Resource Hub

Microcontroller Trainer

As you integrate the 1st Maker Space Microcontroller Trainer into your STEM curriculum, this hub provides a comprehensive guidebook, hands-on lessons, and a curriculum guide. Everything here is designed to simplify your teaching process and deepen your understanding of the trainer. If you’d like to learn more about the trainer or want to purchase a set for your classroom, go here.

Free Instructional Guidebook

This comprehensive guidebook for the 1st Maker Space Microcontroller Trainer provides a comprehensive introduction to the world of Arduino programming for beginners. It guides users through the foundational concepts of microcontrollers, detailing the unique features of the Arduino Leonardo-compatible MCU Trainer board. The manual offers a step-by-step journey from understanding the hardware components and the Arduino programming language to the vibrant global community of Arduino enthusiasts. It delves into the intricacies of each onboard circuit, explaining their functionalities and applications. With a focus on hands-on learning, the manual includes a series of coding exercises, tutorials in C/C++, and insights into the Arduino IDE.

Interactive Projects

Explore our collection of Arduino projects tailored for the 1st Maker Space Microcontroller Trainer. Each project provides step-by-step guidance and includes ready-to-use code for direct input into the Arduino IDE. From basic LED tasks to advanced sensor activities, enhance your programming skills and harness the full potential of the 1MS Trainer with our interactive hub.

Project 1.00 Blink

In this project, you’ll learn how to blink an LED!

Project 1.01 Blink x2

In this project, you’ll learn how to blink more than one LED!

Project 1.02 Simple LED Chase

In this project, you’ll use all four LEDs to blink a chase pattern!

Project 1.03 Analog Write

In this project, you will learn about a new function called analogWrite!

Project 1.04 Pulse LED

In this project you’ll learn how to use the analogWrite function to create a “pulsing” effect on an LED!

Project 2.00 Serial Printing

In this project, you'll learn how to utilize the Arduino's Serial communication capabilities to print text data to your computer's Serial Monitor!

Project 2.01 Talking to the Board

In this project, you'll learn how to utilize the Arduino's Serial communication capabilities to print text data to your computer's Serial Monitor!

Project 3.00 Read Input

In this project, you'll learn how to read the state of a digital input pin on the Arduino, specifically from a button connected to pin 1, and then print that state to the Serial Monitor!

Project 3.01 Blink an LED with a button

In this project, you'll learn how to control an LED with a button!

Project 3.02 AND Logic

In this project, you'll learn how to use logical AND (&&) to control an LED with two buttons!

Project 3.03 OR Logic

In this project, you'll learn how to use logical OR (||) to control an LED with either button!

Project 3.04 NOT Logic

What if you wanted to turn on an LED when SW1 was NOT pressed? In this project, you'll learn about using NOT logic with a button to turn on LED1 when SW1 is NOT pressed.

Project 4.00 Using the Piezo

In this project, you'll learn how to generate a simple sound using a Piezo buzzer!

Project 4.01 Using Functions

In this project, you'll learn the advantages of organizing your code with the help of functions!

Project 4.02 Generating a Specific Tone

In this project, you'll learn how to generate specific tones with a Piezo buzzer based on the input frequency!

Project 4.03 Adding Duration

In this project, you'll dive deeper into the capabilities of the Piezo buzzer by not only generating specific tones but also controlling the duration!

Project 4.04 There is a library for that

In this project, you'll simplify the process of generating tones with a Piezo buzzer by using the built-in “tone()” function of the Arduino library!

Project 5.00 Using the Neopixels

In this project, you'll learn how to control the onboard NeoPixels using the Adafruit_NeoPixel library!

Project 5.01 Cycling Colors with a Button

In this project, you'll learn how to cycle through different colors on the NeoPixels using a button!

Project 5.02 Using ColorHSV

In this project, you'll learn how to gracefully transition between a spectrum of colors using the onboard NeoPixels with the HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) color model!

Project 5.03 Individually addressing Neopixels using buttons

In this project, you'll learn how to control the color of each onboard NeoPixel individually using buttons!

Project 5.04 Fading Neopixels Using Buttons

In this project, you'll learn how to gradually adjust the brightness of the onboard Neopixels using buttons!

Project 5.05 Individually Fading Neopixels

In this project we will create a dynamic light display using two Neopixels. The objective is to smoothly transition one Neopixel from off to full brightness while simultaneously dimming the other from full brightness to off, and then reversing this process.

Project 6.00 Using the Potentiometer

In this project, you'll learn how to read the values from a potentiometer and display them using the Serial Monitor!

Project 6.01 Changing Color with the Potentiometer

In this project, you'll harness the power of the potentiometer to change the color of the onboard NeoPixels using the HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) color model!

Project 7.00 Using the OLED

In this project, you'll learn how to use the OLED display to showcase visual content!

Project 7.01 Writing Text to the Screen

In this code, you'll learn how to display text and numbers on the OLED screen!

Project 7.02 Reaction Game Using OLED

This Arduino sketch is for a reaction game using an OLED display and two buttons (SW1 and SW2)!

Project 7.03 Drawing Shapes with the OLED

We can do more than just text on the OLED. In this project, you'll learn how to draw shapes too!

Project 8.00 Light Sensor

This Arduino sketch reads the light intensity from a light sensor connected to analog pin A2 and prints the values to the serial monitor!

Project 8.01 Max and Min Brightness

This Arduino sketch reads the light intensity from a light sensor connected to analog pin A2 and continuously monitors and updates the maximum and minimum brightness values observed!

Project 8.02 Mapping Light

This Arduino sketch reads the analog value from a light sensor connected to pin A2, maps it to a corresponding brightness level for an LED connected to pin 13 (LED1), and adjusts the LED brightness accordingly!

Project 9.00 Using the Temp Sensor

This Arduino sketch reads the analog value from a temperature sensor connected to analog pin A3 and prints the temperature value (represented by the analog reading) to the serial monitor!

Project 9.01 Getting an Actual Temperature Reading

This Arduino sketch reads the analog value from the temperature sensor connected to analog pin A3 and converts it into actual temperature readings in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F) using functions for reading the temperature and performing the conversion!

Project 9.02 Doing Something Based on Temperature

In this project, you'll learn how to create a dynamic temperature-responsive display using the MC Trainer!

Project 10.00 Decoding IR

This Arduino sketch demonstrates how to use an Infrared (IR) receiver module to receive and decode IR remote control signals!

Project 10.01 Sending IR

In this project, you'll discover how to transmit infrared (IR) data using the MC Trainer and the IRremote library!

Project 11.00 Using the Board as a Mouse

This Arduino sketch demonstrates how to use the MC Trainer board as a mouse input device!

Project 12.00 Using the Board as a Keyboard

This Arduino sketch demonstrates how to use the MC Trainer as a keyboard input device!

Project 4.2 IR and Frog Tag

By experimenting with variables and functions, students will deepen their understanding of how timing, conditionals, and outputs work in an interactive system.

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Curriculum

Full lessons plans for classroom use.

Introductory Lessons

Lesson 1: Normal LED Blink

Objective:
Copy a sketch for the FMT to make an LED light blink.

Lesson 2: Buttons- Read Input

Objective:
FMT is capable of reading analog and digital inputs. In this lesson, we will read a digital input from a button.

Lesson 3: Piezo

Objective:
Students will be exploring the Piezo component of the Frog Microcontroller Trainer in this lesson.

Lesson 4: Neopixel

Objective:
Students will be exploring the Neopixel component of the Frog Microcontroller Trainer in this lesson.

Lesson 5: Potentiometer

Objective:
A potentiometer is a variable resistor. In this lesson, students will locate the potentiometer and measure the electric potential.

Lesson 6: OLED

Objective:
Students will be exploring the OLED component of the Frog Microcontroller Trainer in this lesson.

Lesson 7: Light Sensor

Objective:
Copy a sketch for the FMT to make an LED light blink.

Lesson 8: Temperature Sensor

Objective:
Students will be exploring the temperature sensor component of the Frog Microcontroller Trainer in this lesson.

Lesson 9: Infrared

Objective:
Students will be exploring the Infrared (IR) component of the Frog Microcontroller Trainer in this lesson.

Intermediate Lessons

Lesson 4: IR and Frog Tag Game

Objective:
By experimenting with variables and functions, students will deepen their understanding of how timing, conditionals, and outputs work in an interactive system. The activity encourages playful experimentation and connects programming concepts to real-world behaviors.

Lesson 3: Tone Functions

Objective:
Students will be exploring the tone functions of the Frog Microcontroller Trainer in this lesson.

Lesson 2: Logical Operators

Objective:
Students will be exploring AND logic with Frog Microcontroller Trainer in this lesson.

Lesson 1: Analog Write

Objective:
Students will be exploring the reading of the analog and digital inputs of the Frog Microcontroller Trainer in this lesson.