CODING MODULE 3

Educational Goals:

Learning Animation

• Provide students with a fun and educational animation project (after all the challenges from Volume 2)
• Introduce students to complex data types (Arrays)

Summary

Module 3 introduces the Create beach to the students and a new device (the LED matrix). The Create Beach is a place on the Island where Pods go to make something creative using their imagination and the skills they learned in the past volumes. The new character (Matrix) is completely based on the 8×8 LED matrix devices found on the market.

The LED matrix is an array of 64 LEDs distributed on a 8 x 8 square (8 columns x 8 rows). Each LED can be controlled independently using software commands. The device relies on the I2C communication protocol that is introduced to the student in this volume. This particular communication protocol is popular among manufacturers of sensors and embedded electronics. This protocol allows up to 127 devices or sensors to be controlled using only 2 wires. Knowledge of this protocol will help students in the future in controlling numerous sensors (important aspect of robotics).

This Module also introduces the student to the concept of arrays (collections of variables) and sparks creativity (with “Create Beach”) as students need to make their own patterns, pixel art and short animations.