My Arduino Adventure
Anna Thompson
Algebra, Geometry, and STEM teacher
Ely Memorial Middle and High School
MCTM Region 8 Director
Each year I try to introduce new technology that requires coding into my middle school STEM class. In researching what’s out there in the “maker/tinkerer” world, I was attracted to the Arduino as a means to “ignite” my STEM students about coding and electronics. An Arduino is a microcontroller the size of a playing card deck. It can take an input signal from any kind of sensor, process that data, and output a signal to control electrical components.
As I worked through the Arduino projects with my students, I was reminded that there is a wealth of knowledge and connection between configuring electrical circuits and teaching algebra and geometry. Before we even got to the coding activities, we were using brightly colored jump wires, transistors, and switch buttons to create series and parallel circuits to light diodes.
Through the hands-on knowledge of how series and parallel circuits work, I helped my students understand the following topics:
- binary numbers with a short foray into ASCII code and Boolean algebra
- compound inequalities – and/or, intersections/unions, graphing on the number line, identifying solution sets
- relating on/off to I/0 to T/F to logic truth tables
- problem solving through basic programming
The book I used was Getting Started with Arduino by Massimo Banzi and Michael Shiloh. This book has been described as being able to get even the greenest newbie up and running. Projects are introduced in increasing complexity, most are doable in the middle school classroom. The projects are illustrated with real-life arduino pictures and matching electronic schematics. The book also covers a step-by-step introduction to writing programs that can be downloaded onto the Arduino. (Arduinos, breadboards and other materials can be purchased in an affordable kit or bought separately.)
Additional links and sources:
Arduino Adventures – Escape from Gemini Station by J. F. Kelly and H. Timmis.
A book which leads to building fun projects and Arduino skills while saving the day in an action-packed space adventure (6-8th)
Getting Started with Arduino https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Introduction
Fritzing http://fritzing.org/download/ http://fritzing.org/building-circuit/
Recommended philosophical read: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/capture-learning-crafting-maker-mindset-lisa-yokana
The crazy Arduino lady (not me…) : http://teachingtechie.typepad.com/learning/2013/07/30-minutes-8-steps-to-my-first-circuit.html
Excellent video about voltage and current: http://m.wimp.com/touchvolts/
Good luck with your own Arduino adventure! And, a special thanks to Johnnypawnny, my STEM guru, who started me on my own Arduino adventure a few years back.