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This is an online workshop; focuses on introducing the Microcontroller to kids by giving a brief about it and giving them the chance to use it, besides, to interact with it using a funny way full of joy.
However, you won’t need to buy any physical component as long as this workshop is Online Which uses :
– Arduino Microcontroller ( digital component )
– TinkerCAD ( Open source platform “free” )
– Video
Computer
Internet Access
TinkerCAD Account ( Free )
we want here to build a connection between what students know about computers to be reflected on Microcontroller so it can be easier for them to understand.
1- Try to give a brief about the computer such as ( the computer is a device process data according to our instructions ).
2- Don’t go deeper and try to give examples ( Laptops, calculators, Smartphones, etc…. )
3- If you feel that they are interacting and starving for more try to ask if any one knows the computer language ( Binary system “0,1”).
Here we want to briefly explain how the computer interacts with the environment especially us ( humans ); however, we are not expressing widely just mentioning the human senses and how it's similar to computer input devices. ( Real-life examples makes it much easier for them to understand).
1- Don’t go deeper just stay straight forward ask them about the human senses and you connect these senses with the input devices ( Eyes >>> Camera , Ears >>> Microphone) you can also mention output devices ( Mouth >>> Speaker )
2- If they are interacting you can mention that each computer have a brain like ours to process data.
3- The introduction should not take more than 5 min but it helps to attract their attention.
This step is the most interacting one with kids as long as they are familiar with the piano and here we are just briefing not getting into details.
In this section, we want to show the kids the wave and how it is generated the best describe this phenomenon is the guitar strings.
Tell them that the strings in piano and guitar has the same working principle, Also this wave is the sound occurring after we hit the string.
In this experiment (Cup and Phone String) we were doing it in school to understand how the telephone works. It's a simple one contain 2 cups and a string connect both cups.
Here we just Remark what we have said before and encourage them to try it to understand how there sound are being collected in the cup and then transmitted by the string as a vibration ( wave ) then you can here it at the other side after the ear translate this wave into recognized sound.
In this section, we are going to describe what is meant by an input device and what it's the advantage of having it in the circuit.
1- Briefing what has mentioned before that these devices insert data to the microcontroller.
2- give one or two examples and try to encourage them to mention more.
3- try to build a connection with the piano that keys work as an input “they give the signal to the microcontroller to tell which tone be played”
As we know the speaker is a device converts an electrical signal into a mechanical movement to generate waves we call it sounds. The way of generation starts when the membrane vibrates; this will push the air in front of the speaker to vibrate the same way as the membrane then the air will handle the rest of the transition operation to our ears.
1- Don’t go deep, Its enough to say speaker generate sound if you didn’t notice any attention from the kids.
In this section, we are just introducing the microcontroller for them and reflecting on what they already answered, or you expressed for them early to the microcontroller.
1- Nothing complicated here just mention that the Microcontroller is simply ( a miniature computer ).
2- Present the video till (1 minute and 35 seconds
“Duration”) for them; its already linked in the presentation.
3- After the video, there is two option asking them to
summarize the video or you do it depends on you and the kid’s reactions.
4- Summary ( The microcontroller is a miniature
a computer consists of 3 main parts ( the core which is the brain ” chicks in
video ”, memory, and input\output ), etc…..
Arduino is a microcontroller that is easy to use and (an open-source platform contains many examples and free codes to use).
1- Show them the Arduino board try to connect between the definition and what they are seeing by telling this a tiny computer contains a core (brain), Memory, and input\output Pins.
2- Be straight forward and you can ask them to tell you what is meant by microcontroller again to keep them interacting with you.
programming is the way we interact with the microcontroller to tell it what to do as instructions within this software.
1- you can ask them what is meant by a software ( Instructions tells the computer what to do )
2- mention the language that the Arduino speaks ( C Arduino )
3- Mention two ways we use to program
In this section, we are going to use TinkerCAD to Simulate the piano ( G-Cord "five-buttons")
1- After opening TinkerCAD you can give them a quick tour so they can know where to press and where they can find the component they will use.
2- I prefer you had prepared a class on TinkerCAD so they don’t waste time on creating accounts or you can told them before to have an account.
3- Start by showing them the workplace and the component list. Also, the way of choosing component in addition to selecting and dragging it. Besides, you can show the availability of the component in TinkerCAD and try to end up with the Arduino.
4- Now you can show them the Arduino ( You have mentioned before what is meant by it. now you can repeat as they are having visual). Besides show them the code section where we have to write our code and show the difference between both (text and block coding).
5- Then show them the way of building a simple circuit ( LED + Battery) so they get familiar with the environment.”the point here to show them how to make connection between component “
6- Now you can show them the piano circuit and explain it to them and play on it. “it’s really hard because you have to use the mouse to press”.
7- Show them the code so they have an overview about the code and the connection to so it would be easy for them to build.
8- Give them time to build and assist them because you will find out that some of them doesn’t get the idea very well.
9- After this if you still have time you can present the melody circuit for them which is a Microcontroller and a speaker so they can play music on it ( “Pink Panther theme ” , “Super Mario theme”).
* you will send them the codes.