Lesson Plan (Grades K-2): Paper Circuit Greeting Cards - Integrating Art and Basic Electronics
K-2 STEAM lesson: create paper-circuit greeting cards with LEDs and copper tape, merging art with basic electronics for a glowing, hands-on project.
Lesson Title: Paper Circuit Greeting Cards: Integrating Art and Basic Electronics
Grade Level: Grades K–2
Subject Area: STEAM (Art + Technology)
Overview In this hands-on lesson, students will combine artistic creativity with basic electronics by designing and decorating personalized greeting cards embedded with simple LED circuits. Working in pairs or small groups, they’ll learn how electricity flows from a coin-cell battery through copper tape conductors to light up one or more LEDs. As they build, test, and troubleshoot their cards, students will develop an intuitive understanding of circuits, polarity, and conductive paths, while practicing fine motor skills, design thinking, and collaborative problem-solving. The finished cards—complete with vibrant drawings, stickers, and illuminated accents—will be a source of pride and a tangible demonstration of STEAM integration.
Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives
- Circuit Comprehension: Students will identify and label the three essential components of a paper circuit—power source (battery), conductors (copper tape), and load (LED).
- Circuit Construction: Students will correctly place copper tape, position LEDs with proper polarity, and incorporate a coin-cell battery to complete a working circuit.
- Artistic Integration: Students will design and decorate a greeting card that both showcases their artwork and preserves the integrity of their circuit.
- Troubleshooting & Communication: Students will collaboratively test their cards, diagnose connection issues (e.g., tape gaps, reversed LED legs), and explain to peers how adjustments restore functionality.
Standards Alignment
- Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
- K-PS3-1: Make observations to determine the effect of a supply of electrical energy on various devices (LED lighting).
- K-ETS1-2: Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem (designing a card that lights reliably).
- ISTE Standards for Students
- 1.4.b: Use models and simulations to explore complex systems (paper circuit as a model of real electronics).
- Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for ELA
- SL.K.1/SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations, expressing ideas and building on others’.
- SL.K.5/SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions to provide additional detail (illustrations explaining circuit flow).