Morse Code
30-60 min
Ages 8+
What Will You Make?
We will create a communicator with Micro:bit, which sends, receives and translates morse code. To experiment and learn morse code.
What Will You Learn?
We will learn to program our micro:bit to send information by radio frequency, specifically Morse code, learning how it works by making a translator for letters and numbers.
Grab your materials....let's start making!
Step 1
Let’s go to make code, and create a new project.
Step 2
In the blocks menu we go to “Radio” and take the “radio set group (1)” block and put it inside the “on start” block, we return to “Radio” and enter the “more” menu We drag the “radio set trasmit power (7)” block after the previous one.
Step 3
First I eliminate the “forever” block. Then go to the “input” section where we are going to drag out the first block “on button [A] pressed” and put it in our work area. Next we go to “Basic” for the “show leds” block” and we put it inside the previous one and draw our point.
Send info between two Micro:bits
Step 4
To send information between the micro:bits, we go to the menu in the “Radio” section, we take the second block “radio sin number (0)” and we put it below our leds, for the pause we go to “Basic” , we take the “pause ms (100) ” block and we put it after the previous block and we change 100 by 200, then we go to “Basic” we take the “show leds”.
Step 5
Select the “on Button [A] pressed” block, we copy and paste our blocks, we change the “A” to “B”, in the “show leds” block we draw a line and the value 0 of ”radio send number ” we change it to 1.
Step 6
We select our “on Button [B] pressed” block, we copy and paste it, to duplicate it, we change the “B” of the purple block for “A + B”, we continue with “show leds” and we change the line for a arrow, the next thing is to change the 1 of “radio send number” by 2.
Adding conditions
Step 7
For the next word we go to “Input”, to the section that says “micro:bit (v2)”, we take the first block “on logo [pressed]” we place it in our work area, we go to “Basic ” we take the “show leds”, we place it inside the block that we just added and we draw a diagonal. We return to “Radio” we take the “radio send number (0) we place it under our “show leds” we change the 1 to 2, we return to “Basic” for our pause that we will place next, we write 200 ms, we go to “ Basic” and then place the “show leds” block.
Step 8
We can now send information, now we are going to add the blocks to receive information. We go to “Radio”, we select “on radio received (receivedNumber)” we place it in our work area. We go to “logic” we select our second condition and we place it after the previous one, we return to “logic”, we take the first comparison, we will place it in the place of “<true>” of if. We select the “receivedNumber” and place it in the position of the first 0, it will check if we receive the number 0 we want…, we will go to “Basic” and place the “Show leds” block inside the condition and draw the point.
Step 9
We are going to add more conditions, by clicking on the plus symbol at the bottom of our green block, we are going to add 3 more. We go to “logic” you select the first condition, we put it between the “if < > then ” we do the same for the other conditions, we take the “receivedNumber” and we put it in the first 0 of our second condition, we repeat for the other two conditions. The second condition we change the 0 for a 1 because it is to detect the line, we go to “Basic” for the “show leds” we put in the condition and we draw a line.
Step 10
We go to our next condition, we change the 0 to 2, we do the same as our previous step, we place the “show leds” block inside the condition and we draw an arrow
Step 11
For the last condition change the 0 to 3, we place another “show leds” with the drawing of a diagonal. We are going to delete “else” since we will not use it, next to the word we have a button with a “-” we click on it.
Clear Screen & Enjoy!
Step 12
Since we display this information on the screen, we want to wait a while and then clear the screen. For that we go to “Basic” we take the pause, we place it after the green block of conditions, we change the “100” by “200”, we return to “Basic” we drag a “show leds” block, after our previous block so that wipe the screen.
Step 13
Done! This is the code to send and receive morse code among other micro:bits.
Finished Project Samples
Resources
Media
What Is Happening Here?
Radio frequency, encryption, mnemonic methods
We program our Micro:bit to send and receive information by radio frequency, in this way we can experiment with encryption together with many more people by sending messages and then using mnemonic methods.
What Is Next?
Additional Resources
You can experiment with more blocks and develop a translator from morse code to letters or numbers, link to morse translator:
https://github.com/Diego-Luna/Maker-Camp-2022/tree/main/Microbit%20-%20morse
You can also create your own system of symbols and rules that allows you to compose and decrypt messages.
Don’t forget to check out the “Crochet bracelet” project from MoonMakers to experiment with crochet and yarn to finish your project.
About MoonMakers
MoonMakers — led by Camila and Diego Luna — are a community of creators passionate about knowledge. A Makerspace, an open space with different digital manufacturing machines. And a YouTube channel where we promote science, technology and the maker movement.
MoonMakers have collaborated with companies such as: Sesame Street, Make Community and in Mexico with Educational Television and Fundación Televisa, creating educational content.
We have given workshops throughout the Mexican Republic with: Talent Land, Secretary of Education in Jalisco, Conacyt, Centro Cultural España.
Materials:
- 2 Micro:bit.
- 2 battery bases
- 2 Batteries
- 2 micro usb to usb cable
Maker Camp Project Standards
Based on NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)
National Core Arts Standards
The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school. Also see Standards with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art for Visual Arts.K–12 Computer Science Framework
The K–12 Computer Science Framework is designed to guide computer science from a subject for the fortunate few to an opportunity for all. The guiding practices include:- Fostering an Inclusive Computing Culture
- Collaborating Around Computing
- Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems
- Developing and Using Abstractions
- Creating Computational Artifacts
- Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts
- Communicating About Computing
ISTE Standards (International Society for Technology in Education)
The ISTE Standards provide the competencies for learning, teaching and leading in the digital age, providing a comprehensive roadmap for the effective use of technology in schools worldwide.1.1 Empowered Learner
- Summary: Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.
- 1.1.a Students articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning outcomes.
- 1.1.b Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.
- 1.1.c Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
- 1.1.d Students understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies.
1.2 Digital Citizen
- Summary: Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.
- 1.2.a Students cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation and are aware of the permanence of their actions in the digital world.
- 1.2.b Students engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology, including social interactions online or when using networked devices.
- 1.2.c Students demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property.
- 1.2.d Students manage their personal data to maintain digital privacy and security and are aware of data-collection technology used to track their navigation online.
1.3 Knowledge Constructor
- Summary: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
- 1.3.a Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
- 1.3.b Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.
- 1.3.c Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.
- 1.3.d Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions.
1.4 Innovative Designer
- Summary: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.
- 1.4.a Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.
- 1.4.b Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks.
- 1.4.c Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process.
- 1.4.d Students exhibit a tolerance for ambiguity, perseverance and the capacity to work with open-ended problems.
1.5 Computational Thinker
- Summary: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.
- 1.5.a Students formulate problem definitions suited for technology-assisted methods such as data analysis, abstract models and algorithmic thinking in exploring and finding solutions.
- 1.5.b Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.
- 1.5.c Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.
- 1.5.d Students understand how automation works and use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions.
NGSS MS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
- MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- MS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
- MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
NGSS HS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
- HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
- HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
- HS-ETS1-4. Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.
NGSS 3-5.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
- 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
