Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 6 Design and technology Guides

Year 6 - Design and technology

Offboard components

Systems and control: sensor alarms

Unit Summary

This unit develops pupils' programming and control knowledge, with a focus on monitoring. Debugging and troubleshooting will be introduced. Pupils will learn how to integrate a BBC Micro:bit in a product and use sensors to program a light display.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to name offboard components that can be added to a micro:bit.

Key Notes

  • Micro:bit inputs include buttons, microphone and sensors for light, temperature, acceleration and magnetism (compass).
  • Micro:bit outputs include the LED display and speaker.
  • Additional outputs can be added to a micro:bit using the pins including LED lights, switches, sensors, LDR, buzzers.
  • Tinkercad has offboard components in the circuits mode.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • components: different parts of a product
  • Light Dependent Resistor (LDR): an input device that can control circuits through sensing light
  • pins: connections on the edge of a micro:bit used to add offboard components
  • Tinkercad: an online computer aided design application
  • offboard: components that can be attached to a micro:bit

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Only battery packs can be attached to micro:bits.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Micro:bit inputs include buttons, microphone and sensors for light, temperature, acceleration and magnetism (compass). Micro:bit outputs include the LED display and speaker.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'components'

different parts of a product.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Only battery packs can be attached to micro:bits. Correction: A variety of inputs and outputs can be attached to a micro:bit.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 6 Design and technology guide library.