Creating Working Radios from Kits: AM I on the Radio?
An assembled Elenco AM radio kit.
Student groups create working radios by soldering circuit components supplied from AM radio kits. By carrying out this activity in conjunction with its associated lesson concerning circuits and how AM radios work, students are able to identify each circuit component they are soldering, as well as how their placement causes the radio to work. Besides reinforcing lesson concepts, students also learn how to solder, which is an activity that many engineers perform regularly—giving students a chance to be able to engage in a real-life engineering activity.
Like engineers, students become familiar with the components and operation of a electro-mechanical device, learn to solder, and apply scientific concepts (learned in the associated lesson) to a build project.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Construct a working radio using a correct and efficient soldering technique.
- Identify the circuit components used to construct their radios, as well as explain how their radios function.