Learning objective
Inputs & Sensors
Inputs & Sensors
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Explore how digital systems collect data from human users and physical environments using buttons, keyboards, touchscreens, microcontrollers, and environmental sensors to trigger computational actions.
Step 1 (Y1)
Identify and use simple physical input devices (buttons, keys, touchscreens) to trigger digital responses.
Let's Go!
Learn
An input is how humans give instructions or data to a computer. When you press a keyboard key, tap a touchscreen, or click a mouse button, you create an input signal that tells the device what to do.
Try it yourself
Interactive Input Hunt
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 🍓 Raspberry Pi micro:bit
🌟 Student Project GuideSuccess Criteria & WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like)
🎯 Task Success Criteria (Rubric)
Foundation
Identifies a button or key on a device.
Developing
Presses specific buttons or keys to trigger intended digital actions.
Secure (Goal)
Explains that pressing a physical button sends an input signal to the computer.
Mastery
Compares different input methods (mouse click vs touchscreen tap vs keyboard press) for controlling simple software.
👀 What A Good One Looks Like (WAGOLL)
Exemplar Standard
A top-tier student project for Step 1 (Y1) includes:
- Core Deliverable: Interactive Input Hunt
- Target Quality: Explains that pressing a physical button sends an input signal to the computer.
- Excellence & Polish: Compares different input methods (mouse click vs touchscreen tap vs keyboard press) for controlling simple software.
📁
Save to Your Website Portfolio:
When you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
⭐Self-Assessment: How confident do you feel with this skill?
Reflect
Learning check
Teacher setup, curriculum links and progress descriptors
Spark support
Routine: See-Think-Wonder
Achievement pathway
- Foundation: Identifies a button or key on a device.
- Developing: Presses specific buttons or keys to trigger intended digital actions.
- Secure: Explains that pressing a physical button sends an input signal to the computer.
- Mastering: Compares different input methods (mouse click vs touchscreen tap vs keyboard press) for controlling simple software.
Curriculum links
Curriculum strand: Algorithms and Programming
Outcome: AP.01.B.1.1 — Identify and use simple physical input devices (buttons, keys, touchscreens) to trigger digital responses.
PYP: Form · Digital devices respond to human physical inputs.
Learner profile: Inquirer
Competency tags
Gate support
Accessibility alternative:
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Level 2: Step 2 (Y2)
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Step 2 (Y2)
Program software scripts to respond to specific keyboard key presses and mouse click coordinates.
Learning objective
Students will program visual block code scripts that respond to arrow keys, spacebar presses, and mouse-pointer coordinates.
Let's Go!
Learn
Computers continuously check for user input events. In block coding, 'When Key Pressed' or 'When Sprite Clicked' blocks act as listeners that run your code only when the matching input occurs.
Try it yourself
Build an Input Controller
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 🍓 Raspberry Pi micro:bit
🌟 Student Project GuideSuccess Criteria & WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like)
🎯 Task Success Criteria (Rubric)
Foundation
Attaches a green flag event hat block to a sprite script.
Developing
Uses arrow key event blocks to move a sprite up, down, left, and right.
Secure (Goal)
Programs scripts that combine mouse position tracking with click events.
Mastery
Builds an interactive sketcher game where sprite movement dynamically follows the mouse pointer.
👀 What A Good One Looks Like (WAGOLL)
Exemplar Standard
A top-tier student project for Step 2 (Y2) includes:
- Core Deliverable: Build an Input Controller
- Target Quality: Programs scripts that combine mouse position tracking with click events.
- Excellence & Polish: Builds an interactive sketcher game where sprite movement dynamically follows the mouse pointer.
📁
Save to Your Website Portfolio:
When you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
⭐Self-Assessment: How confident do you feel with this skill?
Reflect
Learning check
Teacher setup, curriculum links and progress descriptors
Spark support
Routine: Think-Pair-Share
Achievement pathway
- Foundation: Attaches a green flag event hat block to a sprite script.
- Developing: Uses arrow key event blocks to move a sprite up, down, left, and right.
- Secure: Programs scripts that combine mouse position tracking with click events.
- Mastering: Builds an interactive sketcher game where sprite movement dynamically follows the mouse pointer.
Curriculum links
Curriculum strand: Algorithms and Programming
Outcome: AP.01.B.1.1 — Program software scripts to respond to specific keyboard key presses and mouse click coordinates.
PYP: Function · Interactive software relies on structured user input events.
Learner profile: Communicator
Competency tags
Gate support
Accessibility alternative:
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Level 3: Step 3 (Y3)
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Step 3 (Y3)
Use software sensing blocks to detect sprite collisions, touch colors, and distance to pointer.
Learning objective
Students will use sensing blocks (touching color, touching sprite, distance to pointer) within conditional loops to trigger software events.
Let's Go!
Learn
Sensing blocks act like the digital senses of your code. They return boolean true/false values (like 'touching wall?') or numerical values (like 'distance to mouse') that your code evaluates continuously inside loops.
Try it yourself
Build a Maze Runner
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 🍓 Raspberry Pi micro:bit
🌟 Student Project GuideSuccess Criteria & WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like)
🎯 Task Success Criteria (Rubric)
Foundation
Identifies sensing blocks in the coding menu.
Developing
Inserts a 'touching edge' sensing block into an IF-THEN statement.
Secure (Goal)
Programs collision detection where touching a specific color resets a sprite position.
Mastery
Uses 'distance to mouse-pointer' sensing values to calculate variable speeds or sound volume.
👀 What A Good One Looks Like (WAGOLL)
Exemplar Standard
A top-tier student project for Step 3 (Y3) includes:
- Core Deliverable: Build a Maze Runner
- Target Quality: Programs collision detection where touching a specific color resets a sprite position.
- Excellence & Polish: Uses 'distance to mouse-pointer' sensing values to calculate variable speeds or sound volume.
📁
Save to Your Website Portfolio:
When you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
⭐Self-Assessment: How confident do you feel with this skill?
Reflect
Learning check
Teacher setup, curriculum links and progress descriptors
Spark support
Routine: Connect-Extend-Challenge
Achievement pathway
- Foundation: Identifies sensing blocks in the coding menu.
- Developing: Inserts a 'touching edge' sensing block into an IF-THEN statement.
- Secure: Programs collision detection where touching a specific color resets a sprite position.
- Mastering: Uses 'distance to mouse-pointer' sensing values to calculate variable speeds or sound volume.
Curriculum links
Curriculum strand: Algorithms and Programming
Outcome: AP.02.B.1.1 — Use software sensing blocks to detect sprite collisions, touch colors, and distance to pointer.
PYP: Connection · Digital characters react dynamically when sensing their environment.
Learner profile: Thinker
Competency tags
Gate support
Accessibility alternative:
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Level 4: Step 4 (Y4)
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Step 4 (Y4)
Connect microcontrollers (micro:bit / Makey Makey) and program buttons, tilt sensors, and light sensors.
Learning objective
Students will read and process physical sensor inputs (accelerometer tilt, ambient light, button A/B) on microcontrollers.
Let's Go!
Learn
Microcontrollers like the BBC micro:bit contain built-in physical sensors: accelerometers detect motion and tilt, light sensors measure brightness, and thermistors measure temperature. They convert physical energy into digital numbers.
Try it yourself
Program a Digital Compass & Alarm
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 🍓 Raspberry Pi micro:bit
🌟 Student Project GuideSuccess Criteria & WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like)
🎯 Task Success Criteria (Rubric)
Foundation
Connects a micro:bit via USB and identifies Button A and Button B.
Developing
Programs micro:bit LED displays to respond when Button A or B is pressed.
Secure (Goal)
Uses accelerometer tilt sensor inputs (tilt left/right/up/down) to control game movement.
Mastery
Constructs a physical nightlight project using ambient light level sensor thresholds.
👀 What A Good One Looks Like (WAGOLL)
Exemplar Standard
A top-tier student project for Step 4 (Y4) includes:
- Core Deliverable: Program a Digital Compass & Alarm
- Target Quality: Uses accelerometer tilt sensor inputs (tilt left/right/up/down) to control game movement.
- Excellence & Polish: Constructs a physical nightlight project using ambient light level sensor thresholds.
📁
Save to Your Website Portfolio:
When you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
⭐Self-Assessment: How confident do you feel with this skill?
Reflect
Learning check
Teacher setup, curriculum links and progress descriptors
Spark support
Routine: I Used to Think... Now I Think...
Achievement pathway
- Foundation: Connects a micro:bit via USB and identifies Button A and Button B.
- Developing: Programs micro:bit LED displays to respond when Button A or B is pressed.
- Secure: Uses accelerometer tilt sensor inputs (tilt left/right/up/down) to control game movement.
- Mastering: Constructs a physical nightlight project using ambient light level sensor thresholds.
Curriculum links
Curriculum strand: Algorithms and Programming
Outcome: AP.02.B.1.1 — Connect microcontrollers (micro:bit / Makey Makey) and program buttons, tilt sensors, and light sensors.
PYP: Responsibility · External hardware sensors collect real-world physical data for digital systems.
Learner profile: Principled
Competency tags
Gate support
Accessibility alternative:
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Level 5: Step 5 (Y5)
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Step 5 (Y5)
Calibrate analog environmental sensors (temperature, moisture, sound) and set conditional threshold triggers.
Learning objective
Students will collect continuous analog sensor values (0-1023 / 0-255), calibrate baseline thresholds, and trigger automated outputs.
Let's Go!
Learn
Unlike digital inputs (which are on or off), analog sensors provide a continuous range of numbers. Programmers define 'threshold values'—specific cut-off numbers—that trigger automated responses when environmental conditions change.
Try it yourself
Build a Smart Weather Station
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 🍓 Raspberry Pi micro:bit
🌟 Student Project GuideSuccess Criteria & WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like)
🎯 Task Success Criteria (Rubric)
Foundation
Reads live sensor value printouts on a digital screen console.
Developing
Maps raw sensor readings to meaningful units (e.g. sound level decibels, temperature degrees).
Secure (Goal)
Programs threshold logic (e.g. IF moisture < 300 THEN turn on water pump motor).
Mastery
Calibrates dual-sensor automation systems (e.g. smart greenhouse regulating temperature and light).
👀 What A Good One Looks Like (WAGOLL)
Exemplar Standard
A top-tier student project for Step 5 (Y5) includes:
- Core Deliverable: Build a Smart Weather Station
- Target Quality: Programs threshold logic (e.g. IF moisture < 300 THEN turn on water pump motor).
- Excellence & Polish: Calibrates dual-sensor automation systems (e.g. smart greenhouse regulating temperature and light).
📁
Save to Your Website Portfolio:
When you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
⭐Self-Assessment: How confident do you feel with this skill?
Reflect
Learning check
Teacher setup, curriculum links and progress descriptors
Spark support
Routine: 4 Cs (Connections, Concepts, Changes, Challenges)
Achievement pathway
- Foundation: Reads live sensor value printouts on a digital screen console.
- Developing: Maps raw sensor readings to meaningful units (e.g. sound level decibels, temperature degrees).
- Secure: Programs threshold logic (e.g. IF moisture < 300 THEN turn on water pump motor).
- Mastering: Calibrates dual-sensor automation systems (e.g. smart greenhouse regulating temperature and light).
Curriculum links
Curriculum strand: Algorithms and Programming
Outcome: AP.03.B.1.1 — Calibrate analog environmental sensors (temperature, moisture, sound) and set conditional threshold triggers.
PYP: Perspective · Environmental sensors enable automated monitoring and sustainable interventions.
Learner profile: Knowledgeable
Competency tags
Gate support
Accessibility alternative:
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Level 6: Step 6 (Y6)
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Step 6 (Y6)
Design Internet of Things (IoT) systems that log environmental sensor data over time and transmit telemetry.
Learning objective
Students will build IoT data-logging pipelines that record sensor streams at timed intervals, store dataset tables, and analyze trends.
Let's Go!
Learn
The Internet of Things (IoT) connects physical sensors to cloud networks. Automated sensors gather environmental data continuously, log historical trends, and allow remote monitoring and automated decision-making across global infrastructure.
Try it yourself
Design an Environmental IoT Logger
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 🍓 Raspberry Pi micro:bit
🌟 Student Project GuideSuccess Criteria & WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like)
🎯 Task Success Criteria (Rubric)
Foundation
Logs sensor readings manually into a spreadsheet table.
Developing
Programs automated code to sample and log sensor values every 5 seconds.
Secure (Goal)
Exports logged sensor datasets to CSV format and generates trend graphs.
Mastery
Evaluates sensor data accuracy, identifies noise/outliers, and designs automated IoT alert systems.
👀 What A Good One Looks Like (WAGOLL)
Exemplar Standard
A top-tier student project for Step 6 (Y6) includes:
- Core Deliverable: Design an Environmental IoT Logger
- Target Quality: Exports logged sensor datasets to CSV format and generates trend graphs.
- Excellence & Polish: Evaluates sensor data accuracy, identifies noise/outliers, and designs automated IoT alert systems.
📁
Save to Your Website Portfolio:
When you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
⭐Self-Assessment: How confident do you feel with this skill?
Reflect
Learning check
Teacher setup, curriculum links and progress descriptors
Spark support
Routine: PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting)
Achievement pathway
- Foundation: Logs sensor readings manually into a spreadsheet table.
- Developing: Programs automated code to sample and log sensor values every 5 seconds.
- Secure: Exports logged sensor datasets to CSV format and generates trend graphs.
- Mastering: Evaluates sensor data accuracy, identifies noise/outliers, and designs automated IoT alert systems.
Curriculum links
Curriculum strand: Algorithms and Programming
Outcome: AP.03.B.1.1 — Design Internet of Things (IoT) systems that log environmental sensor data over time and transmit telemetry.
PYP: Reflection · Connected sensor networks transform raw physical environmental data into actionable insights.
Learner profile: Reflective
Competency tags
Gate support
Accessibility alternative:
Teacher override: allow