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Integrating Physical Computing Into Your Course

Course outlines for teaching Physical Computing with micro:bit and Arduino concurrently with CodeHS foundational courses

Mary Duskwood avatar
Written by Mary Duskwood
Updated yesterday

CodeHS' Physical Computing curriculum can be taught as standalone curriculum, or integrated into any foundational CodeHS course.

Required Knowledge for Physical Computing

Physical Computing with micro:bit or Arduino requires students to have experience with foundational computer science topics, including:

  • Loops (for & while)

  • If/Else Statements

  • Functions (with Parameters)

  • Variables

One way teachers can provide this foundational knowledge to students is to concurrently teach one of our Introductory CS courses alongside the Physical Computing course.

Our Introductory courses include:

Note: It is not recommended to integrate the Physical Computing course into an AP course due to high content demand. However, it can be used after the AP test as an extension of the course.

Options for Integration with Foundational Courses

You are able to add the micro:bit and Arduino modules from the Course Catalog to your foundational section, following the recommended course outline below.

Not sure how to do this? Adding Courses, Modules, and Assignments to Your Section

Intro to Programming with Karel the Dog

Note: This course does not cover variables or parameters, so teachers will need to assign supplemental material for these concepts.

  1. Introduction to Programming
    > Insert Module 1: Intro to micro:bit / Arduino

  2. Functions

  3. Super Karel and For Loops

  4. If Statements

  5. While Loops
    > Insert Module 2: Program Control with micro:bit / Arduino

  6. Control Structures

  7. Karel Challenges
    > Insert Module 3: Advanced micro:bit / Arduino

  8. Final Project

Python Basics with Tracy the Turtle 1

  1. Tracy's World

  2. Moving Tracy

  3. Designing and Communicating Solutions

  4. [Project] Design a Mural

  5. Controlling Tracy with Variables
    > Insert Module 1: Intro to micro:bit / Arduino

  6. [Project] Cycle Depiction

  7. Making Decisions
    > Insert Module 2: Program Control with micro:bit / Arduino

  8. Putting It All Together
    > Insert Module 3: Advanced micro:bit / Arduino

  9. [Project] On-Screen Calculator

Introduction to Computer Science in JavaScript

  1. Programming with Karel

  2. Karel Challenges

  3. JavaScript Basics
    > Insert Module 1: Intro to micro:bit / Arduino

  4. The Canvas and Graphics

  5. Graphics Challenges

  6. Control Structures
    ​ > Insert Module 2, Lesson 1-3: Loops, Operators, & Conditionals

  7. Control Structures Challenges

  8. Functions
    > Insert Module 2, Lesson 4: Functions

  9. Functions Challenges

  10. Animation and Games
    > Insert Module 3: Advanced micro:bit / Arduino

  11. Animation Challenges

  12. Project: Breakout

  13. Final Project

  14. Final Exam

Intro to CS in Python

  1. Welcome

  2. Intro to Programming with Turtle Graphics

  3. Basic Python and Console Interaction
    > Insert Module 1: Intro to micro:bit / Arduino

  4. Conditionals

  5. Looping
    ​ > Insert Module 2, Lesson 1-3: Loops, Operators, & Conditionals

  6. Functions and Exceptions
    ​ > Insert Module 2, Lesson 4: Functions

  7. Strings

  8. Creating and Altering Data Structures

  9. Extending Data Structures

  10. Project: Guess the Word
    ​ > Insert Module 3: Advanced micro:bit / Arduino

  11. Final Exam

Still have questions? Contact our team at support@codehs.com to learn more!

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