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Arduino Coding Part 3: Motors, Displays, and Other Actuators (FLEX)

In this 10-week FLEX class, students will learn how to incorporate various types of motors and LED displays into their Arduino projects.
Elene Feigenbaum
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(127)
Class

What's included

Homework
1-2 hours per week. Students will be required to watch the recordings of the class and complete the assigned weekly tasks. Students will upload pictures and videos of their projects as well as copies of their code to the Classroom page in Outschool. In addition, there will be weekly posts that students will need to respond to in order to demonstrate participation in the class.
Assessment
Students will not receive grades unless requested by the parent. Assessment of assignments will be informal, consisting of posted feedback on projects, videos, and code.
Grading
included

Class Experience

INTRODUCTION:
In this 10-week FLEX class (no live classes), students will learn how to use a wide variety of digital and analog actuators to code an Arduino Uno to create inventions and projects.  This class will build on the foundation that students gained from my Arduino Parts 1 and 2 FLEX classes to allow students to incorporate more advanced devices into their projects.

Each week, students learn about a different component culminating in a final project that students will create and share with the class.  Students will learn how to hook up and code the following actuators: active and passive buzzer, relay, servo, LCDs, 1-digit LED, 4-digit LED, LED array, DC motor, and stepper motor. Students will learn how to download and properly install Arduino Libraries that are needed for some of the actuators.

FORMAT OF THE LESSONS:
Every Sunday, a new lesson will be posted in the classroom on Outschool.  Each lesson begins with a recorded video that is uploaded to the classroom in Outschool.  A combination of the Arduino IDE and TinkerCad are used to teach the lessons in the videos.  Provided in the video are detailed explanations of how to connect the devices to the Arduino and how to write code to read the sensors.  A link to Arduino libraries will be uploaded to the Classroom page so that students will be able to locate and download the libraries for their use.

Each video begins with a short PowerPoint presentation that explains the basic principles.  This is followed by a detailed guided demonstration that shows how to connect the components and the code used to control them.  Each student is expected to actively participate by following the directions described in the lesson using their components and the Arduino software and or using the simulation on TinkerCad.   It may be helpful to have separate devices: one for watching the video and a computer to try out the lessons. This will make it easier to follow along with the lessons.

IMPORTANT:  If you are using an actual Arduino, you will need to have access to a computer and not just a chromebook or tablet because the Arduino IDE does NOT work on those devices.

Each week, an activity worksheet will be posted in the classroom that describes the objectives of the lesson, any libraries needed for the device, and a list of activities to try. Students will have one week to complete the activities and are required to share their results and participate in the classroom discussions as described below. 

STUDENT INTERACTIONS:
Students are expected to interact with each other and with the teacher every week within the framework of the Outschool Classroom site.   Students will be required to use discussion forum to post responses to worksheet questions, upload code for worksheet assignments, and share videos of weekly project assignments. 

During the first week of the class, students will be required to post a video or a paragraph introducing themselves and stating what they hope to learn.  Every week thereafter, there will be post describing the interactions required for that week's lesson. These instructions will be provided on a worksheet as well as posted in the discussion forum.  Interactions will include prompts for discussion, games, contests,  surveys, sharing work, and posting videos of projects. 

Students will receive weekly feedback from me about their responses, code, videos and comments. I will provide help and encouragement as students become proficient in their coding skills.  Students who feel they need additional assistance can request a live meeting with me and I will be happy to try to arrange it.  

Some interactions will begin as a prompt posted in the classroom. These prompts will be used to initiate discussion, reinforce concepts and assess knowledge. For example, I may post a prompt, such as “Name one digital actuator and one analog actuator.”  Other prompts will include brainstorming activities, games or surveys.  For example, I may ask students to list a device they encountered during the week that contains an actuator and identify it,  An interactive game that will be used is "I'm thinking of a device" whereby each student must submit the name of a device that meets the criteria.  For example, "I'm thinking of a device that uses an LCD." The first student that responds correctly gets to write the next “I’m thinking of a device” question.  

During the last week of the class, students will share their final projects with the class.  Students will post their final project code and a video explaining their project, how it works, and the challenges they encountered.  Students will be required to provide feedback to two of the other students about their final projects.  If it can be arranged, a live class will be scheduled so that students can share their projects in real time.

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
Students should either have completed Arduino Coding Part I and Part 2 or have basic knowledge of the skills taught in those classes.  They should know how to wire and code the following devices: LED, RGB LED, serial monitor, ultrasonic sensor, servo, photoresistor, thermistor, button, potentiometer.  They should have basic knowledge of the Arduino coding syntax and be able to use simple “if/else,” “while,” and “for” loops. 

Students need to have an Arduino Uno or Arduino Mega for this class, as well as the actuators that will be taught.  Please see the recommended materials and kits listed in the " Supply List" shown below.

Please see the list of weekly topics in the Learning Goals section below.
Learning Goals
Class 1: What are actuators?
-	Definition
-	Examples of actuators (motors, servos, LEDs, Displays)
-	Digital actuators (LED, active buzzer, relay, vibration motor)
-	Actuators that use digital pins but need libraries (servo)
-	Actuators with shields or motor drivers
-	Uploading Libraries

Class 2: Active vs passive buzzer
-	Using tone command
-	Pitch library
-	Using arrays

Class 3: Servos
-	180 vs Continous servos
-	How to control 180 servo, sweep, knob

Class 4: Stepper Motor and Motor Driver
-	How to count steps  (make a clock)
-	Control stepper motor with a rotary encoder

Class 5: : LCD screen
-	Library
-	How to connect the LCD
-	How to write to the LCD
-	Read sensors and write value on the LCD

Class 6:  LED array

Class 7: 7- segment LED

Class 8: 1-digit LED 

Class 9: DC Motors
-	Using transistor
-	H-bridge and breadboard power supply

Class 10: Additional devices Overview
-	Radio signals
-	Bluetooth
-	GPS
-	Description of Final Project
learning goal

Other Details

Supply List
Students need to either have an account with www.autocad.com to use the free TinkerCad circuit simulator or download the free Arduino IDE (version 1.8.13) from www.arduino.cc to use with the Arduino components.

You can buy the components separately, but it would be more expensive than buying a kit that has all the parts you need and more. 

Recommended Devices/kits if you are purchasing components separately:
     Arduino Uno (or clone) with USB cable (or Arduino MEGA)
     solderless breadboard
     3 different color LEDs
     1-3 pushbuttons
     1 potentiometers
     1 rotary encode (optional)
     1 servo motor
     1 ultrasonic sensor
     1 passive piezo buzzer
     1 stepper motor and motor driver
     1 DC motor 
     1 breadboard power supply or transistor
     1 active buzzer
     1 passive buzzer
     1 LCD, preferably with I2C module adapter (see below)
     1 LED array
     1 7-segment LED (1 digit)
     1 - 4- digit LED
     1 micro servo 
     1 continuous servo (optional)
     Many male-male jumper wires of different colors
     Many male-female jumper wires of different colors
     Resistors varying from 100-ohm to 1M-ohm

Recommended Kit that contains all the parts:

https://www.amazon.com/EL-KIT-001-Project-Complete-Starter-Tutorial/dp/B01CZTLHGE/ref=asc_df_B01CZTLHGE/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241907595991&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8544331822937541734&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015321&hvtargid=pla-464156272733&psc=1

This will make the LCD easier to work with:
https://www.amazon.com/Qunqi-Serial-Backlight-Arduino-MEGA2560/dp/B01E4YUT3K/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=82F2F1N5PA4D76EEHV6H
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Students will need to download a free copy of the Arduino IDE located at www.arduino.cc. Students may also want to have an account at www.tinkercad.com so they can try out some code before using the Arduino IDE.
Joined August, 2020
4.9
127reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Ohio Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
Master's Degree in Science from Case Western Reserve University
Bachelor's Degree in Science from Stern College for Women Yeshiva University
My classes will teach you coding skills needed to program an Arduino microcontroller. In these classes you will learn about the Arduino and how to write code that allows it to read input from sensors and send output to actuators.  You will be guided through the wiring and coding for each type of sensor and actuator so that you will eventually be able to create your own inventions.

I have been a private school middle and high school science teacher for over 30 years. During that time, I taught classes in chemistry, engineering, earth science, life science, chemistry, forensic science, biology, and health.  I enjoy teaching through hands-on experimentation and I believe that students learn best when they are activity engaged in the learning process.

I am an amateur photographer and love to photograph my grandchildren, my dog, and wildlife. I enjoy creating scrapbooks from my photos. I also enjoy tinkering with my Arduino and 3D printer to create inventions of my own.

Reviews

Live Group Class
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$130

for 10 weeks
10 weeks

Completed by 6 learners
No live video meetings
Ages: 12-17

This class is no longer offered
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