Micro:Bit Intro – Interactive lesson

https://youtu.be/7Wny5CmiZ3Y

Open the app!

This interactive lesson is available as a WEB APP that works in the browser and communicates with your BBC MicroBit board via bluetooth.

OPEN APP

How it works?

The Micro:Bit Intro is an interactive lesson presented through an online app. This browser-based app showcases a slide presentation of the basic features of the Micro:Bit, including the LED display, accelerometer, compass, and more.

The app connects with the Micro:Bit board via Bluetooth, allowing all sensors to be experienced live in action, complete with interactive multimedia options.

In the classroom, the presentation—narrated by you, the teacher—takes about 45 minutes and serves as an excellent introduction to the Micro:Bit. Your students are sure to love it (trust me, it’s been tested ;-).

All you need is a Micro:Bit board and a computer (or mobile device) with Bluetooth capability for each student or pair. Each student or group opens the app on their own device and connects to their board.

Having a projector or a large screen to display the app to the class is also beneficial.

It’s important to keep all groups synchronized and not to rush through the slides. Once students discover the interactive games, they’ll likely want to explore more. As the presenter, you control the pace, deciding which slide to focus on at any given time. This approach allows each chapter to serve as an opportunity to discuss the electronics, sensors, and principles of physical computing.

Once you try it, I’m confident you’ll return to this app every time you need to introduce a new group of students to the BBC Micro:Bit.

Supported platforms

  1. Desktop web browser – Chrome, Edge, Opera
  2. Android
  3. ChromeOS
  4. iPhone or iPad – via Bluefy web browser

Preparation

  1. To use the app you need to upload appropriate code to your Micro:Bit board
  2. For Micro:Bit v1 – Download the LOFI FIRMWARE code .hex file and copy it to your Micro:Bit board (just like you would copy a file to a usb pen drive) – Code from MakeCode will make the board crash due to RAM memory shortage.
  3. For Micro:Bit v2 – use sample MakeCode code pasted below – v2 has much more memory so it will not crash with this code.
  4. Open the Micro:Bit Intro app
  5. In the app click ROBOT HEAD icon in the upper right corner to connect to your Micro:Bit

Micro:Bit v2 Code

WARNING – this code will not work on v1 boards (use provided .hex file for v1)