Online Teaching and Learning Resources for the LAB:bit for micro:bit

2024-05-30 | By Kitronik Maker

License: See Original Project micro:bit

Courtesy of Kitronik

Guide by Kitronik Maker

The Kitronik LAB:bit for the BBC microbit offers a super fun way for children to ‎learn about coding in an engaging and hands-on way. It has been specifically ‎designed for delivering computing to students aged 8+ and is backed by online ‎MakeCode tutorials, simplified custom blocks, and a detailed getting started guide.‎

The LAB: bit is available in two versions; as a single unit, or as in a Lesson in a ‎box classroom set. Let's take a look at each of the resources available and why ‎they will help you in the classroom.‎‎ ‎

Custom MakeCode Editor Blocks:‎

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Note: This is not required for completing the online tutorials. Each tutorial ‎only adds the menu items and blocks that will be required to complete them. ‎

The Microsoft MakeCode editor has been designed to help to introduce children to ‎coding in a visual way. For the younger students it may still seem a little daunting ‎at first. With this in mind, Kitronik has developed some custom blocks for LAB:bit ‎that you can add to the editor easily (see the instructions below). We've done this ‎for the two following reasons;

• ‎1. All of the key blocks needed for all of the LAB:bit features are available in ‎one menu.‎

• ‎2. They further simplify coding for the LAB:bit for the younger learners.‎

No more wondering what blocks you might need or hunting through menus to find ‎them. ‎

ADDING THE CUSTOM BLOCKS TO THE MENU:

Go to the MakeCode Editor.
Click on the New Project Button and name your project.‎
Click on the cog icon in the top right of the editor.‎
Type and enter Kitronik into the search bar.‎
Scroll through our custom blocks until you find the tile for LAB:bit, click it to ‎open.‎
You will now see LAB:bit added to the menu.‎

If you click on LAB:bit in the menu, it will open out the submenus and you can see ‎each area/feature of LAB:bit represented by a sub menu. In each sub menu are the ‎blocks that allow the learner to take control of the feature with code. The LAB:bit ‎menu is as follows;‎

LAB:bit

Inputs - Containing 6 blocks to control three features of the board.‎
Traffic Light - Containing 3 Blocks for pedestrian crossing type ‎projects.‎
Dice - Containing 4 blocks for taking control of the dice feature.‎
Colour Lights - Containing 10 blocks to allow you control over the ‎ZIP LEDs.‎
Motor - Containing 2 simple blocks for control of the onboard ‎motor.‎

Once you/a student has worked through the online MakeCode tutorials, the user ‎will gain a full understanding of how to use each of the blocks to take full control of ‎all of the features of LAB:bit.‎

‎The Online MakeCode Tutorials:‎

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Kitronik has produced 7 online MakeCode tutorials to work through that will give ‎examples of all the different inputs and outputs and hardware usable on the LAB:bit. ‎These tutorials can be followed by teachers and, with an appropriate level of ‎guidance, pupils. The knowledge gained will fully unlock the 'secrets' of the board ‎and give the young learners an invaluable head starts in the next stages of their ‎schooling.‎

Each tutorial only adds the menu items and blocks that will be required to complete ‎them. ‎

‎LESSON 1 - MAKE A SWITCH:‎

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Learn how to create a homemade switch and use it with the Kitronik LAB:bit. The ‎tutorial will go through what switches are and how they are used, creating a simple ‎program to show when the switch is working. This will be followed by testing ‎different materials.‎

LEARN NOW!‎‎ ‎

LESSON 2 - MAKE A DICE:‎

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Learn how to create a digital dice on the Kitronik LAB:bit. The tutorial will go ‎through what LEDs are and how to control them, and then different ways of ‎activating the dice to give us a number.‎

LEARN NOW!‎‎ ‎

LESSON 3 - COLOURING A RAINBOW:‎

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Learn how to use the ZIP LEDs with the Kitronik LAB:bit. The tutorial will go ‎through how to set the ZIP LEDs up, how to pick the colours and other features.‎

LEARN NOW!‎‎ ‎

LESSON 4 - TRAFFIC LIGHTS:‎

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Learn how to control the Traffic Light sequence on the Kitronik LAB:bit. The tutorial ‎will go through how to control the traffic light LEDs and the sequence/algorithm ‎that is used.‎

LEARN NOW!‎‎ ‎

LESSON 5 - CONTROLLING MOTORS:‎

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Learn how to use an analog input and then use it to control the speed of a motor on ‎the Kitronik LAB:bit. The tutorial will go through what an analog input is and how is ‎can be used to control a motor.‎

LEARN NOW!‎‎ ‎

LESSON 6 - SCARE THE MICRO:BIT:‎

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This tutorial will show how to detect sound levels with the microphone on the ‎Kitronik LAB:bit. The tutorial will go through what an analog input is and how it can ‎be used to create a fun mini game to scare the BBC micro:bit.‎

LEARN NOW!‎‎ ‎

LESSON 7 - PARKING SENSOR:‎

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This tutorial will demonstrate the use of the ultrasonic sensor on the Kitronik ‎LAB:bit. The tutorial will go through how an ultrasonic sensor works and creating a ‎parking sensor.‎

LEARN NOW!‎‎ ‎

The printed getting started guide that is supplied with the kit plus the above online ‎resources and custom MakeCode blocks make teaching computing and basic ‎coding to children aged 8+ as easy as is possible. The tutorials can be worked ‎through at a pace that is appropriate for the situation and in such a way that it is ‎easy for the teacher to provide support.‎‎ ‎

Useful Links:‎

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