Need help remembering to always recycle? Check out the Smart Can.

Supplies

To make a Smart Can you will need..

A shoe box, a small bucket (mine was from Dunkin Donut munchkins),Aluminum foil , Cardboard , Glue Stick, Green Spray Paint , Laptop Makey,Makey (alligator clips), A roll of duct tape and an Aluminum Can,

Step 1: Step One Prepare the Smart Can

To make the body of the can use the shoebox, the small bucket, the spray paint, duct tape and scissors.

Start by cutting the bottom out of the bucket and a hole in the end of the shoebox. ( stand the shoebox up on end so the hole is actually in the end (top) of the box

Use the duct tape to attach the bucket and the shoebox together and spray paint the entire thing green.

Finally add a paper recycle symbol to the front of the box.

Step 2: Step Two: Design the Switch

Step Two is to design a switch.

For this project you will need to make two cardboard sensor tabs.

Began by cutting two strips of cardboard about 3 inches long and covering them with aluminum foil using a glue stick.

(see picture above)

Step 3: Step 3-Attach the Sensors to the Inside to the Box

To attach the sensors to the inside of the bucket.

Use duct tape and tape one tab to each side, above the opening.

Be careful at this point that the tabs are not touching.

Step 4: Program Scratch

Program your Sprite using the Makey,Makey and Text to Speech extensions in SCRATCH. For this project I used the above Code... The First code tracks the 5 cents per can and the the second code is for the Recycling Facts. Make sure to save your Scratch Project so you can find it later.

Step 5: Test Your Design

When you have the code written and the makey, makey connected test your design.

It is a little sensitive and you will have to play around with the clips to get them in the right place to make the proper connection.