Blinking Guard Light Model
A tabletop model inspired by Richard Turere's Lion Lights — a safe coin-cell LED that makes a fence look 'watched'.
Two sessions · about 2 hours total
Coin cells are a swallowing hazard — keep them away from small children and pets. No mains power.
Materials
- —2 LEDs (5 mm) and a CR2032 coin-cell battery with holder
- —Copper tape or short jumper wires
- —A small slide switch
- —Craft sticks to build a model fence
- —Cardboard base, tape, hot glue (adult)
- —Notebook
Steps
- 1. Understand the story15 min
Read about Richard Turere on the Nobles library. What problem did lights solve — and why did they work on lions?
- 2. Build the fence25 min
Glue craft sticks into a small fence on the cardboard base.
- 3. Light circuit30 min
Connect battery → switch → LED (long leg to +). Test one LED, then add the second in parallel.
- 4. Make it move30 min
Place LEDs at different fence posts and switch between them by hand. Ask a friend: does switching look more 'alive' than steady light?
- 5. Look again20 min
Write what a real farmer would need that your model doesn't have: weatherproofing, power, maintenance.
Field Notes
Write these in your notebook when you finish:
- □Model vs. real-world gaps
- □Friend's feedback
- □Next test
Inspired by Richard Turere — read their story in the Nobles library.