EDUCATOR PORTAL

MISSION MATERIALS

Computer with USB port and Chrome or Edge browser

Piper Make Base Station or Starter Kit

MISSION RESOURCES

Learning Goals

1. Students will create programs that use variables to store and modify data (CSTA 1B-AP-09)
2. Students will test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended (CSTA 1B-AP-15)
3. Students will build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories, and pursuing answers and solutions (ISTE 1.3.d)

Learning Activities

Extension: Traffic Light PCBA Challenge In this challenge, students will understand how to take a prototype (their traffic light) and turn it into a product that can be used in the real world. In this challenge students will learn about Printed Circuit Board Assembly or PCBA. Instructions are in the make.playpiper.com tutorial that may be accessed on the final step of the Mission Traffic Light or by clicking the SHOW ALL button on the Expedition Teleport Menu then selecting the TRAFFIC LIGHT PCBA Mission.

Career Connections

Construction Manager: Salary $101,480/yr

Hardware Diagram







Code Diagram







Tutorial Steps

ExpandCollapse All Traffic Light


CHALLENGE MISSION TUTORIAL STEPS ExpandCollapse All

Blueprint

DOWNLOAD BLUEPRINT

Have an different version? Look for more information on the Support Page.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Is the LED failing to light up when you hit START?
  • The most common issue is that the LEDs may be plugged in incorrectly. Be sure the anode and cathode (i.e., short and long sides of LEDs) are oriented correctly, according to the tutorial.
  • Ensure that you’ve plugged the wires into the right GPIO. Look at the Digital View to see which pin you’re affecting.

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EXPANDED RESOURCES

Term Glossary




Ground Pin A ground pin is a connection point in an electronic circuit that provides a common return path for electrical current. It helps complete the circuit by allowing excess electricity to flow safely away, which helps prevent damage to the circuit and keep everything working correctly.

Loop A part of a computer program that repeats a chunk of code a specified number of times or while a condition is true.

Boolean A type of data or expression with two possible values: true and false.

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Material Library

Button
Mini buttons are types of momentary switches that only remain in their state as long as they're being actuated (pressed or held down). Pressing down on the button will close the circuit, letting the microcontroller know that current can pass through the circuit. When you let go of the button, the circuit opens back up letting the microcontroller know to stop allowing current to flow through the circuit. Most often momentary switches are best used for intermittent user-input cases like mode buttons for controllers because they are so easy to press or "click".
This button has two terminals which means it can only connect to a single input (connected by Jumper wire to a GPIO pin on a microcontroller) and a single output (connected by Jumper wire to a ground pin on a microcontroller). These work well as simple on/off circuits for one conducting loop.

Standards Alignment



CSTA Framework   Base Kit Standards Alignment
ISTE Framework   Base Kit Standards Alignment