Introduction to Arduino: The Basics of Coding and Hardware

Introduction to Arduino: The Basics of Coding and Hardware

Learning objective

At the end of the lesson, you will have a basic understanding of Arduino hardware and coding, and be able to create simple programs.

Explain the learning objective clearly to the students before proceeding with the lesson.

What do you already know about Arduino and coding?

What is Arduino?

Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software.

Explain that Arduino is a popular platform for creating interactive projects and that it is widely used in the maker community.

Arduino Hardware

Arduino boards come in various shapes and sizes, but they all have the same basic components: power supply, microcontroller, digital and analog pins, and USB port.

Show examples of different types of Arduino boards and their components.

The Microcontroller

The microcontroller is the brain of the Arduino board. It is responsible for executing the code and controlling the input/output pins.

Explain the role of the microcontroller and how it interacts with the other components of the Arduino board.

Digital Pins

Digital pins can be used for both input and output. They can be turned on or off using digital signals (0 or 1).

Show examples of digital input/output projects that can be created using Arduino.

Analog Pins

Analog pins can be used for reading analog signals (0-1023) from sensors or for outputting analog signals using pulse-width modulation (PWM).

Explain the difference between digital and analog signals and show examples of analog input/output projects that can be created using Arduino.

The USB Port

The USB port is used for uploading code to the Arduino board and for serial communication with a computer.

Demonstrate how to connect the Arduino board to a computer and how to upload code to the board.

What is Coding?

Coding is the process of creating instructions for a computer to follow.

Explain that coding is used to create programs that can be executed on the Arduino board.

The Arduino IDE

The Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a software application that is used to write and upload code to the Arduino board.

Demonstrate how to download and install the Arduino IDE and how to create a new project.

The Setup Function

The setup function is a special function that is called once when the Arduino board is powered on or reset. It is used for initializing variables and setting up the board.

Explain the purpose of the setup function and show examples of how it can be used to set up the board.

The Loop Function

The loop function is a special function that is called repeatedly after the setup function has been called. It is used for executing the main program.

Explain the purpose of the loop function and show examples of how it can be used to create simple programs.

Variables

Variables are used to store values that can be used later in the program. They can be of different data types, such as integer, float, or boolean.

Explain the concept of variables and show examples of how they can be used in programs.

Conditional Statements

Conditional statements are used to execute different code depending on whether a certain condition is true or false. They include if, else if, and else statements.

Explain the concept of conditional statements and show examples of how they can be used in programs.

Loops

Loops are used to repeat a section of code multiple times. They include for and while loops.

Explain the concept of loops and show examples of how they can be used in programs.

Functions

Functions are used to break up a program into smaller, reusable parts. They can be called multiple times throughout the program.

Explain the concept of functions and show examples of how they can be used in programs.

Interacting with Hardware

Interacting with hardware involves reading input from sensors and controlling output to actuators. This can be done using digital and analog pins on the Arduino board.

Show examples of projects that involve interacting with hardware, such as controlling an LED or reading data from a sensor.

Serial Communication

Serial communication is a way for the Arduino board to communicate with a computer or other devices. It involves sending and receiving data one byte at a time.

Demonstrate how to use serial communication to send and receive data between the Arduino board and a computer.

Debugging

Debugging is the process of finding and fixing errors in code. It involves using tools such as the serial monitor and debuggers.

Explain the importance of debugging and show examples of how to use debugging tools to find and fix errors in code.

Wrapping Up

In this lesson, we covered the basics of Arduino hardware and coding. You should now have a basic understanding of how to create simple programs and interact with hardware using the Arduino board.

Review the key concepts covered in the lesson and ask if there are any questions before moving on to the next lesson in the series.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.