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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

Lea Sloan avatar
Written by Lea Sloan
Updated over a year ago

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

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 & For Loops

  4. If Statements

  5. While Loops2
    > Insert Module 2: Program Control with micro:bit / Arduino

  6. Control Structures

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

Intro to Python with Tracy

  1. Tracy's World

  2. Moving Tracy Efficiently

  3. Designing and Communicating Solutions

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

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

  6. Tracy Challenges
    > Insert Module 3: Advanced micro:bit / Arduino

Intro to Computer Science in JavaScript

  1. Intro to Programming with Karel

  2. JavaScript & Graphics (covers variables)
    > Insert Module 1: Intro to micro:bit / Arduino

  3. JavaScript Control Structures
    a. Loops
    ​ > Insert Module 2, Lesson 1: Loops
    b. If/Else Statements
    > Insert Module 2, Lessons 2-3: Operators and Conditionals

  4. Functions & Parameters
    a. Functions
    > Insert Module 2, Lesson 4: Functions

  5. Animation & Games

  6. Project: Breakout
    > Insert Module 3: Advanced micro:bit / Arduino

  7. Final Project

Intro to CS in Python

  1. Intro to Programming with Turtle Graphics

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

  3. Conditionals

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

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

  6. Strings

  7. Creating & Altering Data Structures

  8. Extending Data Structures

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

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

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