Arduino Board: an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software
LCD Screen (compatible with Hitachi HD44780 driver) : Liquid-crystal display Screen
10k ohm potentiometer: a variable resistor from one side to the wiper. The value goes from one end (o ohms) to the other (10K ohms).
220-ohm resistor: fixed value resistor.
wires
breadboard: a board for making an experimental model of an electric circuit.
Circuit Board: a board for soldering
DS18B20 digital temperature sensors
Switch
9V battery & its connector
The LCDs have a parallel interface, meaning that the microcontroller has to manipulate several interface pins at once to control the display. The interface consists of the following pins:
A register select (RS) pin: controls where in the LCD's memory you're writing data to. You can select either the data register, which holds what goes on the screen, or an instruction register, which is where the LCD's controller looks for instructions on what to do next.
A Read/Write (R/W) pin: selects reading mode or writing mode
An Enable pin: enables writing to the registers
8 data pins (D0 -D7): The states of these pins (high or low) are the bits that you're writing to a register when you write, or the values you're reading when you read.
display constrast pin (Vo), power supply pins (+5V and Gnd) and LED Backlight (Bklt+ and BKlt-) pins: you can use to power the LCD, control the display contrast, and turn on and off the LED backlight, respectively.
I used The LiquidCrystal Library that simplifies this for users so they don't need to know the low-level instructions.
Code Terminology
Liquid Crystal Library - Your reference for the Liquid Crystal library.
lcd.begin() - Identify LCD in the system.
lcd.print() - print texts to the LCD
lcd.setCursor() - position the LCD cursor; that is, set the location at which subsequent text written to the LCD will be displayed.
Blink - Control of the block-style cursor.
Cursor - Control of the underscore-style cursor.
Display - Quickly blank the display without losing what's on it.
TextDirection - Control which way text flows from the cursor.
Scroll - Scroll text left and right.
Serial display - Accepts serial input, displays it.
SetCursor - Set the cursor position.
Autoscroll - Shift text right and left.
Other Terminology
Tinkercad: an online collection of software tools from Autodesk that enable complete beginners to create 3D models.
Circuit: a closed-loop that electrons can travel in. A source of electricity, such as a battery, provides electrical energy to the circuit.
Solder: to join with solder (a low-melting alloy, especially one based on lead and tin on brass or silver, used for joining less fusible metals.)
GND: ground (current goes into the GND)
VCC: Voltage Common Collector (current comes out from VCC), is higher voltage with respect to the GND