This Kitronik University course is part of the BBC microbit partnership and covers aspects of the micro:bit including an overview of what it is, what our role is and of course tutorials to let you get started using it within Design & Technology and Science. If you want to learn more about the micro:bit, as a new user or a more experienced one, this is the place to be. The tutorials cover the very basics all the way up to robotics and more. Wearables, physical computing, hacking games for micro:bit control, controlling connected electronics, driving motors and actuators, there is something here for everyone! This course is still being written so check back regularly, or subscribe to our newsletter to be kept informed of updates.
Course Contents:
BBC micro:bit Overview:
- What is the BBC micro:bit.
- What is Kitronik's role in the project.
- The story so far.
- Announcing micro:bit V2.
- Kitronik is an official micro:bit Educational Foundation Channel Partner
microbit Coding Editors:
- Microsoft MakeCode Editor.
- The Beginners Guide To The New micro:bit Python Editor.
- Tech Talk - The New micro:bit Python Editor
- MicroPython Editor.
- Mu Editor.
- EduBlocks Editor.
- Legacy Editors, for information only.
- Legacy Blocks Editor (Now switched off).
- The Legacy Touch Develop Editor (Now switched off).
- Legacy Code Kingdoms Editor (Now switched off).
Getting Started With The BBC microbit:
- How To Update HEX Files To micro:bit V2 Universal HEX.
- The Differences Between micro:bit V1 And microbit V2.
- The Five Minute microbit Guide.
- The microbit User Guide For Absolute Beginners.
- The Parent's Complete Guide To The BBC micro:bit.
- 10 micro:bit Products & Resources Suitable for Children Aged 8+
- Learn To Use The micro:bit... Without A micro:bit.
- Powering your BBC microbit.
- Transferring a program to the BBC micro:bit.
- How to get Started with MakeCode Editor.
- The Beginners Guide To The New micro:bit Python Editor.
- Getting Started with EduBlocks.
- Getting Started With Scratch For microbit.
- Use The BBC micro:bit As An Instrument Tuner.
- Using MicroPython With Kitronik BBC micro:bit Products.
- Add Additional Light Sensing To The BBC micro:bit.
- Legacy guides for information only (Editors now turned off):
The new microbit V2:
The new micro:bit V2 is now available and Kitronik is on the case with resource creation.
- How To Update HEX Files To micro:bit V2 Universal HEX.
- The Differences Between micro:bit V1 And microbit V2.
- Learn To Use The micro:bit... Without A micro:bit.
Mobile Device Apps:
MicroPython Example Code For Kitronik Products:
- 16 Servo Control Board.
- STOP:bit For BBC micro:bit.
- All-In One Robotics Board.
- :GAME ZIP 64.
- :KLEF Piano For BBC micro:bit.
- Links to the above 5 resources with background information.
Teachers Lesson Plans:
- :GAME ZIP 64 Lesson Plans By Lorraine Underwood & Kitronik.
- :MOVE mini Lesson Plans By Lorraine Underwood & Kitronik.
- Free Lesson Plans For ZIP Halo By Lorraine Underwood & Kitronik.
- Teachers Lesson Plans For STOP:bit For microbit.
- Free Teachers Lesson Plan For LAMP:bit For microbit.
- Teachers Lesson Plans For ACCESS:bit For microbit.
- Online MakeCode Tutorials For The Kitronik Greenhouse Kit
Free E-Textiles Sample Packs:
E-Textiles Tutorials:
- BBC micro:bit emoji bag.
- Rocket themed countdown pencil case.
- Add Additional Light Sensing To The BBC micro:bit.
- microbit Powered Halo-ween Ironman Arc Reactor.
- BBC micro:bit Powered Halo-ween Fancy Dress.
- How to make a sewable Halloween LED badge.
Using The Expansion Connector With Electronics:
-
Using the BBC micro:bit edge connector.
- Don't steal my BBC micro:bit alarm!
- Cool colours temperature sensor.
- Light level detector.
- BBC micro:bit controlled crane.
- microbit Lap Counter For Scalextric Like Track.
- Controlling a servo with the microbit.
- Control A 360 Degree Servo With A BBC micro:bit.
- Distance Sensing With A microbit And HC-SR04 Module.
Inventors Kit Experiments:
- Say Hello to the BBC micro:bit. - Experiment 1
- Pre V1.7 Using an LDR and analog inputs. - Experiment 2
- Post V1.7 Using a Light Sensor & analog inputs. - Experiment 2
- Dimming an LED using a potentiometer. - Experiment 3
- Using a transistor to drive a motor. - Experiment 4
- Use the accelerometer to control motor speed. - Experiment 5
- Setting the tone with a piezo buzzer. - Experiment 6
- Wind Power. - Experiment 7
- Making a game using the compass. - Experiment 8
- Capacitor charge circuit. - Experiment 9
- Using an RGB LED. - Experiment 10
- Making a pedestrian crossing. - Experiment 11
- Making a random dice. - Experiment 12
ZIP LED Add-On Pack For The Inventors Kit:
- Experiment 10 - Using A Potentiometer To Control an LED.
- Bonus Experiment - Fan Controlled ZIP LED Ring.
Noise Pack for Kitronik Inventor's Kit for the BBC micro:bit:
Robots/Buggies & Movement Guides:
- BBC micro:bit Line Following Buggy.
- A micro:bit controlled Zumo buggy.
- Build A Klawsome microbit Controlled Tank.
- Using PWM with the Kitronik Motor Driver Board.
- Controlling :MOVE mini With The microbit Radio.
- Drawing With The :MOVE mini For The microbit.
- :MOVE mini Servo Powered Halloween Add-ons.
- 3D Printing :MOVE mini Halloween Ghost & Pumpkin Shells.
- Controlling 3 Servos With The Servo:Lite board.
- Calibrating 360 Degree Servos For :MOVE mini.
- Guide For Kitronik Custom MakeCode Editor Servo Blocks.
- Getting Started With The Servo:Lite board.
- Using Kitronik ZIP LEDs With The BBC microbit.
- Guide For Coding Automatic Headlights For :MOVE mini.
- Coding Indicators For :MOVE mini.
- Pairing A microbit That's Attached To :MOVE mini.
- Distance Sensing With A microbit And HC-SR04 Module.
- How To Add A Servo To The Simple Robotics Kit.
- Adding ZIP Hex LEDs To The Simple Robotics Buggy Kit.
- Add Line Following to the Simple Robotics Kit.
- How-To Make a Custom Football Pitch for :MOVE Motor.
- Clap-o-meter with Simple Servos Starter Pack for BBC micro:bit
- Carousel with the Simple Servos Starter Pack for BBC micro:bit
- Swing Boat with the Simple Servos Starter Pack for BBC micro:bit
- RC Car with the Simple Servos Starter Pack for BBC micro:bit
- Automating Paper Automata with Simple Servo Board for micro:bit
- A Pirate Ship for the LAB:bit for BBC micro:bit
Everything Is Better With Bluetooth:
- Kitronik Control App For MOVE mini.
- Adding Bluetooth Remote Control To :MOVE mini.
- Robot Buggy Part 7 Remote Control Via Bluetooth.
- Take The BBC micro:bit To The Next Level With Bluetooth Low Energy.
- Pairing A microbit That's Attached To :MOVE mini.
Light It Up:
- Get Started With Zip Halo For The BBC microbit.
- Using Kitronik ZIP LEDs With The BBC microbit.
- Automatic Headlights For :MOVE mini.
- Guide For Coding Indicators On The :MOVE mini.
- microbit Powered Halo-ween Ironman Arc Reactor.
- Adding Extra ZIP LEDs To The Kitronik Halo.
- BBC micro:bit Powered Halo-ween Fancy Dress.
- Electro-Fashion LED Curtains by Maria Hadjiantoniou.
- Laser Cut Glittered Acrylic ZIP Tile Name Badge.
- Fairground Inspired Spinning Ring by Elsa Novak.
- Adding ZIP Hex LEDs To The Simple Robotics Buggy Kit.
:GAME ZIP 64 Teaching Resources:
- Free :GAME ZIP 64 Lesson Plans By Lorraine Underwood & Kitronik.
- Pong Game Download.
- Snake Game Download.
LAB:bit Resources:
:MOVE mini Teaching Resources:
ZIP Halo for microbit Teaching Resources:
Kitronik :CITY Teaching Resources:
- Teachers Lesson Plans For STOP:bit For microbit.
- Lesson Plan For LAMP:bit For microbit.
- Teachers Lesson Plans For ACCESS:bit For microbit.
Writing microbit Games:
- Controlling Movement On The LED Matrix With User Input
- How to Create a Reaction Game for HaloHD for micro:bit with EduBlocks.
- A Reaction Game For The :GAME ZIP 64 And BBC micro:bit.
Custom Code:
Hacking Toys For microbit control:
Link Standard:
3D Printing:
- 3D Printable case.
- CAD Resources.
- 3D Print Robot Wars Buggy, instructions and design file downloads.
- FREE :GAME ZIP 64 Cases - 3D Printed/Laser Cut.
Laser Cutting:
- Project Ideas for the MI:power Board.
- FREE :GAME ZIP 64 Cases - 3D Printed/Laser Cut.
- :KLEF Piano for micro:bit case resources.
- Make A Sturdy Laser Cut Stand For STOP:bit Or LAMP:bit.
Kitronik :City From Bett 2019:
- How we made Kitronik :CITY.
- :MOVE Mini Football Stadium.
- Klimate, microbit and ZIP Halo Big Ben.
- microbit Servo Driver Tower Bridge.
- Robotics Board London Eye & Turbine.
Seasonal microbit Projects:
- microbit Powered Halo-ween Ironman Arc Reactor. - Fancy Dress
- BBC micro:bit Powered Halo-ween Fancy Dress. - Fancy Dress
- :MOVE mini Servo Powered Halloween Add-ons. - Halloween
- How to make a sewable Halloween LED badge. - Halloween
- :MOVE mini Halloween Ghost & Pumpkin Shells. - Halloween
- Halloween 3D Printing & Laser Cutting Projects. - Halloween
- microbit powered 3D printed Spider! - Halloween
- Halloween Music on MI:Sound Speaker Board for microbit. - Halloween
- Laser Cut Glittered Acrylic ZIP Tile Halloween Pumpkin. - Halloween
- :MOVE Motor Radio Controlled Halloween SpookMobile - Halloween.
- Kitronik Christmas Fair - Stepper Ferris Wheel. - Christmas
- The Kitronik Christmas Fair - ZIP LED Helter Skelter. - Christmas
- Kitronik Christmas Fair - Bandstand And Stalls. - Christmas
- Christmas 2016 Project Ideas. - Christmas
- ZIP Halo Christmas Tree. - Christmas
- microbit ZIP Halo Christmas Baubles. - Christmas
- MI:power microbit Christmas Baubles. - Christmas
- Development Of The Christmas Bells. - Christmas
- Servo & microbit Controlled Christmas Bells. - Christmas
- Day 3 - BBC microbit ZIP Halo Compass. - Christmas
- :MOVE mini Santa Sleigh. - Christmas
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10 comments
Mark Donnison
Hi Dave, it's not something we've looked into but if you use the following search term in google it should be the first result in the list, once there you can find information on iC2 at the bottom of the menu on the left. The search term: microbit micropython read the docs io ic2. I hope this helps.
Dave Simpson
An example of how to write and read from the i2C would be a great help. At the moment I can't seem to get the correct parameters/types set in micropython for microbit.i2c.read and write. In the project i am experimenting with i am using a MCP23017 with a single LED attached to GPB1. the circuit works when connected to an Arduino. bus address is 0×27
Mark Donnison
Hi Nigel, The 25 LED's are split into 8 columns (1-9), there are 4 rows but the rows aren't broken out (to avoid the risk of shorts). Unfortunately, that means that you can't drive the LED matrix from the edge connector.
Nigel Kendrick
Can you elaborate on how the LEDs are connected to the microcontroller/edge connector as there's a 5×5 array of LEDs, but the relevant pins of the edge connector are designated Col1-3 and Col7-9. Thanks Nigel Kendrick (STEM Ambassador)
Rob Haywood
Hi Paul, The BBC micro:bit should appear in My Computer without the need for any driver. Kind regards Rob
paul
How/where do I find the driver for the micro:bit so that I can drag and drop the coding onto them ? many thanks Paul
Andrew White
Hi Adam, You can register your school to receive BBC micro:bits for your Year 7 year group here: https://bbcmicrobitschoolregistrationform.co.uk/english.html. Hope this helps, Many thanks, Andrew
Adam
how do i make sure that my year 7s get this then?
Rob Haywood
Hi Ray, There is a legacy group which is working on the finer detail of the legacy which includes distribution. Distribution will begin sometime after the last of the year 7 students have received theirs. We are hopeful at this stage that we will be a distributor. Rob
Ray
Hi Do you sell the BBC micro bit computer? Regards Ray