Introduction to Circuits, Inputs, and Outputs

For a proper understanding of the fundamental basics in electricity and circuits, students will begin by completing the series of Arduino starter projects to understand how to use the sensors as inputs to collect scientific data and then using a series of outputs, including LEDs & LCDs, speakers, etc… They will then build an understanding of how to design and program circuits in TinkerCAD and then build them in real life.

Students will go through multiple projects, prototype them individually in Tinkercad, and build them in real life in order to understand and explain how to relate inputs from sensors into output devices.

Tools needed for every project:

Arduino Starter Kit

Tinkercad

Different Sensor Kit Options

KEYESTUDIO 48

KEYESTUDIO 37

Miuzei Starter Kit

Starter Projects for each step:

Step 1) Ultrasonic Motion Sensor

Step 2) Light Theremin

Step 3) Love-O-Meter

Step 4) Musical Keyboard

Step 5) Crystal Ball

Additional Resources for Student and Sample use

Instructables: This website has a large collection of Arduino projects and tutorials that are created and shared by a community of makers and DIY enthusiasts.

Adafruit: Adafruit is a company that sells DIY electronics kits and parts, including those for Arduino projects. They also have a number of tutorials and project ideas on their website.

Hackster: This website is focused on hardware hacking and DIY projects, and it has a number of Arduino-related projects and resources.

Arduino Project Hub: This website is powered by Arduino and it is a community-driven platform for discovering, creating, and sharing Arduino projects.

Note: It is suggested that the code for this activity is used from the file attached. It is also suggested that the Tinkercad image attached to this step is used for guidance.

Students will start with an introduction to ultrasonic motion sensors as an input in order to understand how to utilize the Ultrasonic Motion Sensor, a component of the final project which they will be constructing in real life.

In following this simple Instructable, students will be walked through the process of utilizing the arduino starter circuit kit to get a basic understanding of how the ultrasonic sensor works. They will be walked through the steps of connecting the components in tinkercad, replicating the same connections in real life, and then uploading the code to the circuit.

At the end of this activity, students should be able to identify, differentiate, and explain the different components of this basic circuit including the inputs and desired output. The input is the distance from Ultrasonic Motion Sensor, while the output is the set off alarm (LED).

First image is from the original Instructable students will follow from this step. The second image is the Tinkercad version from the original Instructable. It should align with the final result.

The next project students will explore expands beyond the scope of an ultrasonic sensor using waves to sense objects in front of it an into a light theremin, which takes light as an input. This is also a component which students will be able to use in the final project, making it crucial to understand how to utilize this new sensor.

Students will follow this Programming in Arduino project in order to interact with a different sensor while also grasping several concepts along the way, primarily why the buzzer works when the project is completed and how they can incorporate this into their final (and future) project(s). They will first connect all of the components within Tinkercad, then demonstrate the same circuit in real life by rebuilding it within the classroom.

By the end of this activity, students should relate this circuit to the circuit that they constructed in Step 1, while also noting the similarities and differences between the two, mainly within the inputs and outputs in both projects. The input for this project is the amount of light going to the photoresistor, while the output is the frequency of the sound related to the amount of light given from the buzzer.

Image is the recreated tinkercad version of the circuit students will create from the original Light Theremin Programming in Arduino project.

After learning how to work with the Ultrasonic Motion and Photoresistor sensors for their inputs and using either LED's or buzzers (Piezos) for their outputs, students will now use a new sensor while also using multiple LED's for their output. As with the previous steps, students will be able to incorporate this new sensor into their final project.

The introduction of the temperature sensor within this Programming in Arduino project will further their understanding in inputs and outputs on both a conceptual and physical level, while also enabling them to form more concrete answers to the questions asked in step 2 and then applying them to this new circuit. Students will continue to follow the process of prototyping their circuit in tinkercad, followed by constructing it in real life, and then being able to explain all aspects of the circuit.

By the end of this activity, students should now realize how every sensor (input) can be related to some kind of light or sound (output). Students should now also be thinking of how they can incorporate different sensors to serve as inputs in conjunction with different outputs in one circuit. The input for this project is the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, while the output is the number of LED's that light up.

Image is the recreated tinkercad version of the circuit students will create from the original Love-O-Meter Programming in Arduino Project.

With the knowledge gathered from the previous 3 steps, students will now be constructing a more complex circuit where they are able to more-directly control the input and output, rather than with simply a switch or just a sensor.

In this Programming in Arduino project, students will learn how to use the button component, as well as how it relates to being an input within the entire circuit. They will first create the circuit in Tinkercad, then replicate it in real life. An emphasis on the understanding of the programming at hand as well as the electrical aspects of the project in how current moves through the breadboard is key in building towards the final project.

Note: If needed, the resistor values within the circuit from top to bottom are as follow: 220 Ohms, 10 Kilo-Ohms, 1 Mega-Ohm, 10 Kilo-Ohms.

By the end of this activity, students should now be able to use the button component as an input with other components as outputs (with the exception of the piezo / buzzer component), as well as an understanding of what were the inputs and ouputs within this circuit. The input for this project is the button being pressed and current registered, while the output is the frequency of sound produced.

Image is the recreated tinkercad version of the circuit students will create from the original Piano (musical keyboard) Programming in Arduino project.

Students will now lean into a more complicated, program-heavy input-output combination which they can translate into their final project. The liquid-crystal display allows for a more versatile output, which the students can use with previous sensors / inputs to create more complicated combinations for their final project.

In this Programming in Arduino Project, students will learn how to use the tilt sensor (which they will be able to experiment with in both Tinkercad and real life), the potentiometer (which may also be used as more than an on / off switch), and the liquid crystal display, which is their final output. Students are to experiment, inspect, and refine the use of these three components for future use

Note: For this project, after putting in all the code from the original Programming in Arduino project into Tinkercad, the additional line of code

prevSwitchState = switchState;

will have to be added between the last and second-to-last curly bracket.

By the end of this activity, students will be able to utilize the tilt sensor, potentiometer, and liquid crystal display both programming and circuit wise. They are also encouraged to begin brainstorming the inputs and outputs they themselves will use in their final project. The inputs for this project are shaking the tilt sensor and adjusting the potentiometer resistance, while the output for this project is the Liquid Crystal Display Brightness and Response on the screen.

Image is the recreated Tinkercad version of the circuit students will create from the original Crystal Ball Programming in Arduino project.

With the completion of the first steps, students will now advance onto the final step: the creation of their own project. This step will be broken into several, smaller subsections, but it is to break down every step for the student to apply their gathered knowledge of circuits, components, and most importantly, inputs and outputs. The final task for students to complete is as follows:

When thinking about electronics that you see around you every day, imagine how you could use an Arduino to recreate something that already exists or make something new. Your task will be to take what you have learned in the basic Arduino projects and expand it to have a product that could serve a purpose in the real world. It should consist of at least 2 input sensors and 2 output devices. If we do not have the physical sensors to allow you to build your project using the hardware in your kits, it is acceptable to build it in TinkerCAD. Each group will be asked to present your design and explain how you wired your board and sensors the code that you use in order to get the lights to work as a system.

1. Brainstorming and Design
2. Students will begin by designing their project in TinkerCAD- experimenting both conceptually and how they will be able to include 2 input sensors and 2 output devices.
3. Students are expected to take into consideration the electronic concepts they have learned from the previous steps, in turn adjusting for too much current, incorrect wiring, or other errors that they may encounter.
4. Inputs and Outputs
5. Upon settling on a design, students will be expected to distinguish between what the inputs and outputs of their project are.
6. Programming
7. Once the inputs and outputs of the project are determined, the students will then begin to program the circuit itself.
8. In programming the circuit, students should investigate their code in order to understand possible errors (if they arise), as well as to explain the program if asked about a specific line, function, or syntax used.
9. Building the circuit in real life
10. After completing the circuit within TinkerCAD and creating the code, the students will build the circuit in real life. If the tools to do so are not available, then they should continue with their circuit in TinkerCAD, retaining an understanding of how every input relates to every output, and why an effect occurs if the program or circuit itself is changed.

Attached below is a pdf of the creation of this final project by a group of students, with a TinkerCAD screen-shot attached, in-depth explanation of the programming, as well as a supporting picture of the circuit in real life. The code used within this project in both TinkerCAD and real life is also attached below as a .ino file. This particular group made a door lock that has a series of buttons for the locking code and a touch sensor as a second input for safety, with their output being the door unlocking as well as a LED switching from Red to Green.

Finally, the students are to be assessed on their explanations on the inputs and outputs of the project, as well as accurate descriptions of multiple details (shown in the rubric above) for their project.