ET w/Mrs. D - micro:bits

These lessons have been adapted from the Microsoft Intro to CS with micro:bits online guide: https://makecode.microbit.org/courses/csintro

Overview: This course consists of 6 units that will introduce your students to coding and micro:bits. By the end of the course you can be confident that your students will have a solid understanding of computer programming.

Each unit consists of:

Lesson A: Introduction to a coding concept with unplugged activities to support the learning.

Student Slides
Exit Ticket

Lesson B: A whole class coding activity with the Micro:Bits using the concepts from Lesson A.

Student Slides
Quiz

Lesson C: An specific independent project

Student Slides
Project scored with rubric
CS Journal Reflection scored with rubric

Prior to Beginning the Course:

Making Materials

A variety of materials will be needed for students to fully express their creativity and make amazing things with the micro:bits. Send home the parent letter requesting household items to add to your maker collection. Post the letter in your staff room or send to staff as well. Maker time provides a terrific opportunity for people to do some household purging for a good cause.

Donation Parent Letter

Familiarize Yourself with MakeCode

There is no need to become an expert at all but some background knowledge will definitely make your first few classes run more smoothly. The student lessons are supportive of independent learning but you have a dynamic group of students and some are going to need some help along the way. Take the time to work through the 2 lessons in the Introductory Unit ahead of your first class if possible.

Exit Tickets, Quizzes and Jamboards

Exit Tickets and Quizzes are set up in Google Forms that you will need to copy for yourself prior to using so that your form is collecting the results and not the division one in the shared drive. Each lesson that contains one of these has a direct copy link to make it easy for you. There are also directions to either post the link in your Classroom assignment before assigning or directions to the appropriate slide in the student presentation for the lesson.

Jamboards are used occasionally and will also need to be copied by you before sharing with your students. As with the Forms you will find a copy link on the teacher guide for the unit to copy any Jamboards for your class.

Unit Materials

My CS Journal

Making Materials

Familiarize Yourself with MakeCode

Exit Tickets, Quizzes and Jamboards

Unit Materials

Introductory Lessons

Intro Lesson A: micro:bit Basics

Intro Lesson B: Writing Your First micro:bit Program

Unit 1: Making with micro:bit

Unit 1 - Lesson A: Micro:Bits are for Making!

Unit 2 - Lesson B: Micro:Pet Project

Unit 2: Algorithms

Unit 2 - Lesson A: How Computers Function

Unit 2 - Lesson B: Code with Event Handlers

Unit 2 - Lesson C: Fidget Cube Project

Unit 3: Variables

Unit 3 - Lesson A: Variables in Daily Life

Unit 3 - Lesson B: Make a Game Scorekeeper

Unit 3 - Lesson C: Everything Counts

Unit 4: Conditionals

Unit 4 - Lesson A: Conditionals in Daily Life

Unit 4 - Lesson B: Rock, Paper, Scissors

Unit 4 - Lesson C: Coding a Board Game

Unit 5: Iteration

Unit 5 - Lesson A: Understanding Iteration

Unit 5 - Lesson B: Coding with Loops

Unit 5 - Lesson C: Get Loopy!

Unit 6: Carnival Project

Unit 6 - Lesson A: Looking Back

Unit 6 - Lesson B: Carnival Project

Unit 6 - Lesson C: STEAM Carnival Student Showcase