Imagine you are an ecologist. Work in a group to design, build & code your own habitat monitoring device using the Climate Action Kit!

Digital graphic illustration of a scientist working with a number of vials and a miroscope. There are diagrams of a frog and DNA. On the side there is a large lab fridge with a glass door showing various generic jars, plants, vials and beakers.
What does an ecologist do? Check out their Career Profile!

As you go through the steps below, you may wish to use our Design Journal Template to keep track of your work.

Journal Template

Follow these steps:

An icon of a magnifying glass, a paper with notes, and a brain.

Step 1

Look up real-world habitat monitoring devices. How do they work? What type of data do they collect?

Icons of a light bulb, a thought bubble, and a pencil.

Step 2

Plan what features your device will have and decide what building blocks, sensors, smart components, and craft materials you will need for building.

icons of 3 building blocks (cube, corner connector, and short frame)

Step 3

Build your prototype, then connect it to Microsoft MakeCode to add code.

Icons of code blocks.

Step 4

Test and debug until the streetlight works.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

I can build a habitat monitoring device using the Climate Action Kit that is:

  • portable
  • able to collect three different types of data 
  • includes visual cues to improve usability
  • uses the data logger to save data to my device

Get creative! Add extra features, decorations, or special data alerts – just like ecologists do in real life!

Let’s Build!