Micro:bit Coding Lessons

In this lesson, we are going to use the magnetic sensor to calculate the velocity of a car moving across a track.

This is the setup. I have a toy car, Hot Wheels, with a magnet attached to the roof. The car is on a Hot Wheels track. Next to the car and track is a sensor gate. The sensor gate has a Micro:bit. The micro:bit will use the magnetic sensor to detect the passage of the car and magnet through the gate. A small distance away is another sensor gate. This gate is also set to detect the passage of the car and magnet.

This lesson will use the internal timer to create a basic stopwatch program. The program in this lesson is based on the code provided by Micro:bit to learn the fundamentals. I’ve taken it and expanded on the explanations.

The conductivity tester in our lesson will help us identify items that are conductors, resistors, or insulators. Conductors and resistors are very similar. Both of them allow electrons to flow through a circuit. Resistors allow less of the electrons to flow. Some electronic components need more current and some require less. Too much current going to a component that requires less can damage the component. Resistors are used to reduce the amount of current going into those components.

This lesson focuses on using several Micro:bits to collect sensor information and relay that information to one Micro:bit. The one Micro:bit is connected to a computer to collect data and save it to a Comma Separated Value, CSV, file.

This lesson will create a program to collect data from at least three sensors on the Micro:bit. The lesson will cover a fourth sensor option for collecting moisture information. The Micro:bit has several sensors that are useful in scientific explorations. They are useful for students that want to create a science project that uses several sensors. The Micro:bit can collect data from all the sensors at the same time. This includes sensors on the Micro:bit and sensors connected to it.

This lesson requires two Micro:bit devices. One is used to collect sensor data from a source. The other is used to receive the data and store it onto a computer as a CSV, Comma Separated Value, file. This lesson demonstrates how we use code within a program to do a lot of tasks for us. Most of those tasks are math-related. This lesson will use math to calculate several variables.

In this lesson, we are going to work on a countdown timer. The timer will count down in seconds, but it can be used for minutes too. We will develop an interface to set the timer value with the A and B buttons. The shake option will be used to reset the timer. We will include a countdown tone.

In this lesson, we are going to transfer data from the Micro:bit temperature sensor directly to our computer. This is a good introduction for the collection of data from Micro:bit sensors. The Micro:bit will collect sensor data. The data will be saved to a CSV, Comma Separated Value, file. The CSV file can be imported into any spreadsheet program. We will import the file into a Google Sheet and create a line chart.

This lesson creates codes for a progress bar. Progress bars are a good way to get feedback during an operation. The Micro:bit has a variety of sensors. Those sensors are an excellent way to collect data for science investigations. The collection of data can take some time. The duration can be a few minutes or more. During that time we don’t have visual clues to provide feedback on the data collection progress. This is where a progress bar is something useful to include in a project.

This project uses two Micro:bits. One will record the ambient temperature and the other will receive and display the temperature. This allows us to remotely monitor the temperature from one Micro:bit. This is useful if you don't want to constantly pick up the Micro:bit from its location to get a reading.

The Micro:bit has a sensor to measure the ambient temperature. It is not designed to be touching something like water. The sensor is inside the CPU.

The sensor is like a thermometer. A thermometer, like the one on the Micro:bit, can be used to trigger events. An event can include the update of information on a display or the activating of something like a cooler or heater.

The goal of the project is to create a light meter to register light values from two different sources at a time. The meter allows us to quantify the brightness of a source. These sources can include a candle, flashlight, LED, incandescent bulb, and fluorescent lights.

Sensors on the Micro:bit and a little programming allow us to develop products that respond to input from the world in ways that produce desirable results.

Light sensors are used in a variety of real-world applications. Light sensors are used in outdoor lights to turn them on when it gets dark. The same sensors turn the lights off when the sun is out.

The Micro:bit has LEDs that emit light. The same LEDs are used to collect and measure light. The LEDs on the Micro:bit perform double duty.

In this lesson, we are going to:

1. Learn to measure the light received by the sensor.

2. Set the brightness of the Micro:bit LEDs based on the ambient light.

3. Turn the LEDs On or Off based on the ambient light.

The Micro:bit has a variety of sensors. One of these sensors includes an accelerometer. The accelerometer is behind the B-button. A label on the Micro:bit behind the buttons points to the motion sensor.

The word accelerometer might make you think that it measures acceleration. The accelerometer measures motion. The motion comes from lifting or rotating the Micro:bit.

The accelerometer measures motion in three different directions. It measures motion when the Micro:bit is moved side to side or up and down.