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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit

Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

Lesson Plan
Lesson 5: Nightlight

Ages: 7 – 11
Programming language: MakeCode blocks
Topics: Selection/conditionals (Programming),
Input/output, Sensors (Computer systems)
Outcomes: Students develop their use of the
micro:bit’s sensors by using logic to make a
simple control system, a nightlight that switches
on automatically when it gets dark.

Key learning in this lesson

 Understand how inputs, outputs, and computer code work together to make
control systems.
 Understand how logic (conditional ‘if… then… else’ instructions) is used to make
different outputs happen depending on changes in data from a sensor.
 Use ‘forever’ infinite loops to keep control systems responding to changes in the
environment.
 Practise testing and improving a project to make the nightlight work better in
specific local lighting conditions.

Learning objectives
 I can code a micro:bit to make a light that switches on when it gets dark using
sensors and logic.
 I can explain that sensors are inputs that sense things in the real world, such as
movement and light.
 I can explain that logic is how computers make decisions in code based on
whether things are true or false.


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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

Preparation: before the lesson

What you need
 BBC micro:bits and micro-USB cables – at least one for every two students
 At least one computer (laptop or desktop) for every two students, with internet
access to the Microsoft MakeCode editor: https://makecode.microbit.org/
 Alternatively, you can use iPads with the micro:bit app installed. See our
guide: https://mbit.io/lessons-mobile
 micro:bit battery packs (optional) – one per micro:bit
 PowerPoint presentation – whole class teaching slides
 Code blocks student handout (optional)
The lesson download also includes an optional ‘.hex’ program file of the completed
project, which may be useful if you have limited internet access. You can drag and
drop this direct onto the MICROBIT drive when you connect a micro:bit to your
computer. You can also drag ‘.hex’ files into the MakeCode editor to examine the
code and test it in the simulator.

Differentiation ideas
 If this is one of your first coding lessons with the micro:bit, it may be hard to know
which students will need more support. You can use the extension ideas in the
teaching section below for students who complete the task more quickly than
others.

Decide how to deliver the ‘Create’ coding activity

You’ll share the completed code on screen with your whole class from the slides.
Additional options include:
 You (or selected students) model building and testing the code yourself on a
large screen. The completed code is in the lesson plan and slide deck.
 Give students printed code blocks handouts to follow or cut out and assemble.
 Share a step-by-step YouTube coding video with the whole class, or individual
students.
 If YouTube is blocked in your school, we also provide an animation in the slides
showing how to assemble the code.

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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

 Students can individually follow an online step-by-step tutorial.

 You can also choose to manage the whole class coding activity and save every
student’s code using micro:bit classroom. Find out more at
https://mbit.io/lessons-classroom

Decide how to deliver the ‘Evaluate’ activity

Students download their code to real micro:bits and test the project.
You may want your students to answer the evaluation questions:
 on paper
 verbally with partners
 as part of a whole-class discussion.

Glossary

conditionals: see ‘selection’

control a system that controls something depending on inputs from a

system: sensor, such as a thermostat that turns heating on when it gets
cold

infinite loop: a loop that runs forever

input: data sent to a computer for processing such as button presses

and sensor readings

LED: light emitting diode - the micro:bit display is made of 25 LEDs

logic: how computers make decisions based on whether things are

true or false

loops: allow you to repeat sets of instructions without having to write

them out multiple times

output: data sent from a computer such as words shown on the display

selection: making different things happen based on different conditions

sensor: an input that senses things in the real world, such as

movement, temperature, and light levels

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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

Teaching: during the lesson

Recap prior learning (slide 2)

Ask your students what they discovered last time,
for example:
 Last time we used the micro:bit’s
accelerometer input sensor to make a step
counter.
 We used a variable to count how many steps
we had taken.
 We investigated how accurate the step counter was and thought about ways of
improving it.
 Explain that we’re going to be using a different sensor today, the light sensor, to
make a light that switches on automatically when it gets dark.

Introducing the light sensor (slide 3)

 Optionally show the light sensor introduction
YouTube video:
https://mbit.io/lessons-light-video
 The micro:bit’s LEDs, as well as acting as an
output, also can work as an input, sensing
how dark or light it is.
 We can use this to make projects that react when it gets dark or light.

Think: starter activity

Learning objective (slide 4)

 I can code a micro:bit to make a light that
switches on when it gets dark using sensors
and logic.

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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

 I can explain that sensors are inputs that sense things in the real world, such as
movement and light.
 I can explain that logic is how computers make decisions in code based on
whether things are true or false.

Explain that Sensors are inputs that measure things outside a computer, like light, or
movement.
Logic is a key idea in computing. It helps machines to make decisions, like turning a
light on if it’s dark.

Nightlight introduction video

(slide 5)

Optionally play the project introduction video:

https://mbit.io/lessons-nightlight-intro-video

This explains that the micro:bit light sensor

works in a range from 0 (very dark) to 255 (the
brightest it can go).

Create: coding activity

Examine code with students (slide 6)

Explain:
 The ‘forever’ loop keeps the micro:bit
checking the light level.
 The logic ‘if… then’ block checks if the light
level is low, less than (<) 100.
 If the light level is less than (<) 100, it must
be dark, so it lights all the LEDs.
 Else (otherwise) the light level must be 100 or more. It must be light, so it turns
the LEDs off with ‘clear screen’.
You can also follow the link in slide 6 to open the completed code in the editor and
model testing it in the simulator by dragging the yellow line in the circle up and down:
https://mbit.io/lessons-nightlight-code

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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

Model building the code (slides 7-10)

 You can open a new MakeCode project from
slide 7 and model building the code.
 Optionally share the YouTube coding video
on slide 8 with your class:
https://mbit.io/lessons-nightlight-code-video
 Or share the coding animation on slide 9 if
YouTube is blocked in your school.

Students recreate the code, testing it in the simulator. They can either:
 Copy the code from slide 6.
 Follow printed code blocks handouts.
 Individually follow a step-by-step online tutorial:
https://mbit.io/tutorial-night-light - you can share the link from slide 10.
 If you are using micro:bit classroom, start a new session and ask your students to
join your lesson. You can also open a session with completed code to edit and
share with students: https://mbit.io/lessons-nightlight-classroom

Evaluate: (slide 11)

Students transfer code to their micro:bit and
test it. They can cover and uncover the
micro:bit, shine a light on it, move it closer and
further away from a light source, or cover it
with different materials.

Questions:
 Does it work as you expect?
 Change the number 100 to a smaller number if the LEDs switch on too easily.
 Change the number 100 to a larger number if it’s hard to make them switch
on.
 Transfer the code to the micro:bit and test again.

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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

 How good is the project?

 Would you recommend it to a friend?
 How could you improve it?
 Could it have other uses?
 How does it work?
 Encourage students to think about how it works when holding it in their
hands.

Extend: (optional, slide 12)

 Make different pictures appear if it’s
bright or dark. (Sun and moon example
on slide).
 Experiment by changing the logic
comparison block from less than < to
greater than > (Opportunity to reinforce
mathematics learning about ‘less than’
and ‘greater than’ symbols.)

Share: revisit learning objectives (slide 13)

 I can code a micro:bit to make a light that switches on when it gets dark using
sensors and logic.
 I can explain that sensors are inputs that sense things in the real world, such as
movement and light.
 I can explain that logic is how computers make decisions in code based on
whether things are true or false.

© Micro:bit Educational Foundation. This content is published under a

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9
First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

Ask:
 What are sensors? How did you use them? (The LEDs work as an
input, sensing light levels).
 What is logic? How did we use it today? (We used logic to make a control
system: if the light level is low, then we turn the lights on, else we turn them off.)
 How did you test or improve your code? (Depending on the lighting conditions in
your classroom, students may have had to use larger numbers to make the lights
more sensitive – turn on when it’s brighter – or use smaller numbers to make
them turn on only when it’s very dark.)

Next steps (slide 14)

 Today we used the micro:bit light sensor and
logic to turn LED lights on automatically when
it gets dark.
 Next time, we’ll use micro:bit sensors and
logic to make a classic game of chance.

Assessment: after the lesson

When assessing students’ work you may find it helpful to ask these questions:

How well did the student follow instructions to code and test an
automatic nightlight?

Can they explain what sensors are and that the light sensor is used to
make the nightlight work?

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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

What is their understanding of how logic is used to make the light turn
on or off depending on the light level reading from the light sensor?

Here are some guiding criteria you might want to include when assessing your
students’ work:

WORKING TOWARDS the learning objective

Student tested a nightlight project in the simulator with assistance or

with pre-prepared code.

The student may know a light sensor is used but can’t link the light
sensor to other sensors like the accelerometer or explain what
sensors are in general terms (inputs that sense things in the real
world, such as movement, temperature, and light levels).

The student may be able to use but cannot describe how the ‘if…
then… else’ blocks work using natural language.

MEETING the learning objective

Student independently coded and tested a nightlight project in the

simulator and on a real micro:bit.

The student knows a light sensor is used and can link the light sensor
to other sensors like the accelerometer and can explain what sensors
are in general terms (inputs that sense things in the real world, such
as movement, temperature, and light levels).

The student can describe how the ‘if… then… else’ blocks work using
natural language.

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First lessons with MakeCode and the micro:bit
Lesson 5 of 6: Nightlight

EXCEEDING the learning objective

Student independently coded and tested a nightlight project in the

simulator and on a real micro:bit and made improvements to their
code following testing and downloaded and tested improved code on
to a micro:bit.

The student knows a light sensor is used and can link the light sensor
to other sensors like the accelerometer and can explain what sensors
are in general terms (inputs that sense things in the real world, such
as movement, temperature, and light levels), and give other examples
of sensors being used in control systems, for example a thermostat in
a heating system.

The student can describe how the ‘if… then… else’ blocks work using
natural language and describe them using the terms ‘selection’ or
‘conditionals’. They may also explain that logic works on the basis of
certain statements being true or false. The student may also explain
that a ‘forever’ or infinite loop is needed so the micro:bit can constantly
keep checking the light level and react accordingly.

© Micro:bit Educational Foundation. This content is published under a

Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) licence.