OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

This lesson focuses on the LED array and how to customize graphics plus LED intensity. Students will program in Block based language. Students will utilize small electronics, and learn how a computer is programmed.

Meta description

• Subject Area: Computer Science, Technology
• Grade Level : 9-12
• Computer Science Domains:
  • Algorithms and Programming
• Computer Science Principles:
  • Creating Computational Artifacts, Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts
• Materials:
  • Website, Micro:bit, www.Makercode.microbit.org
• Considerations:
  • No

Lesson Plan

Overview

This lesson focuses on the LED array and how to customize graphics plus LED intensity. Students will program in Block based language. Students will utilize small electronics, and learn how a computer is programmed.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

1. What is the importance of the ‘Show leds’Block?
2. Where can the ‘show leds’ block be found?
3. What block is used to change the light levels of individual pixels?
4. What are the 3 arguments used when referencing plot x_y_brightness?
5. What is the standard for each led? What does it mean?

OBJECTIVES

1. Define the blocks show leds and plot x y brightness
2. Use x y coordinates to reference the grid of LEDs on the microbit

CATCH/HOOK

Students will learn how to create several images during this activity. A chess board, house, and a giraffe. This activity builds upon the ‘Hello World’ Activity. Some of the same code is used, while other parts of the code is changed. The activity appeals to the student’s sense of sight because the final product is an image and that image is shown in led lights.

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

Students review the ‘Hello World’ activity, and take the basic skills learned and apply to this one. Students learn about the show leds and x_y_brightness functions so they can continue with this activity. Once, the students are familiar with the two new functions, they are to create images of a chess board, giraffe, and house using various levels of light.

Supplements

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REVIEW

To wrap up this activity, students will show their designs and be given two additional designs to create. Once completed, they will take a final quiz. All vocabulary and lesson objectives will be reviewed before the quiz.

STANDARDS