Sample Lesson

Electrical Engineering Lesson – Wireless Communication with Micro:bits

Day 6 of Electrical Engineering Unit - Grades 9-12 – Ewing High School

In this lesson, I introduced students to wireless data transmission using the radio feature of the Micro:bit. The goal was for students to understand how devices can communicate wirelessly and to get hands-on experience programming Micro:bits to send and receive messages.

The class started with a short reflection on everyday examples of wireless connections (like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi), helping students make personal connections to the day’s objective. From there, we jumped into two core projects designed to make the concept tangible and fun.

Project 1 – Yes/No Messaging System

Students worked in groups to program their Micro:bits to send a “Y” or “N” wirelessly using button presses. They also coded their devices to recognize incoming messages and respond with either a checkmark or an X. This helped reinforce the difference between sending/receiving strings and how those can be used in if statements.

Project 2 – Trivia Game Buzzer System

For the second challenge, students built a wireless trivia buzzer system where their Micro:bits could buzz in to my Micro:bit by sending their group number. If they were the first to send, their number would display on my device’s LED screen, signaling that their team could answer. This activity layered in both real-time feedback and competitive energy, while reinforcing concepts of inputs/outputs and wireless transmission of data.