinquiry and my lessons from art as we summarized it all. We sincerely wish for the STEAM
skills students pick up here will serve them just as well in the future.

18

The Power of the Wind
Guidelines (Part 1)
1) Learning Goals

Think | Judge | Express

・ Learn how to create experiment parameters which can help you evaluate a propeller which generates energy.
・ Use limited materials to create a source of wind power, then improve its efficiency.

２) Evaluation Criteria
Criteria

A (Excellent)

Enable students to create parameters which allow
them to evaluate their propeller's efficiency ingenerating energy.
Mentor Method 3
Guide students as they create an experiment to test
their propellers.

Mentor Method 4
Guide students in making theirpropellers.

Students are able to describe
not just their measurement
time, wind strength, and winddirection, but the distance
between the propeller and thefan, airflow, and the fixed positionof setup.

Have students observe their
testing setup and visualize
airflow by drawing itthemselves.

Students can effectively explain
the properties of materials usedand how they devised the shapealong with the optimal height andmass of their propeller.

Show students an example
propeller as a reference.

Chapter 1

Use limited materials to create a source of wind power,
then improve its efficiency.

C (Needs Improvement)

3) Module Flow
For Instructors

For Students
Understand the problem.

1 Explain the Task

・ Explain to the class that today they will play
the part of a project team in a company
which hopes to use wind energy to solve
our energy crisis.

Students should understand that they'll need to
improve the propeller in order to make it rotate.

2 Find the Problem

・ Think of how to turn a propeller which won't
move into an energy-efficient power source.
・ Realize that an improved shape would work
better.

Tips
This section touches on the energy crises andrenewable energy.

・ Here students will learn that their task in thenext part is to test their propeller. Explainthat propellers can rotate to generate
electricity.
・ Set the scene and goals for this part.

Blow air onto an unmoving, square propeller
to see that it doesn't move, then ask “what”
and “how” to analyze and get to the root of theissue.

How can you make an energy-efficient propeller?
Think about the parameters.

3 Find theParameters

4 Make thePropeller
5 Prepare・ Have students think of these by themselves
before brainstorming in groups of four. The
last step is to exchange information withother groups.

Use the kit to make your propeller.
・ Students can make it out of any materials
they wish.
Here students will learn that their task in thenext part is to test their propeller.

Have your class closely observe a test setup
with the unmoving propeller.
Evaluating Performance
Give written or spoken feedback as towhether students have found a good set ofparameters for evaluating their propeller.
Encourage students to pay attention to thematerial, size, shape, and mass to make anefficient propeller and give their design a name.
Emphasize that thinking as you test thepropeller is the first step in solving the
problem.

19

The Power of the Wind
Guidelines (Part 2)
1) Learning Goals

Think | Judge | Express

・ Measure the energy generated by the propeller and use the results to make it more efficient.

２) Evaluation Criteria
Criteria

A (Excellent)

Measure the energy generated by the propeller, using theresults to make it as energy-efficient as possible.

C (Needs Improvement)

Students compare their workwith others as they find thecommon points in making apropeller energy efficient.

Have students observe different
aspects of the propeller suchas its material, size, shape, andmass.

Chapter 1

Mentor Method 5
Guide students as they measure the energy generated bytheir propellers and work to optimize them.

3) Module Flow
For Instructors

For Students

1 Review the Task

Understand the task.

Review what you did in the firstpart of the module.

2 Review the Test Process

Have group members share information
including how to use the power meter aswell as what parameters to set.

Question students to confirm that they know
how to use their computer, set parameters
for measurement, and read the graphs of
their results.

Students will measure the energy generated
by their propellers.

Have students take notes on theirobservations as they measure.

Allow students to get out of their seats andto observe and exchange information withother groups.

In addition to observing the propeller andtaking measurements, sharing ideas andopinions with classmates is also an important
step of improving the propeller.

Students will use their own results as well as
the observations they made of other groups
to form even deeper observations on creatingenergy-efficient propellers.

Encourage students to focus on the material,size, shape, and mass of the different
propellers.

Think about how designing, measuring, andimproving a propeller relate to society, daily
life, and other school subjects.

Emphasize that thinking as you test thepropeller is the first step in solving the
problem.

3 Measure and Record

4 Share the Results

5 Observe and Present

6 Review

20

Tips

・ Allow students to improve theirpropellers as much as they can within theallotted time.

Evaluating Performance
Guide students' written and spoken
feedback as to whether they effectively
measured energy and used their results
to create a more efficient design.

The Power of the Wind

The Module in Action
We conducted this module in a science classroom, splitting students into groups of four andgiving each group their own power measurement kit and a set of small fans which they could
use to test their propellers. We also had each group gather thick construction, pinwheel paper,
cardboard, and plastic bottles to use as material for their propellers.

Scenes from the ModuleDo
o you getg morepower wiwith
ith more
ﬁns?
ﬁns?
ﬁn
?

Chapter 1

As workers at a powercompany, students
will thoroughly review
the challenge.

Set theTheme
Use What
You'veLearnedBuild,
Measure,and Improve

We could trychanging theangles...

Observe andConclude

Present the
Solution

Why are the values
going up and down
like that?

21

The Power of the Wind

Post-Module Survey and Observations
Once the module was over, we asked students to evaluate their own performance and write
a free report on what they learned.
Having students respond to prompts such as, “I had fun learning” and “I felt motivated”
allowed us to see that students were quite positive in their evaluations. We were also able tosee that using data visualization and tying in technology allowed the module to cover a muchbroader scope than a simple science experiment.

Post-Module Survey
I had fun learning

Chapter 1

I felt motivated
I understand how awind turbine works
I understand how tomake propellers eﬃcient
I can explain whatmakes them eﬃcient
It was relevant tomy other classes

0%

20%

40%

60%

Strongly disagree

Slightly disagree

DisagreeSlightly agree

Agree

Strongly agree

80%

100%

Not sure

Impressions on STEAM and Collaborative Learning■ Aside from having to think about area and mass tomake the propeller, I had to know and think about a lotof different things besides just how to make it. Talking
to different people helped me notice there are a lot ofdifferent ways to look at things. Taking this class helped meremember that it's more than just getting the propeller tospin. You have to think and look at it in different ways andtry to relate it to other things.
■ In this class I really had to use the knowledge I learnedin math and science like angles and area, mass, winddirection, rotation and finding the center of a circle. Doing
this helped me to realize how fun it is to actually use what
you learn.
■ It was also really cool how we could use a computer tomeasure current and voltage and get an instant power
reading. Seeing other people with ones that spun a lot eventhough they were made out of thin paper showed me thatit's less about the material than how you use it.
■ I felt like a lot of different fields go into making power.
Of course it takes electricity, but you also have to use
engineering for the airflow and development and there wasstuff which uses math like design. I felt like I could really use
what I learned.

22■ I'd also like to use a computer to measure power sources
like thermal and hydraulic power and experiment withefficient energy conversion in my technology class.
■ I thought it was amazing how you have to think about theshape and weight of a propeller in order to get it to spin
faster. At first I thought the shape wouldn't really matter,but doing the experiment to see that making a few smallchanges can get you a lot more power was really fun. I'm
glad I was able to use what I learned in my other classes
like math and social studies to make connections and build
the propeller.
■ I knew how you can make wind power, but I didn't know
how changing the shape a little could change how much
power you get. I've only ever seen windmills with threeblades before, but now I think that there's an actual reason
for the number, the size, the angles, and everything else
about the blades.
■ It made me realize that a lot of technology and thoughtgoes into the stuff we really don't think much about.
■ Ours didn't work too well this time, but it really made me
want to study science and other subjects a lot more.

The Power of the Wind

More than Just a Science Experiment
Below is a word cloud made by text mining the reports of students' thoughts and evaluationsof this module. Mining these reports showed us that the inquiries students made here went way
beyond a simple science experiment.
The clusters in this cloud are grouped by category including Propeller Shape and Power,
Processing Data on a PC, Quantifying and Visualizing Data, and Relevance to Tech Classes.

ModuleImpressions

Quantiﬁed
Measurements

Measu
Me
M
easur
easu
easureasasuresElectric
Electricleec
cttrric
c Measure

Data Processingon PC Comes
C
omes
Co
o
ome
mes
es Values
Values
alu
ue
ess
e

DetailedP
ossiblePossible
Po
oss
oss
os
ss b
ble
le
UnderstandUndeU
nderstand
derstanderrssstand
ers
erst

PreciseP
recisePrecis
Pre
rre
ec
e
c sse
e

Plastic
Plasticc
lastastttic

yEnergyEnergygy

Material

StrongStron
St
Sttrong
ng
ng

Setup
S
etup
Setu
Set
etup
t p

Visualizing
Data

SurprisedS
urprised
Surp
Su
urp
prri
r sed
s d Graph
Gra
Gr
G
Grap
rap
ph
p

Use

C
Cool
ool
Coo
oo
o
ol
Finss
Fins

Mechanics

A bit
bt

Time
T
ime
me
me

A bit
bitt more
mo
ore
rre

TurbinePower

Experiment
Experime
Ex
Exp
E
xp
xp
periment
perime
erim
erime
e
rim
rime
me
ent
nt

Power
P
ower
Powe
owe
owe
er

See
See
ee

Drum
D
rum
Dru
ru
um
m fan
fa
fan

Think

Make
M
ake
Mak
ake
e
Shape
S
hape
Sha
ha
h
hap
ap
ap
pe
e

Wind
W
Wiind
Win
nd power
po
p
powe
ower
o
err
e
Big
B
Biig
g

Other
Othe
Ot
tther
her
he
er

Blocks
B
locks
loc
lo
o ks
oc
ks

This
T
his
h s time
t me
me

Many
M
any
Man
an
any

Generate
Ge
GeneratGeneraenerat
enera
e
ner
n
erraterate

Rotate
R
otate
Ro
ottat
o
tta
ate
te

P
Propeller
Prropeller
rope
op
opel
pelle
p
elle
ler
le
er
er

Spin
pin
Wind
W d
Win

Fan
F
an
an

Light
L ght
gh
g
htt
h

Think
T
hink
h nk

Change
C
hange
hange
hang
han
an
ang
a
nge

Propeller Shapeand Power

Final Thoughts

Light
L ght
gh
g
htt
h

T
Technology
echnology
Techn
Te
hn
nol
n
no
ol gy

Chapter 1

Propeller Strengthand Materials

Class
Class
las
asssss

F
eel
Feel
Fee
ee
eel

PC

Data
D
ata
ata

Paper

Relation to
Tech Class

Use
Use
se

Diﬀerent

Propeller andMeter Functions

Heavy
H
eavy
ea
eav
a

Professor Akinobu Ando, Miyagi University of Education

This module uses a testing setup developed by our research teamwhich allows junior high schoolers to take measurements on wind power
when testing their turbines and propellers. As a result, we were able toconfirm the efficacy of the materials we developed in a real classroom
environment, and we believe it proved to be especially effective forlearning within a STEM and STEAM framework. Instructor feedback on thismodule came in the form of who realized its strong connection with mathematics whenseeing students figuring out exactly what to do with the bumpy graph as they measured
in real time, as well as the importance of having students build their own power meter
rather than just using an ammeter to take readings.
I believe that the world cloud above tells us that a mere two hours is still enough classtime to allow students to broaden their horizons, make connections, and think deeply.

Citation"Developing an Instructional Testing Setup to Measure Wind Power Data Using ArtecRobo 2.0", Akinobu Ando
(Miyagi University of Education), Yohei Nishikawa (Miyagi University of Education Junior High School), and Ippei
Ohashi (Artec Co., Ltd.), 3rd Annual Meeting of the Japan STEM Education Society

23

A
R
T
X
E
t
i
d
e
Cr

Digital Measurement with
Microsoft Hacking STEM

Microsoft's Hacking STEM (https://education.microsoft.com/hackingStem) is a primeexample of STEM and STEAM learning using ICT devices, including digital measurement.

What is Hacking STEM?

Chapter 1● Lesson Guide
Learn how to use cardboard and magnets
to measure and experiment with a detailed
guide that explains everything you need aswell as how to make and use it.
● Lesson Plan
Use this to guide and grade your classroom
as a teacher.

Lesson Content
Analyze satellite
images of the Earth topredict climate change

Visualize seismic data
to analyze the effect ofearthquakes● Lesson Guide

Use a robot to analyze
the anatomy of ahuman hand

Excel Worksheet● Custom Excel Worksheet
Designed to show measurements in easy-tounderstand charts and graphs.
● Microcontroller Wiring Diagrams and CodeSample programs allow you to use Arduino
or other languages for data collection.

While the projects in Microsoft Hacking STEM are full-fledged lessons in which students
spend quite a bit of time making their own instruments from real-world objects, ourresearch focused on meeting the needs of the Japanese school system. This included
cutting down on prep time, making improvements once the experiment was over, andkeeping reusability in mind by using blocks which can be reconfigured as needed.
Additionally, the relatively limited graphs used in our research aim to run on all devices
covered under GIGA School. However, schools which have access to Microsoft 365, Excel
and other tools can download comprehensive worksheets to help guide them in theiranalysis.

Artec, an educational company in Japan, produces its
own Wind Power Meter using the Arduino-compatible
ArtecRobo platform.

24

Chapter

2

The Secret of
Clean Water
The Rivers of Sendai(Elementary General Studies)

Aqueous Solutions(Junior High Science)

STEAM Bits Case 2
All living things need water to survive, but what makes thediﬀerence between Earth's abundant natural water and morefamiliar water sources like tap water?
This module had students perform a water quality survey byusing ArtecRobo 2.0 to make an electrical conductivity tester,
the same tool used for quality inspections at water puriﬁcation
plants. Elementary school students learned about water quality
comparison through a 50-hour exploratory study of Umeda
River, while junior high schoolers deepened their understandingof the scientiﬁc concept of aqueous solutions.

The Secret of Clean Water

Overview
This module involves digital measurement, turning the ArtecRobo 2.0 Core Unit into anelectrical conductivity (EC) sensor to study aqueous solutions, a concept touched on in general
studies in elementary school and in junior high science classes. Here we focused heavily on the
introduction of STEAM education in low-integration subjects, using the same materials in bothelementary and junior high school classrooms to gauge their effectiveness.

Comprehensive Studies in
Elementary School

Tomoki Watabe
Instructor
Miyagi University of Education Elementary School

Chapter 2

Centered around the Umeda river which flows through Sendai City, Miyagi Universityof Education Elementary School's fourth grade comprehensive studies class features 50
hours of inquiry-based learning to get students thinking about their connection to rivers
and how to work towards sustainability.
Our 17th class allows students to understand how the Umeda river supports life bytesting the quality of both the river itself and other local water sources. With that inmind, we incorporated digital measurement into the lesson.
Despite being visually identical to tap water, using a conductivity sensor to clearly see
the difference in quality between the two led students to guess that the river is quite
comfortable for living things. This was due to its similarity to water from the school pond,
which is absolutely teeming with life. This exercise also helped us to see the value of aconductivity sensor as a STEAM learning tool in testing water quality.

Studying Aqueous Solutions in
Junior High Science

Isao Adachi
Instructor

Miyagi University of Education Junior High School

This module aimed to get students in a second-year junior high school science unit
on aqueous solutions to incorporate digital measurement into an experiment and use
it to tell the difference between solutions which conduct electricity and those which donot. Students took the lead in this experiment, creating their own experiment plan andbreaking into groups to measure the conductivity of the solutions using a conductivity
sensor. The lesson concludes with a three-hour deep dive into the differences between
the conductivity in solutions intended to tie different units together.
Using an electric conductivity sensor in this experiment allowed us to successfully
bridge the end of a second-year unit on the world of electricity to the beginning of athird year unit on chemical changes and ions. We teachers are incredibly grateful for thisinvaluable opportunity to try this out firsthand.

26

The Secret of Clean Water

STEAM
Element①

Set the Theme[Elementary]Comprehensive Studies Grade 4:
The Rivers of Sendai[Junior High]
Science Grade 2:
Aqueous Solutions

The task here is to measure the water quality of ariver, challenging students to understand how the
Umeda river supports life by testing the quality ofboth the river itself and other local water sources.

This challenge asks students to gather andinvestigate the conductivity values of aqueous
solutions to find the difference between solutions
which conduct electrical current and those which
don't.

6 14

SDGs

Aligned to

SDGs

CLEAN WATER
AND SANITATION

Both cases use a PC or
Tablet, ArtecRobo 2.0,
and conductive wire as anelectrode②

LIFE
BELOW WATER

This lesson aims to develop the following according to the
Systematic Table of Information Literacy ★5:[Skills and Talent: Step 2]・ Gather basic information using surveys and documents
・ Organize data using tables and charts with a solid outlook
・ Find qualities, trends, and changes in data
[Think, Judge, and Express: Step 2]・ Turn data gathered from surveys and documents into simple
charts and graphs with a solid outlook, using acquired thinking
tools to organize the data
・ Abstract data to capture the bigger picture and points, finding
new ideas and meanings

Apply ICT

Science

ScienceTechnology

Technology

Engineering

Engineering

Math

Math

Recall what you've learned about electricalpathways in science class, then see that, while
purified water will not conduct electricity, adding
an electrolyte to purified water will make it
conductive.

③

Mix Disciplines

Use a digital instrument made from ArtecRobo 2.0
and a conductivity sensor.
This module is minimal on engineering due
to there being less focus here on engaging increative problem solving.

Output the results to a graph which shows
voltage over time.

Use what you've learned about how electricalcurrent works as well as chemical changes,
molecules, and atoms as they investigate
whether or not an aqueous solution will conduct
electricity based on its molecular structure andchemical formula.
Use a digital instrument made from ArtecRobo
2.0 and a conductivity sensor.
While this module doesn't focus on creative
problem solving, we did see some students
devising ways to obtain measurements in keepingwith their predictions.
Output the results to a graph which shows
voltage over time.

④・ Engage in fieldwork outside of the school and near rivers in order to collect samples.

⑤

Deepen interest by having students compare
water quality upstream and downstream.

Get
Creative

Reiterate

Chapter 2[Motivate Learning and a Sense of Humanity: Step 2]
・ Take in and consider fresh perspectives

・ This can include devising, building, and programming the instrument.

Heighten students' interest in the chemical andphysical implications of conductivity.

★ 5 “Systematic Table of Information Literacy”, MEXT (2018)
27

The Secret of Clean Water

Designing the Materials
Overview
Conductivity sensors, also known as electrical conductivity (EC) sensors, have a wide
range of uses in our society from checking the level of contamination in drinking water to theconcentration of fertilizer in agriculture.
This module has students use a programmable ArtecRobo 2.0 microcontroller to make awater quality tester. The electrodes attached to the Core Unit's analog connector work as aconductivity sensor, measuring the voltage of an aqueous solution which is then displayed on
the screen of your device.
Data Readout

Water Tester
USB

Chapter 2

A ButtonCore Unit(ArtecRobo 2.0)

B ButtonThis ESP32-based board has ananalog edge connector.
Press the A and B buttons to startand stop taking measurements.

The Testing Setup

The Water Tester

Just like an off-the-shelf conductivity tester, the water quality tester in this module can beused to show that purified water is low in conductivity. This means that higher quality water ismore free of contaminants.
Measures are taken using the following steps: ① Attach two probes to the analog connector
and immerse them in the solution you wish to test. ② Press the button to start the measurement
and charge the solution with three volts of electricity from one probe. ③ The analog voltage
picked up by the other probe will be converted to a digital value and sent to the PC via USB. ④
These values are then shown on the PC screen.
This tester shows lower voltages for higher quality water. This allows us to say that thecleaner water is, the less electricity it conducts.

Block Parts

28

The Completed Tester

Dip the probe into thewater to test it.

The Secret of Clean Water
The Tester Program
Our tester uses the buttons on the ArtecRobo 2.0 to
start and stop the measurement.
The portion of the program which does this is shown
to the left. Pressing the A button on the Core Unit will
send the message start to the graphing program shown
below and begin taking measurements. You can stop themeasurement by pressing the B button.
Our research involved creating a sample program prior
to the start of the class and demonstrating to students
that the tester operated according to the program.
Starting and Stopping Measurement

The Testing Program
Chapter 2

The data readout we prepared graphs changes in values
over time.
The input measurement is taken from the probe once
per second and converted into a voltage reading. The
graph plots voltage on the Y-axis, continuing to graph thevalues for one minute or until you press the B button.
voltage [mV]time (s)Data Readout

Programming the Readout

Converting Values

29

The Secret of Clean Water

Designing the Module(Miyagi University of Education Elementary School)

We used the conductivity sensor in a fourth grade unit on the rivers of Sendai city at Miyagi
University of Education elementary school. This unit is covered in lesson 17 of a 50-hourComprehensive Studies class. The goal of this module is to have students test and compare the water
quality of the Umeda river with other sources of water to understand how the river is hospitable
to life. The table below shows the lesson flow we used. We focused largely on a demonstration
experiment, seeing which results the conductivity sensor gave for tap water, river water, water fromthe school pond, and miso soup.

Lesson Flow
Expected
Student Respose

Step

1. Review andPrepare2. Discuss the
Samples

Chapter 2[A] Tap water[B] River water[C] Pond water[D] Miso soup

3. Experiment andThink[Evaluate Appearance]

Observe the visual aspectsof the water like color andclarity.

[Test Quality]

Use a reagent test kit tocheck and compare thequality of each liquid.

[Marbling Test]

Drip liquids onto a pieceof paper to investigate
and compare how each
one spreads.

[Check Conductivity]

Apply electric current
to the liquids to checkand compare the level oforganic matter in eachone.

4. Review theContent

30

・ “We took samples from the river last time,right?”・ “And today we're supposed to test them.”

Notes(grading criteria are shown with a ★)Have students recall how they collected riverwater samples before explaining that the challenge
in this class is to test the quality of the river water.

What is the quality of the river water?
・ “Fish and other animals live in the pond, right?”
・ “So if the quality of the river water is the sameas the pond water, that means things canprobably live in it.”・ “We do throw soup away, don't we?”・ ”I see. Flushing soup into the river isn't very
good for it.”
[Evaluate Appearance]
・ “Tap water is clear and has no color.”・ “There's not much difference between the river andthe pond water.”・ “You can tell the miso soup is different just bylooking at it.”

[Test Quality]

・ “The river water is almost the same color as
the pond water. That must mean they're both
comfortable for living things.”
・ “We can't check the miso soup since it already has
its own color.”[Marbling Test]“The tap water must have spread so easily because
there's not that much extra stuff inside of it.”・ “The river and pond water spread pretty much thesame way, and they're both pretty clear.”[Check Conductivity]・ “The tap water doesn't conduct electricity. Thatmeans there isn't anything which conducts
electricity in it.”・ “We got 240 mV for the river water and 170 mV for
the pond water which is pretty close. They mustbe similar in quality.”・ “The miso soup is 1,000 which is almost four times
higher than the river water. It has a lot of stuff that
conducts electricity.”・ “Comparing them this way makes it really easy
to compare different liquids under the same
conditions.”・ “The quality of water from the Umeda river waspretty close to the water from our pond, but
I think flushing contaminated water like soup
into the river would make the quality worse.”
・ “We have to do some serious thinking about
the way we live in order to protect the river.“★ Comparing life-friendly pond water withproducts that are thrown into sewage
systems like miso soup gives students anopportunity to think about whether riverwater is similarly life-friendly as well as theeffects that wastewater has on our rivers.

Have students take notes on what they've learned
from the results of their experiments. As students
test for conductivity, start by reviewing what theylearned about electrical pathways in science classand how purified water will not conduct electricity
until you add metallic substances to it. During theexperiment, point out to students that using their
ArtecRobo conductivity sensor combined with a
Scratch program allows them to measure objective
data. You should also note that the process ofgraphing results with voltage on the horizontal axis
and time on the vertical axis like this is a skill they
can use in math class, too. Get students to think
across disciplines by relating the content in thismodule to different subjects.
★ Check whether students have understoodthat the similarity between the river and thepond water is an indicator that the river isalso hospitable to life by having them think,judge, and express out loud or on paper.

As students see for themselves that the qualityof river water helps to support life, stress theimportance of protecting rivers through rethinking
how we live our lives, including how we dispose ofwastewater.

The Secret of Clean Water

The Module in Action(Miyagi University of Education Elementary School)

This module involved a demonstration experiment on an electronic blackboard where we tested
samples of tap water, water from the school pond, miso soup, and samples of river water collectedby students.
compare ourLet's comwater to tap
river wate
pond water,water, pon
and miso soup.

Set the
Theme

Think andWork AcrossDisciplines

Let's take a look at
the progra
program whichallows us tto use an
sensor to test
EC senso
water.
the waPredict and
MeasureTry andCompare Testing
Methods

We're going topredict the
conductivity of eachliquid, then see if
our guess is correct!
We're going toinspect and try
diﬀerent testing
methods on thesesheen and test

Chapter 2

Now we'll see that
puriﬁed water
doesn't conduct
electricity...

This module tests four liquids

Observe andJudge Results

We have to thinkvery carefully about
how we dispose ofwastewater to keep
our rivers clean.

31

The Secret of Clean Water

Designing the Module(Miyagi University of Education Junior High School)

The goal of this module is to gather and investigate the electric conductivity values of aqueous
solutions to find the difference between solutions which conduct electrical current and thosewhich don't. Students took the lead in this experiment, creating their own experiment plan andbreaking into groups to measure the conductivity of the solutions using a conductivity sensor.
Lesson Flow
For Instructors

For Students
Understand the task.

1. Review the Task

Introduce each group's hypothesis from the lastclass.

What makes solutions which conduct electricity different?

Chapter 2

2. Review the Test
Process

Use your testing plan from the last class as you
discuss how to use and the role of your device
with group members.

Question students to confirm that they know
how to use their computer and read the graphsof their results.

3. Measure

Measure the conductivity of students' water
samples.

Advise students to use the back of theirexperiment plan to take notes on theirmeasurements and findings.

4. Share theResults

Allow students to get out of their seats andto observe the measurements and exchange
information with other groups.

This should include sharing helpful informationin addition to taking notes.

Investigate the difference between conductive
and non-conductive solutions using the results ofyour and other groups.

Students should also feel free to use theInternet to research this.
Evaluating Performance
Use oral reports or written materials toevaluate whether students investigatedthe difference between solutions.

5. Observe

Listen to the instructor's explanation.

Explain that dissolving substances whichcontain metal atoms in a solution will makethat solution more conductive, giving it a higher
value when you measure it with the sensor.

Write a review of what you learned.

This includes questions, feelings, results, andimpressions.

6. Review

7. Written Review

32

Tips

The Secret of Clean Water

The Module in Action(Miyagi University of Education Junior High School)

This module had students form groups of four and use a conductivity sensor to test the solutions
they gathered to investigate what makes them different.
We're goinggg to take our liquids
and use them to ﬁnd thediﬀerence between solutions
solwhich conduct electricity
andelectric
those which don't.
don't

Set the
Theme

Think andWork AcrossDisciplines
Let's ﬁnd out
how to use
the sensor
and rread ourgraphs.
gr

Measure andShare

Chapter 2

Have each groupgshare theirresults and lookfor clues
between eachsolution and its
conductivity.

Observe andJudge Results

We can talk toother groupsg
p to
see what the
conductive
solutions had incommon!

Students takenotes on themeasurement
for each solution.

Present andSummarize

As a result of ourmeasurements, we
can clearly
y seethat liquidsqwhichcontain metals aremuch more
conductive!

33

The Secret of Clean Water

Post-Module Survey and Observations
In order to evaluate the efficacy of the equipment in both an elementary and junior highschool environment, we had students write a free report regarding their understanding of thematerial as well as the effectiveness of the experimental equipment. After analyzing thesereports to create the charts below, we saw that, despite being used in comprehensive studies
in elementary school and science classes in junior high school, students were conducting
richer inquiries relevant to each subject. We also believe that using digital measurement toget different results in numerical values which can then be compared is a great contributor todeeper learning.

[Q1] What did you learn from graphing sensor values?
Elementary

Junior High

Chapter 2● When I first saw the Umeda river I thought it was
really dirty. I was surprised when I used the testerand saw that it was clean because it got almost thesame number as the tap water. The value of thesoup was a lot higher than I thought it would be.

● It was a new kind of feeling turning the stateof a solution into numbers and graphs. Turning
something you just look at into concrete numbers
you can visualize with a graph makes it easy tosee its state and how it changes.

● Water becomes more conductive when somethingis in it. Regular water doesn't really conduct
electricity at all.

● It's a lot more accurate and hand drawn graphs so
I can see the right answer. Not having to draw thegraph also let me spend more time discussing ourhypothesis with my group and think more deeply.

[Q2] How was using a testing setup with a program and sensors?
Elementary

Junior High● Marbling only tells you whether the color of thesolution transfers to paper or not, but I thoughtusing the tester was nice since you could see what
would happen.

● I thought it was really cool that it was
programmed. Seeing how it reacted to the sensor
and graphed it made me think I want to program
like that, too.

● Using it made it easy to see changes anddifferences, and I couldn't have noticed smallerchanges without it.

● In normal experiments you have to use your eyes
to find changes in numbers, and I'm glad we wereable to use a computer to see the right numbers. I
was also wondering how it works since it's such acomplicated machine.

Quantification

Quantifying
Quantifying
Qu
Data

VersusVe
erssusus ObservationObbsservaerrva
evattiion

Using the Setup
Ease
Easse of Use

Marbling

Quantification

Test
T t Setup
S t
Novelty

Using
Ussin
U
sin
ing thethe Setup
th
Setup
Se
OverallContent

ResultsResu
Reesu
sulltts
Graphing with Scratch
Scratcch34

The Secret of Clean Water

Next, we surveyed students on how relevant what they learned here was to other subjects.
Taking the developmental stage of the fourth graders into account, we asked them to namesubjects they thought were related, to which they responded science and math. We asked thejunior high schoolers to write a free report on which points they thought tied into other subjects.
These points fell under math, technology, social studies, language arts, and science. Junior highschool students are at a state where they can see and think from the vantage points of multiple
subjects, and our text mining showed us that having teachers actively tie the content into othersubjects allows students to combine what they learn across different disciplines.

[Q3] Is what you learned related to other subjects?
Elementary

What subjects was it related to?
Math (4), science (19)(out of a class of 29 students)

Junior High

Final Thoughts

Coefficient:Frequency:

Chapter 2[Math] “I thought it was related to mathsince we had to read the values
and line up the solutions in orderof conductivity.”[Technology] “We had to use programming.”[Social Studies] “We had to take a guess and thentry to find evidence that supported
it.”“It's similar to how we learned tothink about things based on reallife documentation.”[Language Arts] “Figuring out a way to find answers
and clues for the question.”“Comparing and contrasting theinformation you know.”“Logical thinking like in language
arts.”

Subgraph:

Professor Akinobu Ando, Miyagi University of Education

Using the STEAM learning materials we developed for this module toquantify and graph data allowed students to go considerably further
in their investigations of the objectives in each class. As a result ofconsidering the relationship of this module to other subjects, we also
found that some students who tied the content into non-STEM classes
like language arts and social studies, especially in junior high school.
This tells us that progression to the next level of school doesn't
necessarily require more advanced materials, but rather guidance made more effective
by integrating it with STEAM learning.
On the other hand, teachers should be extra careful not to fall into a shallow
understanding that digital measurement is perfectly precise. The lack of IT-focusedcourses at the elementary level means that it is especially important to position this as away to develop information literacy.

Citation“A Test Case and Observations on the Academic Efficacy of Using Shared Teaching Materials for STEAM
Education in Elementary and Junior High School”, Mako Saito and Akinobu Ando (Miyagi University of
Education), Yohei Nishikawa and Isao Adachi (Miyagi University of Education Junior High School), Yoshitada
Nitta, Tomoki Watabe, and Yasutaka Uesugi (Miyagi University of Education Elementary School), Takeo Miyake
and Kentaro Hayakawa (Artec Co., Ltd.), 4th Annual Meeting of the Japan STEM Education Society

35

A
R
T
X
E
t
i
d
e
Cr

Solving Social Issues with STEAM

SDGs: A Treasure
Trove of Topics

What are SDGs?
The SDGs, or Sustainable Development Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in2015 as a means of tackling issues around the globe to create a more sustainable society.
With 169 targets across 17 goals, the SDGs aim to realize a sustainable world with noone left behind by the year 2030. While its predecessor the Millenium Development Goals
focused primarily on developing nations, the SDGs set targets for all countries including
developed ones. With environmental challenges on the rise, the SDGs also call not just on
governments, but private industry and us as individuals to do our part.

Chapter 2

From the United Nations website:
https://www.un.org/
sustainabledevelopment/

SDGs through a STEAM Lens
Viewing the global challenges targeted by the SDGs through the perspective of STEAM
education makes them easier for students to grasp, and taking a look at complex issues
like the energy crisis and climate change through this cross-disciplinary lens allows us toconsider them more deeply and motivates us to do what we can for our planet's future.
In March of 2021, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry published thefirst version of the STEAM Library ★ 6, a digital STEAM learning library open to the public
completely free of charge. Developed by a collection of 24 universities, research institutes,
and educational companies, the STEAM Library offers videos and materials across 63 topics
tied directly to the 17 SDGs with a focus on integrated, cross-disciplinary social issues
unbound by traditional learning frameworks as well as those encountered by students intheir daily lives. The curriculum guidelines and teaching plans included with each piece ofcontent makes them easy to integrate in classes, making them a rich source of information
when it comes to expanding the scope of STEAM learning. You'll also find that this bookalso uses icons which indicate the SDG relevant to the chapter.

36★ 6 STEAM Library homepage (https://www.steam-library.go.jp/), METI (2021)

Chapter3

Shake Resistant
Skyscrapers
The Ever-Changing Earth(Elementary Science)

Also compatible with elementary general
studies and junior high science classes

STEAM Bits Case 1

The continued earthquakes in the 10 years since the 2011 Tōhoku
earthquake and tsunami mean that another great disaster on theJapanese archipelago is very much within the realm of possibility.
Of the societal issues which require STEAM learning to solve, disasterprevention is a major one in Japan. This module challenges students
to use ArtecRobo to make a seismograph along with a model
skyscraper, investigating the relationship between earthquakes andbuildings as they think of how to make resilient cities.

Shake Resistant Skyscapers

Overview

Elementary and junior high school guidelines include quite a bit about disaster prevention

regardless of grade level or subject, and this is especially true for social studies and science classes.
Social studies classes ask that elementary students learn how society works to keep people safe
from accidents and disasters as well as the role local organizations and Japan's government plays
when disasters occur, while classes in junior high schools require students to understand how
important prevention measures are in a comparatively disaster-prone country like Japan. Sciencecurricula state that elementary schoolers should study changes in the landscape due to earthquakes,
while junior high students use earthquake records and their own experience with earthquakes
to discover that there is a regularity to the size and movement of tremors. This is in addition toresearching nature, grasping its positives and negatives in a multifaceted and comprehensive way toinvestigate the relationship between the human and the natural world.
These guidelines ask students to learn about disasters from multiple angles in every subject,including everything from first aid and injury prevention in health and physical education to creating
comfortable living spaces in technology and home economics ★ 7.
This module gives students a STEAM challenge of building an earthquake-resistant building in anelementary school science unit on the ever-changing Earth. In order to explore this issue we used
ArtecRobo 2.0 as a seismograph, built a block skyscraper on top of it, and used an accelerometerattached to the skyscraper to turn the shaking into digital values. We then made the building more
earthquake resistant by using a pendulum and weight to make a tuned mass damper just like thoseused in real world buildings. Along with using computers and thinking about how the content here
relates to other subjects, we guided students in discussing how to prepare for and protect life during
disasters from the perspective of disaster prevention education.

Chapter 3

Thoughts on Teaching
Naoya Kuriki
Instructor
Nakayama Elementary School, Sendai

Our school focuses on developing students' information literacy by using Chromebooks
in various subjects and activities, and this module gives children an opportunity todemonstrate their literacy by solving problems on their own.
As students used ArtecRobo to see for themselves how earthquakes shake builds, I felt
signs of deeper learning. This included students thinking about how science works in theworld around us and experiencing the fun of finding the solution to a problem. Especiallyin an age where every child has their own device, I believe that children found the value
in experimenting and thinking for themselves rather than thinking you can find all of theanswers on the Internet. It was also quite impressive seeing children enthusiasticallycalling on things they've studied elsewhere as we tied the content here into othersubjects.

38★ 7 (1) “In-School Disaster Prevention Education, 1. Disaster Prevention Education in Curriculum Guidelines, Attachment 1:
Disaster Education Prevention in Curriculum Guidelines (Elementary School)”Shake Resistant Skyscapers

Making it STEAM
STEAM
Element

Description[Elementary] Earthquakes and natural disasters (science)①

Set the Theme[Junior High] Volcanoes and earthquakes, humans and nature (science), nature in Japan (social
studies), disaster prevention and earthquakes (general studies)

11

SDGs

Aligned to

SUSTAINABLE CITIESAND COMMUNITIES②◎ PC or Tablet
ArtecRobo 2.0
Servomotor
Accelerometer

Apply ICT◎ Developing Information Literacy(Sendai Goals in Learning
Information Literacy)★8[A1] Record and Edit
[B1] Select[B8] Evaluate and Improve[C2] Classify Data
[C6] Finding Trends

Science

Earthquakes and seismic intensity, pendulums and vibration

Technology

Use computers, programming, and digital measurements③

Mix Disciplines

Engineering

Build an earthquake-resistant skyscraper

Math

Read graphs, gather and analyze dataArts

◎ Build a seismograph④

Get Creative⑤

Reiterate◎ Create a model skyscraper and adjust theposition of the pendulum

Chapter 3

Make a skyscraper and use units from social studies natural disasters around the world andprotecting life from disasters◎ Change the shape and size of the skyscraper ifclass time allows◎ Inspire interest in how the content relates to science and social
studies and motivate further learning★ 8 “Sendai Goals for Learning Information Literacy”, Sendai City Education Center39

Shake Resistant Skyscapers

Designing the Materials
The Design
In keeping with the new curriculum guidelines, we used ArtecRobo 2.0 as an educational
programming tool to make a seismograph which can measure tremors. This seismograph iscomposed of three main parts:① A load generator which uses a Servomotor to simulate constant tremors② A seismograph which shows Accelerometer values in a computer graph③ A tuned mass damper like those used in real skyscrapers
Generator

SeismographCore Unit(ArtecRobo 2.0)
① The load generator and ② seismograph③ Tuned mass damper madefrom Artec Blocks

The Load Generator

Chapter 3This generator uses an ArtecRobo 2.0 Servomotor to produce regular movement, simulating
an earthquake. You can start or stop these tremors simply by pressing the buttons on the
ArtecRobo 2.0 Core Unit.
As shown below, the Servomotor turns regularly from side to side, shaking the plate
horizontally to generate tremors.
Accelerometer

Servomotor

90°

The Servomotor is programmed to start at a default
position of 90 degrees and rotate to generate tremors.
You can also easily adjust the settings for these tremors,customizing both their frequency and magnitude to match
the parameters of your experiment.
Programming the Load Generator

40

Shake Resistant Skyscapers
Programming the SeismographThis seismograph takes the Accelerometer's
initial values at the start of the recording,then gathers data on how much these values
change along each of the three axes. It thenuses this data to gauge the intensity of theearthquake using the Japan Meteorological
Agency Seismic Intensity Scale

The Data Readout
Using an Accelerator plugged in theCore Unit, this seismograph graphs theacceleration along the x, y, and z axes causedby the earthquake. The top of the graphshows the settings for the tremors, while thebottom shows the elapsed time and strengthof the tremors. It also shows the seismic
intensity and scale based on 20 seconds ofdata.

Chapter 3

TremorStrength

Time

Programming the Graph

Measuring Tremors

41

Shake Resistant Skyscapers
Earthquake-Resistant Buildings
The Japanese archipelago straddles four tectonic plates:
the North American Plate, the Eurasian Plate, the Pacific Plate,
and the Philippine Sea Plate. This makes the country extremely
prone to earthquakes and has led to no small number ofmajor disasters. A prime example would be the Great Hanshin
earthquake, a disaster which destroyed 105,000 homes,
damaged 144,000 more, and was the catalyst for a review of
the country's earthquake resistance standards. Conversely,
Japan's cities are home to multiple skyscrapers known to begreatly affected by earthquakes. This module teaches children
about the load generators and tuned mass dampers used toprotect these buildings.

North
American
Plate

Eurasian
Plate
PaciﬁcPlate

Philippine
Sea Plate

What are Tuned Mass Dampers?

Chapter 3

These materials allow you to check how effective your tuned mass damper is by using theload generator along with the data generated by the seismograph. While the upper floorsof a skyscraper will sway quite a bit in the wind or during an earthquake, you can keep thismovement in check by giving the building a tuned mass damper. Skyscrapers like Taipei 101 or
Burj Khalifa are great examples of buildings which use these devices, though they each work in
different ways.
Dampers come in different shapes and can be installed in a variety of ways, but this module
focuses on a suspended damper which hangs from the inside of a building. Suspended tuned
mass dampers are used both in Abeno Harukas, Japan's tallest building, as well as in Taipei
101, the world's second tallest building located in Taiwan. When a building sways in the windor shakes in an earthquake, tuned mass dampers shake in response to settle the building down.
This module has students explore and learn about this mechanism by making a model damperof their own.
Taipei 101

Abeno Harukas
Restaurants

Tuned
Mass
DamperSuspended tuned
mass dampers use
hanging weights

42

Oil
Dampers

Shake Resistant Skyscapers
Modeling a Damper
This model damper in this module is a pendulum made from Artec Blocks which uses ballbearings as a weight to help keep the building from shaking too much. As shown in the picture
to the right, this damper can be easily hung from the roof of the building to test how much thebuilding shakes with and without it. Changing the number of ball bearings inside of the damper
also allows you to investigate how the weight of the damper affects how much the building
shakes.

Normal Earthquake

Earthquake with a Tuned Mass Damper

Chapter 3

Below you'll find the results from one of our experiments on earthquake resistance. These
results clearly show that the building shook less with the damper installed. Rather than working
the same way every time, the effectiveness of a damper can be greatly affected by the number
of weights that it has, the length and swing of the pendulum, and even the height of the building
itself. This makes it possible to adjust challenges to more closely align with real world issues.
This includes finding how a building's height affects the way it shakes or how effective a single
damper is with earthquakes of different magnitudes.

43

Shake Resistant Skyscapers
Elementary
Designing the Module (Nakayama
School, Sendai)

This module teaches students how to use the pendulums they studied in science class to keep
buildings from shaking, then use the values from their seismograph to find an optimal weight andlength for the device.
Guidelines
Learning Goals① Build an earthquake-resistant skyscraper by using a pendulum to reduce shaking and analyzing data tofind characteristics and trends, solving the challenge by using your own knowledge and life experiences.
② Learn about the tuned mass dampers which are used to control shaking, sharing results andobservations with classmates to broaden your own understanding and applying what you've learned
here to other classes as well as your personal life.

Relevant
Information
Literacy[A1] Record and Edit: Record and edit photographs, pictures, and sound.
[B1] Select: Select and explain your rationale.
[B8] Evaluate and Improve: Evaluate your work and use it to improve your next challenge.
[C2] Classify Data: Classify data from specific perspectives.
[C6] Finding Trends: Find and explain changes in data.

AssumedInformation
Literacy◎ Use of computer basics such as starting up and shutting down a computer, typing, and creating graphs.
◎ Finding connections between data and adopting fresh perspectives when considering problems.
◎ Respecting the value in your own and others' information.
◎ Applying your knowledge of computers and what you've learned here in your daily life and future studies.

Module Goals① Look at volcanoes and earthquake hotspots in Japan and across the world as you think of problems
related to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
② Investigate and present changes to the earth as a result of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions before
tying these changes into the bigger picture.
③ Investigate and think about disaster preparedness as it relates to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
④ Think and discuss methods you can use to keep life safe from natural disasters.
⑤ Module: Build an earthquake-resistant skyscraper by testing anti-earthquake devices and analyzing
data to find characteristics and trends, solving the challenge by using your own knowledge and life
experiences.

Lesson Flow

Chapter 3

Step[1] Review previous
science lessons.

Expected Student
Response◎ What kind of earthquake
countermeasures do you think thestatue of Kannon has?
・ “Strong, sturdy
pillars.”

・ “A reinforced
structure.”・ “They modified it to ・ “It has rebar
make it earthquake
inside of it.”resistant.”◎ What do you think is causing thetremors' values to go down?
[2] Demonstrate theexperiment infront of the classto show the task.

[3] Grasp thechallenge at hand.

[4] Makepredictions.

44

・ “Swaying like a pendulum makes thebuilding shake less.”・ “The building is heavier now.”

Notes
This module ties in the frequency of earthquakes during thisseason to the reason why the Goddess of Mercy Kannon
is the symbol of Nakayama Prefecture as a means to get
students to think about what earthquake countermeasures
her statue uses.

Point out to students that this draws not only on lessons fromthis year, but lessons from previous years as well.
When it's time to start the experiment, explain that thetesting setup here uses a block programming environment
which they may already be familiar with. Combining an
ArtecRobo Accelerometer with a program and otherelements will allow them to get data on the intensity of anearthquake using the same seismic intensity measurement
methods as the Japan Meteorological Agency.

How do you keep a skyscraper from shaking too much?
◎ Focus on the length and weightof the pendulum as you predict
how each one affects the building's
movement.
・ “Make the pendulum longer.”・ “Add more weight.”

Shake Resistant Skyscapers[5] Experiment to findwhat you needto do to make anearthquake-resistantskyscraper.
① Form groups.
② Each group has apendulum of a different
length. Add weight to
it to see how it affects
the intensity.
③ Put your results intoa spreadsheet.
④ Use measured
values to create andorganize graphs ofseismic intensity.
⑤ Return toyour group.
⑥ Introduce the resultsof your experimentand discuss andcommonalities,
features, and trends
you find.
⑦ Work as a groupto find and present
solutions to thechallenge.
⑧ Find problems with theconditions as well asways to solve them.
⑨ Present thefull picture.

[6] Learn that thisexperiment is usedin the real world.

[8] Look back on what
you learned here
and think of how
you can use it inother classes andsituations.

Evaluation

・ “The more weight there is, the less it
shakes.”・ “The building shakes less when thependulum is longer.”◎ Use the results of your experiment tofind clear reasons why a building can beearthquake resistant.
・ “The low measured intensity here meansthat the optimal damper is a long one with
14 weights.”・ ”I think it's better to use more weight with alonger pendulum.”◎ Search for potential issues when applying
these optimal conditions in the real worldand explain your reasoning.
・ “The damper might affect the walls andother parts of the building if it's too heavy.”
・ “The damper might hit the wallsof the building.”

Create a spreadsheet to record and compare
the intensity of the tremors without the damper
with the smallest possible values when using
the damper.
Have students put their conclusions from theirresults into a worksheet.
Putting the results into a line graph andsearching for features and trends also allows
students to use the skills in forming conclusions
from features in data that they picked up in
math class.
Have students consider whether their results
can work when building skyscrapers in the realworld before pointing out potential drawbacks.
They should then review their data and what
they've learned so far as they try to think ofrealistic conditions, finding clear reasons andexplaining them in their own words.

◎ Use what you've learned as you think about
potential solutions to these issues.
・ “You could reinforce the walls.”
・ “We could use two pendulums.”
・ “The pendulum's length could be changed.”・ “We could try using multiple pendulums.”
・ “Maybe we can program the pendulum tonot hit anything.”

Introduce Taipei 101 as an example of askyscraper with a tuned mass damper. Showthem a video of this building's damper as you
explain that the damper is controlled by acomputer program.

・ “When you do things in the real world you
have to account for things you didn't test for.”・ “I learned that besides reinforcing buildings,
you can use the pendulums from scienceclass to keep them from shaking.”

Have students use the worksheet to write down
their thoughts, then offer your class a range ofperspectives by calling on students to share
theirs.

◎ Ask students if they found themselves
thinking of their studies in other classes
as they worked here, then see if there's
anything they wish to explore further or try
in a different situation.

Aside from the pendulums that students
used in science class, have them think about
connections this module has to other classes
and find interest in the innovations humanity
uses to coexist with nature. This activity is also
an opportunity to stimulate students' interest
and curiosity in the things that are common indaily life.

・ “I learned that there are useful things in theworld which use mathematical graphs andprogramming.”・ ”I want to find out what kind of anti-earthquake
measures the Kannon statue uses.”

Chapter 3[7] Put your thoughts
and observations
together.

◎ Organize the results of your experiment andlook for characteristics and trends in yourgraph.

① Think, Judge, and Express: In their attempts to use a pendulum for earthquake resistance, thestudent uses features and trends in their data to find the necessary conditions and potential
issues, using their own knowledge and life experiences to propose and present a well-grounded
solution in a written and oral format.
② Proactive Participation: The student shows persistence in testing their pendulum as anearthquake countermeasure, basing their conclusion on results and discussing with classmates tobroaden their own perspective and proactively solve the issue in addition to making use of theirstudies in multiple subjects and their own life experiences.

45

Shake Resistant Skyscapers

The Module in Action(Nakayama Elementary School, Sendai)

This module had students work in groups to predict what would happen when they madechanges to their pendulum, then perform the experiment as a team to see how the weight of thependulum affected how much the building shook.

Scenes from the Module
How do we make abuilding strong against
earthquakes?

Predict what happens
when you change thelength and shape of
the pendulum.

Set theTheme
Use What
You'veLearnedNow let's put
together and analyze
our results!

Build,
Measure,and Improve
Chapter 3

What can we do to
make it shake less?

Observe andConcludeWe used a long, heavy
pendulum to keep theshaking down.

Present the
Solution

I thought about how tosolve the problems withputting a pendulum in areal building.

46

Shake Resistant Skyscapers

Student Impressions[Q1] Do you feel your work here was connected to other subjects?
● We learned about earthquakes and the damage
they do in science class, but this was my first timelearning about how we can control that damage.
● Aside from science, I thought about language
arts and design. For language arts, it was our unit
on language for community development. For
design, it was our unit on building structure.

● There was a lot of science since we used so muchof what we learned in our class on pendulums,
but it's thanks to people like designers who canmake things from scratch that we have these antiearthquake measures, which made me think of what
I learned in social studies.
● It used graphs and other stuff from my math class so
I thought it was similar. I learned that graphs can bepretty useful for stuff like this.

[Q2] Is there anything you'd like to learn more about?
● I'd like to look up other earthquake-resistantbuildings and how they resist earthquakes.

● I'd like to learn about how other famous buildings in
Miyagi prefecture are made to be earthquake resistant.

● I'd like to research the best way to makesomething like a damper in smaller spaces like ahouse.

● I want to find out more about countries with lots ofearthquakes and countries where big earthquakes
happen.

[Q3] What did you think of the class?
● It was nice trying out new stuff and doing graphs
which you normally don't get a chance to do.

Final Thoughts● We're going to continue to be members of society, so if
we can take this to other grades I think that, even if it's
not a complex program like the one here, we can makeuse of it when we start working in the future.

Professor Akinobu Ando, Miyagi University of Education

Chapter 3● It was a lot more fun than a normal classbecause it used programming and robots. It
was nice talking to my group to make it more
efficient. We also used teamwork during theexperiment by discussing things like whether thebuilding was shaking more or less than before.

● I was surprised that you can use programming tofigure out how to make a building strong against
earthquakes. I never knew you could use apendulum to control shaking.

While we can use rigid frames, trusses, and other structures to makea structure more shake-resistant, this module teaches children anothertechnique used to reduce shaking. In addition to seeing and sensing thetremor, introducing digital measurement allowed students to quantify thesize of it and use the Japan Meteorological Agency's method of calculating
the intensity of an earthquake to relate it to the earthquakes they feel inreal life.
Seeing students who had been unaware that their studies on pendulums could beapplied to preventing buildings from shaking enthusiastically diving into the experiment left
quite an impression.
While the experiment in Mr. Kuriki's class combines both length and weight, thisexperiment can be reworked according to the children and learning goal to explore therelationship between height and weight or even changes in weight alone.

47

A
R
T
X
E
t
i
d
e
Cr

GIGA School:
No OS Left Behind

Bringing STEAM Learning to GIGA School Devices
The new school curriculum guidelines implemented in the year 2020 named information
literacy as an ability which sets the foundation for all literacy in addition to setting out how
to develop that literacy. In response, MEXT developed the GIGA School Program in 2019.
This program aims to provide a device for every student as well as a high speed network
to every elementary, junior high, and special needs school in Japan. Despite a planned
five year deployment ending in 2023, the critical need for an online learning environment
in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid introduction of devices. According toa MEXT survey conducted at the end of July 2021, a total of 9,459,698 devices have been
shipped so far, with 96.2% of public elementary and 96.5% of junior high schools using
devices in at least some if not all grade levels. The upcoming adoption in every subject of
ICT in cross-disciplinary frameworks like STEAM and the full adoption of digital textbooks
in 2024 is expected to give students an even wider range of things to do with theirdevices.
OS by
Shipped Unit

GIGA Devices by OS

Chapter 3

Other
As of July 3, 2021 Chrome OS, Windows, and iOS hold roughly
0.1%
the same share of the devices which have been introduced toiOS
Chrome OS
29.1%
schools. While these operating systems have different functions
40.0%
and support different applications, these we see an everincreasing number of cloud-based and multi-platform teaching
Windows
30.9%
materials which cater to every device. In addition to Chrome OS,
Windows, and iOS which are recommended for GIGA Devices by Created based on ”Fact-Finding Survey on
MEXT, the ArtecRobo platform used in this casebook supports a Device Usage as of July 2021 (confirmed
numbers)”, MEXT (2021)
wide range of operating environments. This is especially true for
ArtecRobo 2.0, which comes with wireless Bluetooth support. See the table below to findout which environments are supported:

OS(Bluetooth)Wireless

Wired

○

-

○

Chrome OS / Chromebook

○

-

○

iOS / iPad OS

-

○

-

○

-

○

-

○

○

-

○

○

-

-

Windows

Android(5.0 or later)

Mac OS X(10.6 to 10.13)

Raspberry Pi OS▷ Learn more about ArtecRobo in chapter 4!
48

ArtecRobo 2.0(USB)(XP or later)

Wired

ArtecRobo

Source ・”Fact-Finding Survey on Device Usage as of July 2021 (confirmed numbers)”, MEXT (2021)
・ “The Path to GIGA School: Standards”, MEXT (2021)(USB)

Wireless(Bluetooth)○(web app)○(web app)○(web app)-Chapter

4

More STEAM Bits
A collection of lessons in digital
measurement and programming using
Artec Logger and ArtecRobo

Artec's STEAM learning tools are the optimal way to teach STEAM
and exploratory learning, cultivating students' skill in using
information, solving problems, and more. Our tools support children
to experiment, observe, plan and execute ideas, create through trial
and error, and put their results together using a wealth of featuresand parts, including blocks. In this chapter, you'll ﬁnd a wealth ofideas for STEAM lesson plans using the Artec Logger and ArtecRobo.

More STEAM Bits
Observations Made Easier
The Artec Logger is a digital measurement tool which lets
you collect data for your experiments and observations simply
by connecting sensors.
Pairing it with a PC or other device allows you to graph andvisualize your data for use in a variety of situations, including
general or inquiry-based classes. When in comes to using theArtec Logger for STEAM learning, you can find a wealth ofideas starting on the next page.

Find out more details on page 68!

Choose Your Sensor
Every sensor uses a simple plug and play design,
allowing you to use up to three according to yourneeds.

Wireless
Use Bluetooth to connect to your PC or tablet
wirelessly and view your data in real time!

Chapter 4
50

ClimateCurrent

Voltage

Water Temp

OxygenUltrasonicMultilogging
The software shows up to three sensors at once,
letting you compare pressure and humidity and more.

Live Capture

Simple Export

The software allows you to overlay graphs with live
footage of your experiment.

Export your data as an image or even as a CSV foreasy management using spreadsheet software.

More STEAM Bits

Topic ① Changes in Movementand Energy
Sensors: Ultrasonic, Current, Voltage

Use sensors to measure and quantify movement and energy in the world aroundyou, then use your data to think about how to use energy efficiently.
SDGs

1. The Swing of a Pendulum(Ultrasonic Sensor, Artec Blocks)

Live
Mode

9

INDUSTRY, INNOVATION
AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Swing a pendulum over your sensor as you
measure the distance between them. Usinga sensor in this way allows you to analyze
the swing of the pendulum using concrete
numbers of graphs.
Pendulum
These values show the distance to theceiling because the pendulum is no longer
in the way!

UltrasonicSensorThis is the
distance
to thependulum!

Artec Logger

Chapter 4

These values show when the pendulum is
at its closest: right in front of the sensor.

Choose from two modes!
Logging
Mode

Logging Mode allows you to store measurements on your Artec Logger and transfer
them to your PC or tablet, making it perfect for long term or overnight data logging.

Live
Mode

Live Mode uses Bluetooth to give you a live view of measurements as you take them,allowing you to observe the subject and changes in your data in real time.

51

More STEAM Bits

SDGs

2. Objects in Motion

Live
Mode

(Ultrasonic Sensor, Artec Blocks)

9

INDUSTRY, INNOVATION
AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Attach your Ultrasonic Sensor to a car and set it on an incline, measuring the change indistance to the wall to see how the speed of a moving object changes. The logging interval canbe set to a minimum of 0.04 seconds, and putting this data into a manageable format allows
you to perform basic experiments in mechanics like investigating the relationship between speed
and the angle of a slope with ease!

Ultrasonic Sensor
Artec Logger

This is the
distance
to the wall!

Chapter 4

What does it use?

Ultrasonic Sensor (Distance)
Plug it into port 2 or 3 on your
Artec Logger and use it tomeasure distance using ultrasonicwaves! Requires a separate
Sensor Connecting Cable (soldseparately).

52

Measurement Distance 2-250 cm
Angle < ~15°
Frequency 40 kHz

SensorConnecting
CableMore STEAM Bits

3. The Power of the Wind

(Current Sensor, Voltage Sensor,
Artec Blocks)
Measure current and voltage to make anenergy efficient wind turbine!

4. The Secret of Clean Water(Current Sensor)

Apply electric current to a variety of
aqueous solutions to measure their conductivity,
using tap water's lack of conductivity to perform
your own water quality survey!

6

7

SDGs

Live
Mode

SDGs

SDGs

CLEAN WATER
AND SANITATIONAFFORDABLE AND
CLEAN ENERGY◎ See Chapter 1 formore details!

14

LIFE
BELOW WATER◎ See Chapter 2 for more details!

Live
Mode

5. Sticky Electricity

6. Handmade PowerLog measurements of electrical current
to see how magnetic induction can
generate electricity.

Measure voltage from a hand-crank
generator, graphing your data in real timeto see changes in the amount of power you
generate!

(Current Sensor)(Voltage Sensor)

7

7

SDGs

SDGs

AFFORDABLE AND
CLEAN ENERGYAFFORDABLE AND
CLEAN ENERGY

Live
Mode

Live
Mode

Current Sensor

Voltage Sensor

Plug it into port 1 on your

Plug it into port 2 or 3 on

Artec Logger and use it toyour Artec Logger and use itmeasure electrical current!

to measure voltage!

Cable Length 20 cm (incl. alligator clips)
Range ± 5 A (DC)
Resolution 1 mA
Accuracy 1%

Range ±25 V (DC)
Resolution 0.01 V
Accuracy 0.1V

Alligator Clips

Chapter 4

What does it use?

Alligator Clips

53

More STEAM Bits

Topic ② Exploring the World
Sensors: Climate, Water Temperature

Measure air and water temperature, atmospheric pressure, and humidity to gain adeeper understanding of the natural world, considering what we can do to stop global
warming and preserve our natural ecosystems.

7. Measuring Weather (Climate Sensor)

Logging
Mode

Perform long-term observations on the weather by logging changes in temperature,

SDGs

13

CLIMATEACTION

atmospheric pressure, and humidity, even overnight. These logs can be taken as many times
as you wish. Once done, transfer your data to your PC or tablet to observe these changes foryourself!

8. Exploring Pressure, Temperature, and Humidity(Climate Sensor)

Live
Mode

SDGs

13

CLIMATEACTION

Perform your own indoor meteorological experiment

Chapter 4

by placing your Artec Logger into a vacuum chamber andobserving how the pressure and humidity inside of thecontainer changes as you pump air out, or even adding
a bit of moisture to see how temperature and humidity
change as clouds are generated. The values are allplotted to one graph in real time, allowing you to easilyfind correlations between them.

54

VacuumChamberMore STEAM Bits

9. A Home for Life

Logging
Mode(Climate Sensor, Water Temperature Sensor)

Explore to find the plants and animals which callyour school and neighborhood home as you think
about the relationship between living creatures
and the temperature and humidity of theirenvironment. Lessons can be further expanded byusing the Water Temperature Sensor and tablet
camera to observe the temperature of aquatic
environments as well as the creatures which livein them, even taking long-term measurements asnecessary.

SDGs

SDGs

14 15
LIFE
BELOW WATER

LIFE
ON LAND

SDGs

10. The States of Water

Live
Mode

(Water Temperature Sensor)

6

CLEAN WATER
AND SANITATIONThe Earth is a water planet, and the nature ofwater causes changes to our seas at atmospherewhich lead to all manner of meteorologicalphenomena. Heat up and cool down waterand other aqueous solutions, observing how
they change temperature as you investigate
their properties. These changes are logged
automatically, meaning that you can spend timeseeing these changes yourself rather than keeping
a watchful eye on the thermometer.

What does it use?

Climate Sensor

Temperature

Plug it into port 2 or 3 onyour Artec Logger and use
the thermistor to measure
the temperature of water!

Humidity

Pressure

0-100%

300-1100 hPa

Resolution ±1℃±3%±1 hPaResolution 0.1%

Accuracy 0.1℃

0.1%

0.1 hPa

Accuracy ±1%

Range -40-85℃

Chapter 4

Plug it into port 1 on your
Artec Logger and use it
to measure atmosphericpressure, temperature, andhumidity!

Water Temperature Sensor

Range -40-105℃

Thermistor

55

More STEAM Bits

Topic ②③ The Secrets of Life
Sensors: Oxygen Sensor

Respiration is an essential for all living things, including plants and animals. Measurechanges in oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration under different conditions toobserve how air is exchanged when we breathe.

11. How We Breathe(Oxygen Sensor)

SDGs

Live
Mode

3

GOOD HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING

While traditional in-school experiments
used gas detector tubes to measure oxygen
concentration, using the Artec Logger with an
Oxygen Sensor offers a convenient, reusable
alternative. Just like with other sensors, simply
plug it in to measure and view the oxygen
concentration in your breath in real time.

12. Photosynthesis and Climate Change(Oxygen Sensor)

This Oxygen Sensor is particularly useful in an inquiry
on plant photosynthesis. You can use it to investigating

Chapter 4

whether the oxygen a plant releases through photosynthesischanges depending on whether the plant is in the sunlight or
the shade, and even the position of a single leaf on a tree.
What's more, unlike a glass test tube, taking it outside is no
problem.
You can also turn this into a solid STEAM topic by relating
your measurements to climate change and food-related
issues. It's also possible to use real-time measurements andovernight logs to compare the differences in plant respiration
during the night and day!

56

Live
Mode
Logging
Mode

SDGs

15

LIFE
BELOW WATER

More STEAM Bits

SDGs

13. The Breathing Harvest

Logging
Mode(Oxygen Sensor)

15

LIFE
BELOW WATER

While some students may be aware that plants
create oxygen through photosynthesis, they may
not know that plants breathe, too.
Try taking your class on a trip and using the
Oxygen Sensor to check whether supermarket
produce respirates. The Artec Logger's compact
design and wireless features means that you cankeep it in a sealed bag as you measure!

SDGs

14. Heating Up(Oxygen Sensor, Water Temperature Sensor)

Live
Mode

7

AFFORDABLE AND
CLEAN ENERGY

Oxygen Sensors can be used for more than justliving creatures. Another handy way to use it is toobserve iron oxidation by measuring the changesin oxygen concentration and temperature of adisposable heat pack, graphing the value of bothin real time to find correlations between the two!

What does it use?

This sensor measures oxygen concentration. It's powered by zinc-air
batteries. You can use a tester to measure oxygen concentration byplugging it into the tester output terminal on the back of the sensor

Chapter 4

Oxygen Sensor From Professor Mitsuo Takahashi of Otsuma Women's University

and adjusting the calibration dial to 20.9 mV. Connect it to port 2
or 3 on your Artec Logger!
Cable Length

80 cm

Range

5-50%

Resolution

0.1%

Zinc-Air Batteries

57More STEAM Bits
Connecting Artec Logger to Japan's Elementary School Curriculum
Grade Subject

ExperimentA

ClimateB

The Sun and the Earth(differences in ground warmthand moisture)

・ Measure temperature and humidity of the groundin sunlight and in the shade.

ClimateHow Current Works(battery number andconnection)

・ See how changing the direction of a batterychanges the direction of a current.
・ See how changing the number and connection ofbatteries affects the size of the current.

Current★ The Temperature of Metal,
Water, and Air(the three phases of water)

・ Measure temperature changes in water my heating
it up and cooling it down.

Water

Seasons and Organisms(seasons and plant growth)・ Measure how temperature and humidity changes
each season as you consider how this affects plantlife.

Climate★ Seasons and Organisms(seasons and the lives ofanimals)

・ Measure how temperature and humidity changes
each season as you consider how this affects
animal life.

Climate★ Watching the Weather(temperature during the day)・ Measure changes in temperature over a single day.

Climate★ Pendulum Movement(how pendulums move)・ Measure how the period, weight, and length of apendulum affects its swing.

Distance

Dissolving Solids(saturation points in water,changes in soluble amounts inwater)

・ See how the temperature of water or a solution
affects how much of a substance it can dissolve.

Water

Magnets from Current(electromagnet strength)・ Place a sensor in a circuit and measure thestrength of an electromagnet as you adjust theamount of current and number of coils.

Current

How Combustion Works(the mechanisms of
combustion)

・ Place a sensor into a container with aburning object and measure changes in oxygen
concentration.

Oxygen★ Uses of Electricity(generating electricity)

・ Place a sensor in a circuit and the amount of
current created by a hand-crank generator.

Current

Uses of Electricity(storing electricity)

・ Compare the amount of current generated bycircuit with a capacitor versus a circuit withoutone, making a motion-sensing light andtemperature-sensitive fan as you consider how to
use electricity efficiently.

Current★ The Human Body
(respiration)

・ Measure oxygen concentration during inhalationand exhalation.

OxygenPlant Nutrients and the Flow of ・ Place a plant and Climate Sensor into the same
Water
container to observe changes in temperature andhumidity due to transpiration.
(the flow of water)

Climate

4

B

A

A

Chapter 4

6

B(T ★ 3)

(TH)

★1

(T)

★1

(T)

Water
(T)

(TH)

★ Life and the Environment(plants and air)・ Use an Oxygen Sensor to measure oxygen
concentration due to photosynthesis.

OxygenLife and the Environment(life, water, and the air)・ Place an insect and your Oxygen Sensor into asealed container to measure changes in oxygen
concentration due to respiration.

Oxygen◇ A: Materials and Energy, B: Life and the Earth◇ The sensors shown here are just examples. Feel free to pick any sensor which fits the content of your class.
◇ You can find experiments for units with a ★ on pages 51-57.

58

Sensors

・ Use a mirror to focus sunlight and measure thetemperature.

A

5

Unit
The Nature of Light and Sound(reflection and condensation)★ 1 You can also use an ArtecRobo Temperature Sensor for this.
★ 2 The Climate Sensor can't be used in conjunction with other sensors.
★ 3 T = Temperature, H = Humidity, A = Atmospheric Pressure★2★1More STEAM Bits
Connecting Artec Logger to Japan's Junior High School Curriculum
Grade Subject

1

Unit

ExperimentSensors★ The Shape of Substances(materials in the world aroundus)

・ Observe what happens when you bring water andethanol to a boiling point.

Water

The Shape of Substances

・ Measure changes in oxygen concentration during

Physics (creating and describing gases)
chemical reactions.
and★ Phase Changes
・ Observe what happens as you heat up and boil a
Chemistry (melting and boiling points)
mixture of water and ethanol.

Climate・ See how the paths of a circuit affect current andElectrical Current
voltage.
(current and voltage in circuits)

Current

Electrical Current(electricity and its energy)

・ Apply a heated wire to water and use a sensor tomeasure changes in temperature as well as current
and voltage.

Physicsand★ Current and Magnetic Fields
・ Measure electricity created through magnetic
Chemistry (electromagnetic induction andinduction.
power generation)

Life
Science(A)

Water
Voltage

★2

★3

Water
Current
Voltage★3

Current
Voltage★ Chemical Changes(chemical changes and heat)・ Measure changes in oxygen concentration arounda heat pack as it heats up.

OxygenChemical Changes(chemical changes and heat)・ Measure temperature changes when ammonia iscreated during an endothermic reaction.

Water★ Changing Weather(fog and clouds)

・ Add moisture to a sealed container and measurechanges changes in temperature and humidity as
you change the air pressure.

ClimateWatching the Weather(meteorological elements)

・ Think about the relationship between elevation
and barometric pressure as you measure pressureon each floor of a building.

Climate★ Watching the Weather(meteorological observations)・ Take long-term measurements outside tounderstand the relationship between weather andchanges in temperature, humidity, and pressure.

ClimateWatching the Weather(meteorological observations)・ Measure how humidity changes in response totemperature.

Climate

The Workings of Plants(roots, stems, leaves, and theirfunctions)・ Place plants and the Artec Logger into a bag andmeasure changes in oxygen concentration during
the day and night.

OxygenAqueous Solutions and Ions
(neutralization reactions)・ Measure changes in current and voltage during aneutralization titration to determine when asolution has neutralized.

★ Regularity in Motion(force and motion)

・ Understand the regularity in an object's motion byattaching a sensor to a car or other moving object
and measuring the distance it travels over time.

Chemical Changes(chemical changes andbatteries)

・ Measure the strength of current and voltage
generated by a battery made of metal andelectrolytes.

★3

Water

(THA)

(A)

(THA)

(TH)

Current
Voltage★3

Distance

Chapter 43Physics
andChemistry

Water

・ Add water to a simple vacuum chamber to see
how lower air pressure will also cause a lower
boiling point.

Phase Changes(melting and boiling points)

2

OxygenCurrent
Voltage★3◇ The sensors shown here are just examples. Feel free to pick any sensor which fits the content of your class.
◇ You can find experiments for units with a ★ on pages 51-57.

★ 1 You can also use an ArtecRobo Temperature Sensor for this.
★ 2 The Climate Sensor can't be used in conjunction with other sensors.
★ 3 You can also use an ArtecRobo's analog ports to measure voltage.

59

More STEAM Bits

From the First Step to Full-Fledged STEAM
ArtecRobo is an educational programming platform
centered around programmable microcontrollers.
Combining these with a wealth of blocks, electronic parts,and programming environments allows you to freely build
robots suited to any task.
But far from being limited to programming, let's take alook at how we can use ArtecRobo to take on the social
issues envisioned by STEAM learning.

Artec
Blocks

＋

Robot
Parts

＋

Programming
SoftwareFind out more details on page 68!

What Makes ArtecRobo Stand Out?
Lasting Real programming education starting from preschool through college and beyond
Versatile Support for multiple operating systems online and off
Simple Less prep time for teachers and students
Advanced A rich variety of parts for use in general and inquiry-based STEAM learning
Accessible Easy-to-use kits and cases ready to use in your classroom
ArtecRobo

ArtecRobo 2.0: bit

・ Connect parts like LEDs, motors, and sensors

・ Onboard sensors and LED display

・ Build with ease using blocks

・ Built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity

Chapter 4

Robocars

ETC Systems

Traffic Signals

Traffic Signals

Uses of Electricity

60

Uses of Electricity

More STEAM Bits

Topic ① Safer Streets

9

SDGs

Deepen your understanding of traffic safety and systems by learning about thesystems and devices used to keep us safe on the road and programming themyourself.

INDUSTRY, INNOVATION
AND INFRASTRUCTURE

11

SDGs

SUSTAINABLE CITIESAND COMMUNITIES[1] Avoiding Accidents
Program a self-driving car, a car which can hit the brakes before an accident happens, andinvestigate other systems which help keep us safe as we drive.
Uses
DC Motor

IR Photoreflector

IR Photoreflector

DC Motor

Use two DC Motors to make arobot car which can drive forward,
reverse, and turn.

Make a collision-avoiding car whichuses an IR Photoreflector to stop
when it detects an obstacle andplays a sound when it does.

[2] Stop and Go
Investigate and think about how accessible traffic signals are designed in order to build andprogram a signal which lets anyone and everyone cross the road safely.
Uses

Push-Button Traffic Signal

Touch Sensor
LEDs
BuzzerLEDs

BuzzerTouch
SensorThis accessible signal turns from
red to green and plays a soundfrom its Buzzer when you press the
Touch Sensor, allowing visuallyimpaired pedestrians to cross insafety.

Chapter 4

Accessible
Pedestrian
SignalTouch
SensorPress the Touch Sensor on thissignal to extend the green light,
giving elderly and disabled people
enough time to cross.

61More STEAM Bits

Topic ② The Plant Factory
Think about agriculture in a sustainable future as you create aplant factory which can grow plants in an optimal environment byautomatically adjusting light, temperature, and water.

2

SDGs

6

SDGs

ZERO
HUNGER

CLEAN WATER
AND SANITATION

13 15

SDGs

SDGs

CLIMATEACTIONLIFE
ON LAND[3] A Reliable Crop
Control temperature and light to create a plant grower which can reliably produce crops
without having to worry about changes in climate.
Temperature Sensor

Light Sensor

LEDs・ Managing Lighting
Use a Light Sensor to measure brightness in
the room and turn on the LEDs when it getsdark.
・ Climate Control
Use a Temperature Sensor to monitor thetemperature, turning a motor to spin the fan
and cool things down when it's too hot.

Motor

Fan

Motor

Uses

Light Sensor

Temperature
Sensor
LEDs
Motor
Fan

Connect the leads
from the fan's
motor to the DC
Motor output
terminal andprogram the DC
Motor to turn.

[4] Watering without Waste
Make a device which controls both the climate and saves water by only dispensing thenecessary amount.
The stopper keeps thewater at the top fromleaking out and is tied to
the Servomotor with athread.

Servomotor

Chapter 4

Servomotor

Water

Temperature
Sensor(onboard)

Motor
Water Level
Sensor

62

Fan

Uses

When the Water Level
Sensor has detected
a low water level, theServomotor will turnin order to unplug the
stopper. This allows thewater stored at the top to
replenish the water at thebottom.
The fan will coolthings down when theTemperature Sensor
detects that it's too hot.
The opening in the side of
the plastic bottle allows
the air in.

Motor
Water Level Sensor
Temperature
SensorServomotor

More STEAM Bits

Topic ③ Disaster Resistance

11

SDGs

Make a device which can measure earthquake tremors, using it to compare
how a building's height and structure can affect how much it shakes. As you
do this, you'll deepen your understanding of these disasters by learning about
the technologies we use to reduce damage from earthquakes as well as themechanisms of earthquakes themselves.

SUSTAINABLE CITIESAND COMMUNITIES

13

SDGs

CLIMATEACTION[5] Quake Detection
This earthquake detection mechanism is used in machines like elevators, stopping the
movement of the machine after the first small tremors but before the big tremors begin.
Uses

Use the onboard Accelerometer todetect shaking, then use the Buzzer
and LED Display to alert people in thearea.

Accelerometer(onboard)

地震

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 10 11 12

Accelerometer(onboard)[6] Earthquake-Resistant Buildings
Make a device which can measure how much a building shakes during an earthquake, thensee how the size and structure of the building affects these values.
Accelerometer

The Accelerometer on the top
the building measures how muchit shakes.

Accelerometer
Servomotor

Servomotor
Servomotor

Chapter 4

Uses

Making smallchanges to theServomotor's angles
will shake thebuilding to simulate
an earthquake.

◎ See Chapter 3 for more details!

63More STEAM Bits

Topic ④ A Better Society

3

SDGs

Design devices which make life easier for the elderly and disabled, then use
ArtecRobo to build them. Deepen your understanding of and use your own
experiences with social safety nets to spot issues and use programming to solve
them.

GOOD HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING

11

SDGs

SUSTAINABLE CITIESAND COMMUNITIES[7] Safer Canes
Create a device which attaches to a white cane, allowing the visually impaired to walksafely by alerting them before the cane hits an obstacle.
Uses
Ultrasonic Sensor

The Ultrasonic Sensor
will detect any
obstacles and an alert
will sound from the
Buzzer if one is present.

UltrasonicSensor[8] Safety from a Distance
Make a device which you can hang from a door. This device will send an alert when thedoor opens, even when you're away from home. This can be incredibly useful for elderly
relatives who live alone.

Chapter 4

Hang the device from a doorknob and its
Accelerometer will detect when the door
moves. Attaching a magnet to the wall will
also allow the Magnetometer to detectchanges in the door's distance to the wallas it opens and closes. Each sensor value
will be transmitter to the receiving device.

MagnetDeviceReceiver64

Set thresholds based on the values of the
Accelerometer and Magnetometer when
the door is open. The receiver will takevalues send from the device. If the values
are over the threshold it will use light andsound to alert the user.

Uses
Accelerometer
Magnetometer

More STEAM Bits

Topic ⑤ Making Life Easier

7

SDGs

Learn how computers make our lives more convenient, and how we use
programs to make them work. From preventing the spread of disease tohelping us use energy more efficiently, these technologies help to make ourlives richer.

AFFORDABLE AND
CLEAN ENERGY

9

SDGs

INDUSTRY, INNOVATION
AND INFRASTRUCTURE[9] Automatic Doors
Make a model automatic door as you consider the need for contactless products to help
prevent the spread of disease.
IR Photoreflector

Uses

It opens!

IR Photoreflector

Servomotor

Servomotor

If a person is there...

The IR Photoreflector will detect a person standing in front of the door, thenthe Servomotor will turn to open it.

[10] Efficient Lighting
Cut down on energy waste by making a light which doesn't need a human-operated
switch.
It gets darker!

Light Sensor

Uses
IR Photoreflector

It lights up!

Chapter 4

Light Sensor
LEDs

LED Mini Bulb

Capacitor BankIR Photoreflector

Energy created by a generator is stored in thecapacitor. The light will turn on or off depending on
the level of light and the presence of humans.

If a person is there...

The IR Photoreflector checks
for humans while the Light
Sensor measures brightness.

65

This casebook started by defining exactly
what we mean when we say STEAM learning
before exploring three modules and theirassociated learning materials.
To wrap it all up, our Editor-in-Chief Takeo
Miyaku asked Professor Akinobu Ando toshare his thoughts on the future direction of
STEAM education.

Problem-Solving with Peers: Raising
Programming Natives
Miyake How was it seeing students take on thework in this casebook?
Ando Firstly, it seemed like they were enjoying
themselves. It's true for today's class as well,but I thought that students were really putting
their focus into learning. They figured out what
they had to do and really took the experiments
into their own hands, didn't they?
Miyake There would be claps every time they
did something and cheers when they got theresults on their computer. It seemed like they
were having a ball.
Ando It really did. It was also nice seeing thatkids were solving smaller problems like how totake screenshots among themselves.
Miyake With programming education in effectand students starting to learn it as soon as
they hit elementary school, we're going to see
more and more kids who are programming
natives.
Ando All eyes are on STEAM and programmingas new initiatives, but my hope is that they'll
become more and more mainstream. Just
like this, I'd like to see more kids who use
programming as a means to solve all those littleinconveniences, and I feel like programming
natives might catch on as a good way todescribe them.
Miyake But what about the teachers? Surely
there are some things they might struggle
with?
Ando Even teachers who feel that way mightwant to give it a shot after seeing kids like they
were today. Seeing children really trying on

66

Akinobu Ando
Professor, Miyagi University of Education

Closing Conversations

×

STEAM: Where Do

their own is fun for teachers, too.
Even for those who think they're more the artsy
type or for those who feel like they're just bad
at it, the fact that there's not a huge focus on
the science content overall means that, evenwith the programming, teachers can enjoy
themselves without feeling like there's this hugebarrier they have to overcome.
Miyake Is there something you consider
especially important when it comes toadvancing STEAM education?
Ando The first would be to put teacher's fears
to rest by defining what exactly STEAM is.
While you can find any number of magnificent
examples through a web search, I would say it
starts by teachers being able to broaden thescope of their rigidly-defined subjects. It would
be great for teachers to keep the STEAM focus

×Richer STEAM Learning:
Departmentalized Teaching in
Elementary Schools

Takeo Miyake
Editor-in-Chiefo We Go from Here?
Editorial Postscript

in mind, getting their students to use what
they've learned to solve smaller problems bytying the content to a subject the teacher isalready familiar with and seeing how it can be
related to other STEAM fields.
Miyake Which would mean starting with STEAM
Bits. And how would this fit in with junior highand high school entrance exams?
Ando While we can't exactly say that STEAM is
the key to instantly unlocking better academic
performance, it might be a catalyst for students
to start using more and more of their existingknowledge to tackle problems they haven't
encountered before. Rather than solving
problems with a single right answer, I think thisis a surefire way for students to find the power
to orient themselves and figure out what theyneed to do on their own.

Miyake Will we see STEAM learning move
down from high school to the elementary andjunior high levels?
Ando 2022 will see an increase in full-time
math and science faculty in the upper grades of
elementary school, and it's been clearly statedthat one of the reasons for this is to promote
STEAM learning. However, I doubt this will go
all that well given that STEAM is written in highschool curriculum guidelines but missing fromelementary and junior high school guidelines.
The reason why we need this sort of learning is
to teach kids starting in elementary that what
they learn in class can be used in any numberof places. This is why, as early as possible,
I'd like for students to learn that we can use
technology to solve problems that can't besolved using our hands alone.
Miyake And is there something that makers ofeducational materials can do to help with that?
Ando I think it's rather important for something
to be applicable to a whole range of things
rather than just being a one-and-done. Knowing
this should make it easier for students to start
asking, “Can we use this here, too?” during theinquiry process in STEAM classes as well. With
that in mind it would be great to have materials
that get children excited about a whole rangeof things.
Miyake And we at Artec will do our best forthese kids' futures as well. Thanks for today.

Akinobu Ando

Professor at the Miyagi University of Education and memberof both the the Central Council for Education's Information
Working Group and MEXT Investigative Committee on
Programming. Advisor on MEXT Information Literacy
Education, member of the MEXT Elementary School
Programming Education Guideline Creation Committee,
and writer of guides on programming education andinformationization as well as junior high school information
science guidelines.

Takeo Miyake

Chief of Promoting the Artec Co., Ltd. Education Network,
Former Editor-in-Chief of Sixth Grade Science at Gakken
and later General Manager of the Gakken Group's
Education and ICT Business Department as well as the
Gakken Classroom Academic Affairs Department. He has
been in his current position since 2018 and serves as a
joint research lead with universities and other institutions.

67

Guidance and Supervision
Akinobu Ando
Professor of Technical Education, Miyagi University of Education
President, Institute for Information Literacy and Competency Development
Module Development (in order of appearance)
Instructor at Miyagi University of Education Junior High School

Yohei Nishikawa

Instructor at Miyagi University of Education Junior High School

Isao Adachi

Instructor at Miyagi University of Education Elementary School

Yoshitada Nitta

Instructor at Miyagi University of Education Elementary School

Tomoki Watabe

Instructor at Miyagi University of Education Elementary School

Yasutaka Uesugi

Instructor at Nakayama Elementary School, Sendai

Naoya Kuriki

Stock Photos
photo AC / PIXTA
Editing and Writing
Artec Co., Ltd. Planning Team
Find more details here!

https://www.artec-kk.co.jp/artecrobo/en/

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https://www.artec-kk.co.jp/dl/arteclogger/en/

First Steps in STEAM Learning:
A curriculum casebook jointly researched byMiyazaki University of Education and Artec
Published June 7th, 2022

68

Published by
Edited by
Editor-in-Chief
Editing

Etsu Fujiwara
Mine Noda
Takeo Miyake
Airi Uematsu, Kentaro
Hayakawa, Wakana Yoshitani
Koji Kudo (AD)Illustrations by Kimiko Hirayama

Publishing

Artec Co., Ltd.
581-0066
3-2-21 Kitakamei-cho
Yao, Osaka JAPANContact Us

export@artec-kk.co.jp★ Unauthorized reproduction and distribution prohibited.
Conversion to electronic data and electronic books bya third party is not permitted, including for private use.
★ Company names and product names mentioned in thiscasebook are trademarks and/or registered trademarksof their respective organizations.
・Microsoft, Windows, and Excel are registeredtrademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporationin the United States and other countries.
・Arduino is a trademark of Arduino Holding.
・Chrome OS, Chromebook, and Android aretrademarks of Google LLC.
・iOS is an operating system by Apple Inc.
・IOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco
Systems, Inc. and its affiliates in the United Statesand other countries and is used under license.
・iPadOS and Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Inc.
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・Artec and Studuino are registered trademarks of
Artec Co., Ltd.
The ® and ™ symbols are not used in this casebook.

First Steps in STEAM Learning: A curriculum casebook jointly researched by Miyazaki University of Education and Artec 098071 K0622