I’m a teacher creating a STEAM education program titled “IoT and Sustainable Ecosystems and Environment” for my school, and I need some advice on hardware. What types of sensors should I purchase? Additionally, I’ll need ZigBee repeaters. I plan to use Home Assistant, and I came across a device called SL-ZB-06. Which version of this device should I buy? Also, what specific sensors would you recommend?
Your idea is absolutely fabulous!
Could you please give more details about what you’re planning to do? Do you plan on hard on hardwiring a class/laboratory, or do you want to do something more portable?
Bear in mind that all, or at least most permanently powered Zigbee devices (i.e. sockets) act as repeaters.
As for sensors, what comes to mind are:
- sockets (with power measurement)
- contact sensors (which can be easily converted to pressure sensors with the help of a pressure mat)
- thermometers/hygrometers (Xiaomy lywsd03mmc are well regarded)
- leakage sensors
- light bulbs
- relays
- maybe some remote
With these you can create tons of use cases to present to young hackers.
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Slow down cowboy. You have many things to answer long before you get there.
What is the goal of your project.
Where are you located (geography matters for both power and Radio requirements)
Do you have to build this as an isolated network (If I were your Super of tech, I wouldn’t let you build this on my production network so I assume yes?)
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It might not even be possible on the school wifi network. The are usually locked down tight. Isolated network would be the go, still needs internet access for install though.
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Setting up the router is an important part of this all, so asking for a router that has access to the dmz and is isolated from anything else internal should be doable.
Might end up as a back door for shenanigans as well, so careful.
HA very much does better with external access as many of the IOT world needs it.
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One thing is the basic setup, another is the actual class lecture.
Many things in IoT is not meant to be done simultaneously like pairing devices, sending RF or IR signals, using the same channel for multiple networks and so on.
This has to be taken into consideration before first use.
That’s actually a great ‘flipped classroom’ and Project Based Learning (PBL) exercise (basically - the kids teach back) Wally (I play at being an educator in my day job… And love IoT and ESports labs)
… but there’s a right and very wrong way to do it and suddenly dropping an HA box on the school network is definitely the wrong way and usually ends up with a bad taste in everyone’s mouth and IT screaming never do that again. 
(read: if they have ANY kind of Intrusion Detection System (IDS) whatsoever - they will be visiting you within minutes of plugging in a HA box doing network discovery…)
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I know and I work with IT on schools, but we would be able to work out a solution with a separate network for such things.
But having a hands-on class and then have 5-6 groups all putting a device into pairing mode will be chaos if not prepared for it.
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