Arduino
We will be learning to use an Arduino Uno. To program an Arduino you need to use an Arduino IDE (Integrated Development Environment). The school has this installed on the school computers.
If you want to use your own computer you can download and install it, or you can use the online IDE (this will work on Chromebooks).
There are a few other tools you may find helpful.
TinkerCAD will let you build an Arduino circuit and simulate your code. It also has a block based programmer that will generate code you can paste into the Arduino IDE,
The official Arduino language reference
Arduino Introdution
Learn:
What is an Arduino
Getting started with the IDE
Do:
Log in to the IDE
Get the blinking light sketch working
Extend:
Blink a message in Morse code
Output - Adding Electronics
Learn:
How to use the breadboard
How to wire up an LED
Do:
Add another LED to pin 13
Add another LED to a different pin
Extend:
What can you do with more LEDs?Â
Winking eyes?
Traffic lights?
Powering the Arduino
Learn:
How to power the Arduino
Do:
Connect a 9V battery to the Arduino
Extend:
Power several components
Analog Out - Dimming an LED
Learn:
About the PWM pins (3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and11)
Dimming LEDs with PWM
Do:
Get an LED to glow dim and bright.
Extend:
Fade up and down
Debugging
Learn:
Some of the things that can go wrong.
What to look for.
Do:
Keep this in mind for the next time you build a circuit
Extend:
Get awesome at it! Help the people around you.
Making colours - using an RGB LED
Learn:
How to use RGB colour theory to control the RGB LED.
Make different colours
Do:
Mix colours with the RGB LED to make new colours.
Extend:
Fade through all the colours the LED can make
Talking to the Arduino
Learn:
Using the Serial monitor
Do:
Print "Hello world" to the monitor
Count to 10
Extend:
Print from a loop
Comp Sci Topic: Operating Systems
Input - Adding a knob (Potentiometer)
Learn:
Voltage splitters
Do:
Add a knob, print the reading
Extend:
Use the knob to control your LEDs
Control an LED - with the knob
Learn:
Linking input to output in the code
Do:
Use the knob to choose a pattern to flash
Extend:
Get an LED to change brightness when you turn the knob
Sensing light - using the LDR
Learn:
How an Light Dependent Resistor works
Do:
Make a night light that turns on when it gets dark.
Extend:
Make a sunburn alarm.
Adding a button
Learn:
How to use the digital IO pin
Do:
Connect a switch
Use it to trigger a pattern
Extend:
Use it to toggle lights on and off
Making noise - Use the piezo buzzer
Learn:
How a piezo buzzer works
Do:
Make a tone with the piezo buzzer
Extend:
Play music with the Arduino
Move things - With a servo motor
Learn:
How a servomotor works
Do:
Make a the servo wave, like windscreen wipers
Extend:
Connect the knob. Turn the knob to turn the servo.
Display pictures - with an LED matrix
Learn:
How a the LED matrix works
Do:
Make a your own image display on the matrix
Extend:
Display an animation
Add a button (or other sensor) to trigger the animation