Open the Blink Code

1. In the menu bar, go to File>Examples>01.Basics> and click Blink
2. Maximize the window containing the Blink code.

STEM Connections

The Arduino software can be used to write and send different computer programs to the Arduino board to make the board perform many different tasks. The Arduino software allows programmers to create these programs from different sets of written commands known as code. The Arduino software uses its own language that is similar to C/C++, but there are different coding languages, just like there are different speaking languages. You just opened a program called, “Blink”, that the Arduino software will turn into machine code. That machine code will be sent and processed on the board and get the LED to blink.

Blink code window didn’t pop up

There can be multiple Arduino windows open, just like there could be multiple windows of 

1. your internet browser, so look through all the Arduino windows that are open and see if you can find “blink”.
2. If you still can’t find it, try going through the steps again.

1. There are two main coding experiences for computer programmers. Writing code completely from start to finish or taking existing code and modifying it to meet their needs. This activity is about the latter: and taking example code and changing it for your needs. It might be a relief for students to know that they dwould not have to write code from start to finish every time they want to program something. Modifying existing code is also a good way to learn how to code works.
2. If you want to continue the texting analogy, ask what comes after selecting who they want to send a text to. Now that we know who we’re sending our message to, it is time to write our text message. Likewise, now that we know where our code will be sent to, we are ready to write our code. However, instead of writing the code on our own, we will use an example code and modify it from there.