Boson Hydroponics Kit Course Syllabus
This project-based course uses the BOSON Hydroponics Kit to help students in G3-G5 (ages 8-12) build a working smart hydroponic system over 6 sessions (45 minutes each). Students will learn core concepts including programming control, data collection, and automated control. The curriculum is aligned with the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (Revised 2017) for grades 3-5 and follows the 5E Instructional Model (Engage → Explore → Engineer → Experience & Challenge → Elaborate).
Course Structure: "4+2"
- First 4 sessions: One driver per lesson, focusing on programming single sensors/actuators (onboard temperature, grow light, pH, water level + pump).
- Last 2 sessions: Progressive project-based work (Data Visualization → Fully Automated Hydroponic System), building from hardware awareness to system integration.
5E Teaching Session Reference Table
| Stage | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| E1 | Engage | Spark interest and thinking through real-life scenarios or questions. |
| E2 | Explore | Guide students to observe hardware and explore principles, building initial understanding of sensors/actuators. |
| E3 | Engineer | Program core functionality and master corresponding programming concepts (hardware-software interaction, variables, conditionals, loops, etc.). |
| E4 | Experience & Challenge | Add challenge tasks on top of the basic functions to reinforce learning and expand application. |
| E5 | Elaborate | Summarize what was learned, connect to real-world applications, and extend understanding of technology and society. |
Course Outline
| Session | Title | CSTA Standard | Hardware List | Project Description | 5E Content Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1 | Temperature Sensing (Onboard) | 1B-CS-02 Model how hardware and software work together as a system |
K10 controller + BOSON expansion board (onboard temperature sensor) | Read the onboard temperature sensor of the K10 controller and display the value on the screen. Understand the complete interaction chain: sensor (hardware) → program (software) → display (output). | E1 What temperature do plants need? E2 How does the onboard temperature sensor work? E3 Program to read temperature and display on screen E4 Show an icon alert when temperature is out of range E5 Why temperature monitoring matters for plant growth |
| L2 | Grow Light Control | 1B-AP-09 Create programs that use variables to store and modify data |
K10 controller + BOSON expansion board + full-spectrum grow light strip | Define a variable to store the brightness value. Use the K10 onboard buttons to change the variable value and adjust the light brightness in real time. Experience how storing and modifying data in a variable drives hardware behavior. | E1 What if indoor plants don’t get enough light? E2 How does the light strip work? — Observe the interface and lighting principle E3 Control brightness with a variable E4 Use onboard buttons to increase/decrease brightness E5 Importance of photoperiod for plant growth |
| L3 | pH Water Quality Test | 1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, conditionals, and loops (conditionals) |
K10 controller + BOSON expansion board + pH sensor | Read the pH value of water. Use conditional logic (if/else) to determine whether the water is acidic, alkaline, or neutral. Use indicator LEDs to show the result. Learn how conditionals are used in sensor-based detection. | E1 Why are the plants not growing well? E2 What is pH and why does it matter for hydroponics? E3 Calibrate and read the pH value E4 Use if/else to determine pH range and light the corresponding indicator E5 Importance of water quality testing in agriculture and daily life |
| L4 | Water Level Monitoring & Auto Refill | 1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, conditionals, and loops (loops + events) |
K10 controller + BOSON expansion board + water level sensor + N20 peristaltic pump + water tube | Continuously monitor the water level signal in a loop. When the water level drops below the threshold, trigger an event to automatically activate the pump for refilling; stop when it rises above the threshold. Understand closed-loop feedback control with loops and events. | E1 What if the water tank runs dry? E2 How does the water level sensor work? E3 Continuously read water level in a loop E4 Low water level → event triggered → auto-start pump E5 Compare automatic refill vs manual refill |
| L5 | Data Visualization | 1B-DA-06 Organize and present collected data visually to highlight relationships |
K10 controller + BOSON expansion board + pH sensor + PC serial port | Continuously collect temperature and pH data, send them to a PC via the serial port, and generate trend charts to analyze data patterns. Experience the complete workflow from data collection to visualization. | E1 How can we see data trends? E2 How does serial communication work? E3 Collect temperature + pH data and send to PC E4 Generate trend charts to analyze data E5 Applications of data visualization in various industries |
| L6 | Fully Automated Hydroponic System | 1B-AP-11 Decompose problems into smaller subproblems 1B-IC-18 Discuss how computing technology has changed the world |
All hardware: water level sensor, pH sensor, pump, grow light strip, K10 controller + expansion board |
Integrate the pump, grow light strip, and sensors into a fully automated system. Use task decomposition to break down the system into functional modules, develop and test each module, then integrate and test the complete system. Discuss how computing technology is transforming modern agriculture. | E1 How to build a fully automated indoor growing system? E2 System architecture design (functional module decomposition) E3 Modular development and integration E4 System stability testing and optimization E5 How computing technology is changing agriculture and the food supply |
Was this article helpful?