Introduction to Block-Based Programming using BBC micro:bit

The tutorial sheets are designed to give students an introduction to the features of the micro:bit. Short practical examples are provided and students are invited to design solutions to problems using the fundamental building blocks presented.

Tutorials

• Micro:bit - Getting Started
  • Basic Parts
    • LEDs
    • Buttons
    • Pins
    • Temperature Sensor
    • Light Sensor
    • Accelerometer
    • Magnetometer
    • Radio
    • Bluetooth
    • USB interface
  • Micro:bit Accessories
    • Battery and Battery Holder
    • USB Cable
    • Crocodile Clips
    • Jumper Wires
    • Speaker
    • LED Light
    • Resistor
    • Light-Dependent Resistor (LDR)
    • Soil Moisture Sensor Module
    • Traffic Light Module
    • Passive Infrared Resistor (PIR) module
  • Powering your micro:bit
    • Using the USB
    • Using the 2x AAA Batteries
  • What is a Computer Program?
  • Introduction to Block-Based Programming
  • Using the MakeCode Block Editor
    • Types of Blocks
    • Selecting Blocks
    • Saving
    • Downloading
    • Transferring A Program to the micro:bit
  • Block-Based Programming Quick Tips
  • Questions
• Hello World!
  • Your First Program
    • Design the Code
    • Write the Code
    • Download the Code
  • Challenge
• LED Display
  • Example 1 - Yet Another Hello World Program
  • Example 2 - Count Up
  • Example 3 - Flashing Heart
  • Challenge
• Buttons
  • Example 1 - Check Which Button was Pressed
  • Example 2 - Count Button Clicks
  • Example 3 - Roll Dice
  • Example 4 - Pin Pressed Counter
  • Challenge
• Accelerometer
  • Acceleration
    • Exaample 1 - Bar Chart
    • Example 2 - Quake Meter
  • Gestures
    • Example 3 - Random Number
  • Challenges
• Compass
  • Compass Heading
    • Example 1 - Compass
  • Calibration
  • Magnetic Force
    • Example 2 - Metal Detector
  • Exercises
• Thermometer
  • Temperature
    • Example 1 - Micro:bit Thermometer
    • Example 2 - Fahrenheit Thermometer
  • Challenge
• Music
  • Start a Melody
    • Example 1 - Happy Birthday!
  • Play Tone
    • Example 2 - Play a Tone
  • Rest
  • Set Tempo
    • Example 3 - Play a Tone Again
    • Example 4 - Star Wars Theme
  • Challenges
• Radio
  • Set Radio Group
    • Example 1 - Set Radio Group
  • Send Number
    • Example 2 - Broadcast Acceleration
    • Example 3 - Light Level Sender
  • On Radio Received (Number)
    • Example 4 - Broadcast and Receive Acceleration
  • Send String
    • Example 5 - Broadcast Codeword
  • On Radio Receive (String)
    • Example6 - Two Way Radio
  • Exercises
• Data Types
  • Number
    • Declare a number variable
    • Arithmetic operators
    • Functions that return a number
  • String
  • Boolean
  • Array
  • Variables
• Control Structures
  • If Statement
    • Example 1 - Comparisons of Numbers
    • Example 2 - Music in the Dark
  • Loops
    • Repeat
    • While
      • Example 3 - Diagonal Line
    • For Statement
      • Example 4 - Count to 5
  • Challenges
• Game
  • Create Sprite
    • Parameters
  • Move
  • Turn
    • Example 1
  • Delete
  • Touching Edge
  • Set Score
  • Add Score
    • Example 2 - A Simple Game
  • Game Over
    • Example 3 - Pick a Button
  • Example 4 - Crappy Bird
  • Advanced
    • Challenges
• Data Analysis
  • Plotting data with LEDs
  • Viewing your Data
  • Writing Data
  • Text Output
  • Writing Numbers
  • Number Arrays
  • Name Value Pairs
  • Writing Subvalues
  • Generating data
    • Sensor Values
    • Pin Data
    • Human Events
      • Example 2 - Button Tracker
    • Time and Timestamps
  • Remote Data Collection
    • Receiver micro:bit
    • Remote Sender Micro:bit
  • Challenges
• Introduction to micro:bit App
  • The Mobile App
  • Bluetooth Pairing
    • What is ‘Pairing’?
    • How do You Pair your Micro:bit with Another Device?
    • How Do You Pair Your micro:bit With an Android Smartphone or Tablet?
    • How Do You Pair Your micro:bit With an Apple iOS Smartphone or Tablet?
    • How Often Do I Need to Pair my micro:bit with My Phone?
• Micro:Coin : Introduction to Blockchain
  • How Does a Micro:bit Make Coins?
  • Coins, Blocks, Chains
  • Code
• Projects
  • Project 1: Soil Moisture
    • Materials
    • Make
    • Code
      • Step 1: Measuring Moisture
        • Experiment!
      • Step 2: Sensor data values
        • Experiment!
        • Step 3: Don’t waste energy!
        • Experiment!
  • Project 2: Telegraph
    • Materials
    • Make
      • Step 1
      • Step 2
      • Step 3
      • Step 4
      • Step 5
      • Step 6
      • Step 7
      • Step 8
      • Step 9
    • Code
      • Step 1
      • Step 2
      • Step 3
      • Step 4
      • Step 5
      • Step 6
      • Step 7
  • Project 3: Bedside Light
    • Materials
    • Make
    • Code
  • Project 4: Traffic Light
    • Materials
    • Make
    • Code
  • Project 5: Burglar Alarm
    • Materials
    • Make
    • Code
  • Project 5: Simple Calculator
    • Materials
    • Make
    • Code
  • Porject 6: Lighthouse
    • Materials
    • Make
    • Code
  • Project 7: Step Counter
    • Materials
    • Make
    • Code
  • Project 8: Area of the Triangle
    • Materials
    • Make
    • Code
  • Project 9: Rock Paper Scissors
    • Materials
    • Make
    • Code
• References