INTRO to Coding & Hardware

This unit provides an introduction to programming in the context of using sensors to produce physical solutions with the BBC micro:bit.

• Students will learn how to copy and modify Python code, and build simple circuits using micro:bits, breadboards, and sensors to create physical solutions
• Students will learn how to represent common programming logic using flowcharts
• Students will learn how a range of sensors are used in control and monitoring systems

Dot Points in this unit

Note that the Hardware unit is split into two parts:

• Term 1 Year 09: Basic intro to Input & Output & Storage devices and details about Sensors, including applications with the Micro:bits
• Term 1 Year 10: Details about Input, Output & Storage devices (mechanisms, pros/cons & applications)

The Programming units are spread throughout the course.

Hardware (Sensors)

• describe how a range of sensors can be used to input data into a computer system, including light, temperature, magnetic field, gas, pressure, moisture, humidity, pH and motion
• describe how these sensors are used in real-life scenarios, for example: street lights, security devices, pollution control, games, and household and industrial applications

Problem-solving & Programming

Also see dot points in Unit 4

Problem-solving and design

• show understanding that every computer system is made up of sub-systems, which in turn are made up of further sub-systems
• use flowcharts, library routines, and sub-routines
• work out the purpose of a given algorithm
• explain standard methods of solution
• suggest and apply suitable test data
• identify errors in given algorithms and suggest ways of removing these errors
• produce an algorithm for a given problem (either in English & as a flowchart)
• comment on the effectiveness of a given solution

Programming concepts

• declare and use variables and constants
• understand and use basic data types:
  • Integer, Real, Char, String and Boolean
• understand and use the concepts of sequence, selection, repetition, totalling and counting
• use predefined procedures/functions