EDUCATOR PORTAL

MISSION MATERIALS

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MISSION RESOURCES

Learning Goals

1. Students will create hardware using tools such as a screwdriver.
2. Students will review key electronics understandings, including wire and pin positions for specific inputs and outputs.
3. Students will practice the computational concepts of:
• Loops: Running the same sequence multiple times.
• Events: While a pin’s condition is on or off, another action happens.
4. Students will create programs that use variables to store and modify data.
5. Students will create programs that include events, loops, and conditionals.
6. Students will practice organizing problems into smaller, manageable tasks.
7. Students will create programs by incorporating smaller portions of existing programs to develop something new or add more advanced features.
8. Students will test and debug a program or algorithm to ensure it accomplishes the intended task.

Career Connections

Hardware Diagram

Code Diagram

Tutorial Steps

ExpandCollapse All Game Controller

Blueprint

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Troubleshooting Tips

• Don’t forget the Duplicate Block feature!
• When we code large programs, the Duplicate command is needed.
  • To access this feature, right-click on the block and select Duplicate.
• Have you tested your wiring? (Step 12)
  • Click DIGITAL VIEW at the bottom of the screen, then click CONNECT. Choose your Pico device from the pop-up menu and click START.
  • The first thing you might notice when your Controller and Pico are running a program is that the GP2, GP3, and GP4 pins are flickering quite fast—this is the Pico asking the Controller for the button press information (GP3 and GP4) and the Controller sending it back (GP2).
  • When you press button 2 (UP) on your Controller, the LED on the Pico will turn on. When you let the button go, the LED will turn off.
  • If the Controller is working, that’s great! If not, this is a good time to review the steps to troubleshoot your wiring and code.
• Is your Pico disconnecting after you test the Controller? 
  • Check the program and wiring to make sure they are correct. The wires sent with your Game Controller might be different colors than depicted, which is fine. Follow the diagram to make the right connections.
  • Unplug your Pico, wait 5 seconds, and plug it back in.
  • Refresh your browser page.
• Is your program not running smoothly? (Step 19)
  • Click DIGITAL VIEW at the bottom of the workspace. On the left side of the Digital View, there is a switch. Click the switch to turn off the Digital View.
• How do I change to Mouse Mode?
  • First, click CONNECT and then click START. Your Controller will start in arrow key mode. Click button 11 to change it. When you do, the LED on the Pico should blink twice, indicating you are now in Mouse Mode. Try it out! Use the direction buttons (left, right, up, down) on your Controller to move the cursor on the screen. Use button 5 to left-click and use button 6 to right-click.
  • To return to arrow key mode, press button 11 again. The LED should blink once.

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Term Glossary

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Standards Alignment