The micro:bit V2 is invaluable in coding and STEAM education, offering kids a hands-on platform to explore, experiment, and innovate. With its compact size, affordability, and versatility, it has helped revolutionize teaching computer science and STEM concepts, empowering children to become technology creators rather than just consumers. One of the greatest features of the micro:bit V2 is its accessibility. Designed with simplicity in mind, the micro:bit V2 is accessible to all students, from elementary schoolers to seasoned programmers. Its intuitive block-based interface, supported by both MakeCode and Python, helps students quickly grasp coding concepts and unleash their creativity. Plus, it features a built-in accelerometer, compass, and a temperature sensor, opening up opportunities for hands-on experimentation and real-world applications.
Kids can also program interactive projects, like games or wearable devices, that respond to their environment and solve real-world problems. Beyond the coding, the micro:bit V2 is powerful in interdisciplinary learning, bridging the gap between CompSci and other STEAM disciplines. Through projects that integrate coding with subjects like science, math, and engineering, children can gain a deeper understanding of how technology intersects with the world around them, fostering their abilities to utilize skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. In essence, the micro:bit V2 helps empower students to become active creators and innovators in the digital age. It can even help them to build the skills and mindsets to thrive in an increasingly tech-driven world. From sparking curiosity to fostering problem-solving skills, the micro:bit V2 is revolutionizing coding and STEM education one byte at a time.
For his award, we will be providing Justin and his students with some micro:bit V2 kits to use in their STEAM program. Since the micro:bit’s allow students to complete standalone activities as well as take part in new experiences that are tied to their existing PBL units, they’ll make a great fit as Justin expands CS opportunities for all.
Not only can students use the micro:bit to learn about coding basics using MakeCode, it has a ton of secondary applications in STEM education. Join us on Thursday, March 4 as we team up with our partners from micro:bit to discuss integrating the micro:bit and its new features in remote, hybrid, or in-class education!
Whether students are coding with the micro:bit and MakeCode or using it with other STEAM tools, it’s a powerful tool for CS education in any grade. Speaking of its integrations, the micro:bit is compatible with a number of other technologies, allowing students to add exciting elements to various STEM projects!
For any educator who’s used any of the littleBits tools in the past, their offerings were made that much greater with the addition of the Code Kit. And, with this latest wrinkle thrown into the equation, students now have more ways than ever to design, invent, and code with littleBits! Read on to learn more about the littleBits micro:bit Adapter.
In terms of its looks, the micro:bit V2 is very similar to the original micro:bit and even costs roughly the same as well. It has tons of added capabilities, however, and can bring exciting new wrinkles to coding education with the addition of a built-in speaker, a built-in microphone, and a redesigned LED matrix for creating programs. Keep reading to
When it first showed up on the education scene a few years ago, the micro:bit became an instant favorite among STEAM teachers around the world thanks to its pocket-sized portability and simplicity when it came to teaching coding. Now the micro:bit V2 is ready to make its own impact on STEAM education.
Joining eight previous STEM grant recipients for the calendar year of 2020, we have presented September’s award to Michellea Millis, an administrator with the BrownSTEM afterschool program that’s based in San Antonio, TX. She works with underrepresented African-American and Latinx students to help create STEM experiences and we’re excited to award her this grant!
To use their littleBits micro:bit Adapter, kids will need a micro:bit V2, which are available on our store separately. The micro:bit board slides easily into the slot on the top of their micro:bit Adapter and fastens securely, allowing students to incorporate MakeCode programs in littleBits circuits. Read on to learn more about this valuable STEAM and CS accessory.
A compact and affordable tool, students can use the micro:bit V2 board to start out with beginner level programming and eventually learn to use it for creating programs with much higher levels of complexity. Its biggest value, however, may come in its compatibility with other teaching tools, including the littleBits micro:bit Adapter among other educator favorites.
Modeled directly after the original Finch Robot, this latest version provides teachers with a more robust option when introducing students to computer science and key STEAM concepts. It’s even viable in all levels of education from kindergarten to college and utilizes the micro:bit V2 for its processing power. Read on for more about the Finch 2.0 and its six coding
