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Lesson 4 of 8
  • Year 6

Offboard components

I can name offboard components that can be added to a micro:bit.

Lesson 4 of 8
New
New
  • Year 6

Offboard components

I can name offboard components that can be added to a micro:bit.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Micro:bit inputs include buttons, microphone and sensors for light, temperature, acceleration and magnetism (compass).
  2. Micro:bit outputs include the LED display and speaker.
  3. Additional outputs can be added to a micro:bit using the pins including LED lights, switches, sensors, LDR, buzzers.
  4. Tinkercad has offboard components in the circuits mode.

Keywords

  • Components - different parts of a product

  • Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) - an input device that can control circuits through sensing light

  • Pins - connections on the edge of a micro:bit used to add offboard components

  • Tinkercad - an online computer aided design application

  • Offboard - components that can be attached to a micro:bit

Common misconception

Only battery packs can be attached to micro:bits.

A variety of inputs and outputs can be attached to a micro:bit.


To help you plan your year 6 design and technology lesson on: Offboard components, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Having a class set of micro:bits available for pupils to handle will help with the explanations of input and outputs. Previous micro:bit unit (Year Four data logger cases) may be useful to build upon Tinkercad knowledge for this lesson.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Laptops/Chromebooks with access to the Tinkercad website

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What is a loop of electrical components called?

electrical circuit
Correct answer: series circuit
component circuit
input circuit
output circuit

Q2.
What should you keep away from a circuit and the cells to keep yourself safe?

light
electricity
Correct answer: water
plastic

Q3.
Which of the below is an example of an input component in an electrical circuit?

speakers
headphones
lights
Correct answer: switch
motor

Q4.
Which of these shows a push-to-make switch?

An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz

Q5.
Which of the below can be used to create a push-to-make switch?

Correct answer: split pins
art straws
elastic bands
Correct answer: aluminium foil

Q6.
A buzzer has two wires; one is red. What is the colour of the second wire?

Correct Answer: black, Black

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

5 Questions

Q1.
Which of the below is a type of Micro:bit input component?

LED display
Correct answer: button
speaker

Q2.
What do pins on a micro:bit allow you to do?

Attach only inputs
Attach only outputs
Correct answer: Attach inputs and outputs

Q3.
What is the name of the component that is not built on the micro:bit which can attach input components?

Correct Answer: offboard components, offboard

Q4.
What is the name of an online computer aided design application?

Correct answer: Tinkercad
Tinkertop
Tinkerapp
Tinkerweb

Q5.
What colour is a positive wire in Tinkercad?

Correct Answer: red