Sponsor Shout Out - I would like to thank Digi-Key Electronics for their generous support of my classroom and curriculum development.  Digi-Key has Kits, Lab resources and Lesson materials ready to support each of the Labs and Lessons presented here.  Each Lesson or Lab will have convenient links for all your electronic component needed to complete the hands on activities.

5 volt Wall Power Supply

The 5 volt wall power supply is... <tell about the volts and amps it should have, that it s part of the lab kit.... but that any 5 volt supply will work or even a 2/4 battery pack >

Power Adapter

The power adapter is designed to connect the 5 volt wall power supply to the breadboard.  If you are taking my class, as part of the first breadboard lab, you will be provided an assembled power adapter... but in a subsequent lab, you will build your own. If you are taking this class remotely, you will have to assemble your own power adapter before you can complete the breadboard labs. <link to Lab to making a power adapter> 

Resistors

We will learn a lot more about Resistors, but for now just know that they limit the current that can flow in a circuit.  What is current? We will learn more about that, but for now, it is the electrons that are flowing in your circuit... kinda like water flowing in a hose.  The resistor is there to control this electron flow.  In the case of our "Light an LED" circuit, the resistor is there to protect the LED... but more on that later. 

Push Button

We will learn a lot more about Buttons, but for now just know that a Push Button Switch interrupts the flow of current in a circuit.  The Push Button we are using in this "Light an LED" is designed to be "normally open", which means that it is "OFF" when you are not pushing it, and it is "ON" when you pressing it.  So, when you press it on, it will let the electricity flow through it, which lets the electricity flow through the complete circuit.  You will see more how this works in the lecture and lab. 

LED

LED is a mnemonic for "Light Emitting Diode".  We will learn a lot more about Diodes, and more specifically LEDs, but for now just know that an LED is an electronic component that will emit light when you pass an electric current through it. Current can only pass in one direction through a Diode, so it's important to plug it in the right way... and we will learn about that in more detail in the lecture and lab. 

Breadboard Jumper Wires

Breadboards are used to build an electronic circuit, and the breadboard jumper wires are used to connect the different components that are part of that circuit.  In the following lecture and lab, you will use the breadboard wires as part of your "Light an LED" Lab.  These wires are flexible and have a metal pin (male end) or receptacle (female end) on the ends.  In this lab you will use wires that have a pin (male) on both ends. This lets you plug the pin into the connection "holes" breadboard. <link to deeper dive on breadboard wires> 

Breadboard

A breadboard is a really cool component to quickly build electronic circuit prototypes.  In this lecture and lab you will learn exactly how a breadboard works and how to build circuits on it. A breadboard lets you plug in electronic components and with internal wires under the holes in the rows and columns, will electrically connect the pins or "legs" of one electronic component to another.  You will see how your circuits connect a complete path from the power supply positive connection through each component, and then to the power supply negative or ground connection. <link to maker presentation>