Game Microbit

Beginner

60 mins

Teacher/Student led

115 points

What you need:
Chromebook/Laptop/PC
Microbit

Reaction Timer

In this step-by-step lesson, you'll create a 'Reaction Timer' project on the Micro:bit website. You'll learn to code a welcome message, a countdown, and a random delay. You'll also create variables to store time stamps and record player reactions. This lesson will enhance your coding skills and understanding of variables.

Learning Goals Learning Outcomes Teacher Notes Lesson Files

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1 Create a New Project
2 Creating a Welcome Message
3 Creating a Countdown
4 Adding a Random Delay
5 Create Variables
6 Recording Player Reaction
Challenge
Quiz

1 - Create a New Project

First, go to the Micro:bit website. Click on 'New Project' and name your project as 'Reaction Timer'.

Microbit: How to create a new Microbit project

Go to the Makecode.com Microbit website using the link below and click on the 'New Project' button underneath the 'My Projects' heading.

https://makecode.microbit.org/

Install the micro:bit app on your iPad or tablet.

Open the app, tap 'Create code' and then create a new project.

5 points

2 - Creating a Welcome Message

Let's start by creating a welcome message that will be displayed when you power on your Microbit.

Add the following code to your project:

basic.showString("Get Ready")

10 points

3 - Creating a Countdown

After the welcome message, we are going to create a countdown from 3 to 1 and then show a line on the screen.

Add the following new code to your project:

basic.showString("Get Ready")
basic.showNumber(3)
basic.pause(1000)
basic.showNumber(2)
basic.pause(1000)
basic.showNumber(1)
basic.pause(1000)
basic.showLeds(`
    . . . . .
    . . . . .
    # # # # #
    . . . . .
    . . . . .
    `)

You could also create a function called 'countdown' and pass in the amount of seconds you want to count down. Have a think about how you could do this.

15 points

4 - Adding a Random Delay

To make the game unpredictable, let's add a random delay after the countdown.

Add the following new code to create a random delay between 1 to 5 seconds (1,000 to 5,000 milliseconds) and then show the signal (a fully lit up LED screen) to the player.

basic.showString("Get Ready")
basic.showNumber(3)
basic.pause(1000)
basic.showNumber(2)
basic.pause(1000)
basic.showNumber(1)
basic.pause(1000)
basic.showLeds(`
    . . . . .
    . . . . .
    # # # # #
    . . . . .
    . . . . .
    `)
basic.pause(Math.randomRange(1000, 5000))
basic.showLeds(`
    # # # # #
    # # # # #
    # # # # #
    # # # # #
    # # # # #
    `)

20 points

5 - Create Variables

We will need 2 variables to store some time stamps:

startTime - to store when the signal is shown to the player.
reactionTime - to store when the player presses the A button.

Create these variables now and then add the following new code to set the startTime variable.

let startTime = 0
basic.showString("Get Ready")
basic.showNumber(3)
basic.pause(1000)
basic.showNumber(2)
basic.pause(1000)
basic.showNumber(1)
basic.pause(1000)
basic.showLeds(`
    . . . . .
    . . . . .
    # # # # #
    . . . . .
    . . . . .
    `)
basic.pause(randint(1000, 5000))
basic.showLeds(`
    # # # # #
    # # # # #
    # # # # #
    # # # # #
    # # # # #
    `)
startTime = input.runningTime()

The running time (ms) block stores the number of milliseconds since the program started.

Microbit: How to create a variable

In the Variables toolbox, create a new variable by clicking the 'Make a Variable' button.

Once you click this button a box will appear asking what you want to call your variable. Give it a name that reminds you what you will be using it for. For example, if you wanted to keep track of your score in a game, you would create a variable called 'score'.

10 points

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Reaction Timer

Live Class Feed

1 - Create a New Project

Using the makecode website

Using the micro:bit app

2 - Creating a Welcome Message

3 - Creating a Countdown

4 - Adding a Random Delay

5 - Create Variables

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Learning Points