Microbit Arts

Intermediate

60 mins

Teacher/Student led

+150 XP

What you need:
Chromebook/Laptop/PC
Microbit
LED Strip with crocodile clips

LED Flags

In this step-by-step lesson, you'll learn how to create LED flags using a Microbit project. You'll start by making simple bicolor and tricolor flags, then progress to a more challenging task of coding the LED to represent the American flag. This lesson combines creativity with coding skills.

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1 Introduction
2 Create a new Microbit project
3 Add the neopixel extension
4 Setup the LED Strip
5 Make a bicolor flag
6 Make a tricolor flag
7 Challenge
Challenge
Quiz

1 - Introduction

Let's try make some flags using our LED strip. The easiest flags to make will be bicolor (2 colour) flags or tricolor (3 color) flags but we can get creative and make other ones as well.

👇 Mark your steps as done as you complete them.

+10 XP

2 - Create a new Microbit project

To get started create a new Microbit project.

makecode.microbit.org

Microbit: How to create a new Microbit project

Go to the Makecode.com Microbit website using the link below and click on the 'New Project' button underneath the 'My Projects' heading.

https://makecode.microbit.org/

Install the micro:bit app on your iPad or tablet.

Open the app, tap 'Create code' and then create a new project.

👇 Mark your steps as done as you complete them.

+10 XP

3 - Add the neopixel extension

To access the blocks we need to program the LED strip, you need to add the neopixel extension to your project.

Microbit: How to add an extension

To add an extension follow these steps:

Click on 'Advanced' in the toolbox
Click 'Extensions'
Type the name of the extension in the search box
Click on the extension in the search results
The extension and all it's blocks will be added to your toolbox

+15 XP

4 - Setup the LED Strip

To be able to interact and program the LED strip we will need a variable that stores the strip.

Add the following code to your project. We set the value to be 30 as there are 30 LEDs on the strip.

+20 XP

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This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2026. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.

LED Flags

Teacher Class Feed

1 - Introduction

2 - Create a new Microbit project

Using the makecode website

Using the micro:bit app

3 - Add the neopixel extension

4 - Setup the LED Strip

Unlock the full learning experience

XP