2 – Designing and Programming

🎯 Learning Objectives

Develop the Programming & Development, Algorithms Learning Strands:

  • Understand the hardware and software components that make up computer systems, and how they communicate with one another and with other systems.
  • Be able to use the input buttons on the GAME ZIP 64 to control the output shown on the screen.
💬 Key Vocabulary
  • micro:bit
  • hardware
  • software
  • USB
  • .hex
  • input/output
  • Copy and Paste
  • Blocks
  • LED

📝 Starter Activity – Input and Output

  • An input device allows you to send data to a computer.
  • An output device receives data from a computer.
  • There are a number of inputs and outputs that are included in the micro:bit. How many can you identify?

Write down all the inputs and outputs on the micro:bit in a blank Word document.

Then write down the possible inputs a smartphone or PC might have.

Then upload a screenshot of your completed work to the L1 – Silver task.

📖 The micro:bit

  • The micro:bit is an example of a microcontroller.
  • It contains a number of input and output devices.
  • The purpose of an input device is to allow data to be transferred into the computer system.
  • The purpose of an output device is to transfer the data out of the system.

📖 The micro:bit in Detail

  • The ARM processor acts as the brain of the computer.
  • It processes all instructions from the other components on the device.
  • The accelerometer and compass (magnetometer) are able to automatically detect things and use those readings to input data into the device – these are called sensors.

📖 Gold/Platinum – Name Badge

  • You are going to create your own name badge using the micro:bit.
  • Use the instructions in the worksheet below to guide you through the task.
  • Once you have created your name badge attempt to complete the Explorer tasks.

In this lesson, you…

  • Used a micro:bit for the first time and looked at it’s inputs and outputs.
  • Created your first programs using the micro:bit.

Next lesson, you will…

  • Look at the input-process-output loop.
  • See how devices like the micro:bit are used in the internet of things.

🏅 Badge it

🥈 Silver Badge
🥇 Gold Badge
🥉 Platinum Badge