Play Doh Logic Gates

Still working on Logic Gates in the Cs Principles class. Today they constructed logic gates using play-doh.

OR Gate

We started we watched this video connecting logic gates, AND and OR gates to binary numbers.

Before we did the logic gates I gave them a few challenge problems. I gave them a truth table and they had to construct a logic gate to produce the result. We used the logic.ly website to demo. Want to try one? Here you go:

Then they made logic gates with play-doh. The materials are fairly cheap. The most expensive part are the batteries and the battery holders (these run about $3). The good news is this activity works well with groups of 3 - 4 students, so you dont need a lot of these.

Materials:

• Play-Doh 
• LED lights
• Battery Holder (I use rechargable AA batteries)

I personally do not use the insulating play-doh. I am sure it would be helpful, but I barely have time to cook dinner for my own kids this week, much less make craft supplies.

I left the instructions very open ended. Each group got two battery packs, an LED and some play-doh. The instructions were to make an OR and an AND gate, and take a picture of each.

Post on PlayDoh circuit Ted Talk

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