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Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
Year 9

Could you cope without microcontrollers in your life?

In this lesson, we will take a look at some of the products in a house that you could not do without, and consider what life might be like without microcontrollers.

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Year 9

Could you cope without microcontrollers in your life?

In this lesson, we will take a look at some of the products in a house that you could not do without, and consider what life might be like without microcontrollers.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. how to make use of microcontrollers in products they design and manufacture themselves
  2. how to apply computing and use electronics to embed intelligence in products that respond to inputs
  3. how materials can be cast in moulds

Equipment

Micro:bit, electronics resources (various)

Content guidance

  • Equipment requiring safe usage.

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

Video

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Starter quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What is the following is a picture of?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Computer hard drives.
Computer memory.
USB holders.
Q2.
A microprocessor is a ...
Correct answer: ... part of a computer system; additions such as memory and a hard drive are needed alongside it.
... single computer unit that contains a processor and memory.
... tiny device that is so small you can't see it with the naked eye.
Q3.
Do you think this central heating systems contains a microprocessor or a microcontroller?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Microcontroller.
Microprocessor.
No processor at all.
Q4.
Do you think this memory stick is for RAM or ROM?
An image in a quiz
Neither RAM or ROM.
Correct answer: RAM (Random access memory).
ROM (Read only memory).

Exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
A microcontroller is ...
Correct answer: ... a single mini computer that contains a CPU, memory and programmable inputs and outputs.
... a tiny controller that controls microswitches.
... part of a complex system that needs external devices, such as memory and a hard drive, connected to it in order to function.
Q2.
How do you think your phone can control the heating in your home? (Image credit: Pixabay)
An image in a quiz
The internal thermostat on a phone connects to the heating systems.
Correct answer: The phone and heating system or thermostat will be connected via an app and internet connection.
When the phone is close to the heating system or thermostat a physical connection is made between the devices.
Q3.
Why are flowchart symbols used when a list of bullet points could be just as easy to read?
Flowchart symbols are so much more attractive to read and make the flowchart more aesthetically pleasing.
Correct answer: The flowchart lets the user know more information more clearly than a bullet point list. The boxes help the person reading the flowchart to know the action written inside the box.
You can write more information inside the flowchart shapes than by using bullet points.
Q4.
What is the picture below a picture of?
An image in a quiz
A BBC LED display.
Correct answer: A BBC micro:bit microcontroller.
A BBC micro:bit microprocessor.
A crumble board.