Night Light Build

Overview

Students will program a Micro:bit night light using the built-in light sensor so brightness changes automatically in a dark room. They will also organize their coding plan and results into a clear, structured writing artifact.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to explain how the Micro:bit light sensor can control LED brightness.
• Students will be able to program the Micro:bit to map sensor readings to a brightness level.
• Students will be able to organize research and observations into a short, coherent instructional/technical write-up.
• Students will be able to present their findings using simple graphics or a table.

Success criteria

• I can identify input (light sensor) and output (LED brightness) in my program.
• I can write code that changes the brightness as the room gets darker or brighter.
• I can describe what I tested, what changed, and why in a structured write-up with headings.
• I can include a chart/table (or simple labeled image) that shows my results.

Curriculum links

• Writing: History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects — introduce a topic clearly, preview what is to follow, and organize ideas into categories with formatting/graphics when useful.
• Conduct short research projects to answer a question using several sources, including generating related focused questions.
• Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames for discipline-specific tasks and audiences.
• Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present relationships between information and ideas clearly.
• Produce clear and coherent writing with development, organization, and style appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: “Can you make darkness glow?” Teacher dims the lights (or covers the Micro:bit sensor area) and shows how the screen/LEDs respond; students turn and talk: “What do you think the sensor is measuring, and what output should change?”

2. 5–12 min · Mini-demo + success checklist Teacher demonstrates a working night light concept: light level input → brightness output; students follow along with a printed “Plan–Code–Test” checklist and underline the success criteria in their copies.

3. 12–22 min · Direct teach: mapping sensor to brightness Teacher models how to use a light sensor reading and convert it into an LED brightness range (for example, using thresholds and scaling). Students copy the core structure, then add one improvement: either a different threshold or a smoother brightness change.

4. 22–33 min · Build and debug (teams of 2) Students run tests in cycles: cover sensor, hold it near a lamp, return to normal room light; they record sensor condition and observed brightness. Teacher circulates with a “debug sentence” prompt: “I expected __, but I observed __, so I changed __.”

5. 33–40 min · Short research + write-up organization Students draft a brief technical write-up titled “Micro:bit Night Light,” including headings: Purpose, How it Works, Testing, Results, and Next Fix. Teacher prompts students to answer a focused question: “What light level range makes the night light reliably turn brighter?”

6. 40–45 min · Quick publish + share Students add a simple table or chart to the write-up (Condition → Sensor Read/Description → Brightness Result). If available, teacher has students submit digitally; otherwise they do a paper-to-teacher photo/collection. Two teams share one result and one next fix.

Resources

• Micro:bit devices (1 per team) and USB cables
• Micro:bit light sensor configured workspace/materials (class code template if needed)
• Student laptops/tablets or one shared cart per team
• Pre-printed “Plan–Code–Test” checklist
• Quick technical write-up template with headings and a results table
• Lighting materials (flashlight or lamp) for consistent testing
• Optional: reference cards showing common sensor-to-output patterns (print)

Assessment

• Teacher observations during build/debug: students correctly describe input/output and show evidence of testing.
• Review of results table at the end: entries include at least 3 conditions and an indicated brightness outcome.
• Exit check (during share): each student states one change they made and why, aligned to their testing notes.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters for the write-up headings (e.g., “The sensor measures…,” “When it is dark, the LEDs…,” “My test showed…”). Offer a partially completed code template with placeholders.
• Support: Use a “brightness target” guide (e.g., “In dim light, LEDs should be at least medium brightness”) so teams know what “working” looks like.
• Extension: Challenge students to add a second rule (for example, turn off LEDs completely in bright daylight, or add a “night mode” that changes only below a certain threshold).
• EAL/SEN: Allow oral rehearsal before writing; provide the write-up template with visuals for each heading and a word bank for key terms (sensor, input, output, brightness, test, result).