micro:bit

Here’s a big list of all my resources and projects for the BBC micro:bit which you may find useful – or indeed fun. Almost all are written in Python. Many of them use the radio feature which I’ve found children particularly enjoy. There are some activities here like the flu game and treasure hunt which you could use to get children active outdoors. Have a browse and if you use any of them or have any ideas for improving a project you see listed here, please do let me know.

If you’re using Python, I recommend the the Mu Python editor but most of these projects should also work using the improved online Python editor for micro:bit. At the time of writing some projects require a beta version of Mu with the plotter and radio strength functions – details on each page.

• Add a cheap 16×2 LCD display to a micro:bit
• Binary number system quiz
• Teaching physical logic gates with micro:bit
• Three micro:bit music experiments. (MakeCode)
• Connect a thermal till roll printer to your micro:bit
• Class voting system – up to 25 people can vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’, answers tallied on a micro:bit’s display
• Radio treasure hunt – find the hidden beacons
• Pandemic flu game / science experiment
• Making pocket calculators with micro:bits
• Live plotting readings from micro:bit’s internal sensors
• Live plotting readings from the Monk Makes Sensor Board
• Teleporting ducks and chuck-a-duck
• Long scrolling displays with several micro:bits
• Micro:bit-controlled radio or MP3 player
• Wireless data logging with hard copy printout
• Wireless 2-player Pong
• Lesson introducing wireless data on the microbit
• Simple wireless microbit Morse code transmitter
• Simple Python Tilty game with sound.
• Kettle Run – Can you do the Kettle Run in less than 12 parsecs? Pilot your craft through canyons of doom to be rewarded with… a lovely cup of tea! A more sophisticated, extendable Python game with sound – plus a hex file you can drag and drop if you don’t want to look at the Python code.
• A possible first Python lesson. I will be trying this out next week!
• Make some noise by attaching noise-making things.
• Is your plant happy? Get physical with the micro:bit, a bit of Python, some nails and a resistor.
• Send and receive secret Morse code messages between two micro:bits using just a couple of bits of wire. Simple way to teach networking, protocols – as well as variables, conditional branching, infinite loops and binary control of GPIO pins.
• Use the micro:bit as a wireless remote data logger.
• Make a weird musical instrument using an old mixing desk fader.
• Experiment with an old scrap volume control / potentiometer.
• …and be sure to read the handling instructions – many micro:bit died to bring us this information.