Computer Science
Engineering Medicine Coolers: Medicine Cooler Alarms
Middle School
Impacts of Computing
Data & Analysis
In Classrooms
Students write an algorithm for a micro:bit that continuously monitors temperature and sounds an alarm when a medicine cooler gets too warm.
Module Overview
Students consider how to alert users that their medicine coolers have warmed to room temperature. Students learn how to write an algorithm so that a micro:bit can continuously monitor the temperature and then alert the user when the temperature has exceeded a certain value.
- Teach this module after Engineering Medicine Coolers
- 2 lessons
- 45 minutes per lesson
- Student materials available in Spanish
- Computational tools used: BBC micro:bits, Microsoft MakeCode (free web-based application)
- Computer science modules require a short list of materials not included in a kit
Standards Alignment
YES units align with state and national science standards, integrating seamlessly with popular elementary science curricula.
Module Resources
Digital Resources (FREE)
YES provides these materials free of charge! Use the link below to download resources from our Google Drive.
Download ResourcesModule Map
Students are introduced to the micro:bit as a computational tool for monitoring temperature. They create an algorithm for the micro:bit, selecting an input and output of their choice.
Teams use their experience of monitoring medicine cooler temperature manually to write an algorithm in pseudocode, then create the algorithm in MakeCode, and test it using the simulator.
Our funders
Major support for this project has been provided by MathWorks.