🎯 What You'll Learn
🔧 Assembly Skills
How to connect the micro:bit to the robot chassis
⚡ Power Systems
Understanding batteries and how the robot gets energy
🎮 Control Basics
Using buttons to send commands to motors
🤖 Robot Behavior
How code tells motors what to do
📦 What You Need
- 🚗 Maqueen Plus V2 chassis (the black robot car)
- 💻 micro:bit V2 (the small computer board)
- 🔋 18650 Battery (fully charged!)
- 🏠 Clear space (a table or smooth floor)
🛠️ Let's Build!
Install the Battery
Find the battery compartment on the bottom of the Maqueen chassis. It's a black holder in the middle.
Insert the 18650 battery with the positive (+) end pointing toward the front of the robot.
💡 Parent Tip: The battery should fit snugly but not require force. If it won't go in, check the orientation—it only fits one way!
Connect the micro:bit
Look at the top of the Maqueen—there's a rectangular slot with gold pins called an "edge connector."
Slide the micro:bit into the slot with the LED display facing forward and the gold edge connector pins facing down.
💡 Parent Tip: It's like plugging in a game cartridge! It should click in firmly. Make sure the micro:bit logo is visible on top.
Power On!
Find the power switch on the Maqueen (usually on the side or back—it's a small sliding switch).
Slide it to the "ON" position.
🎉 Success Indicator: If the LEDs light up, you've got power! The robot is alive! If nothing happens, check the battery orientation and make sure it's charged.
Test the Buttons
The micro:bit has two buttons on the front: A (left) and B (right).
Try pressing them! They should feel "clicky" and responsive.
🎮 What's Happening: Buttons send electrical signals. When you press Button A, the micro:bit's processor detects the signal and runs whatever code you've programmed for that button.
Download the Remote Control Code
- On a computer, open a web browser and go to makecode.microbit.org
- Click the big "New Project" button
- Give it a name like "Robot Remote Control" and click Create
- You'll see colorful blocks on the left side. Look for the pink "Input" category and click it
- Drag the block that says "on button A pressed" onto the workspace
- Now look for the "Extensions" button at the bottom of the block categories (it looks like a puzzle piece)
- In the search box, type "maqueen" and click on the "DFRobot_Maqueen" extension to add it
- A new "Maqueen" category will appear! Click it
- Find the "motor L speed 0 R speed 0" block and drag it inside the "on button A pressed" block
- Change both speed numbers from 0 to 100 (this makes the robot go forward!)
- Repeat steps 5 and 9, but this time use "on button B pressed" and keep speeds at 0 (this stops the robot)
- Connect the micro:bit to the computer using a USB cable (the small rectangular port at the top of the micro:bit)
- Click the purple "Download" button at the bottom of the screen
- The code will transfer to your micro:bit (you'll see a yellow light flashing on the micro:bit!)
- Once the light stops flashing, unplug the USB cable—your robot is ready!
💻 Parent Tip: The first time might take 5-10 minutes as you and your sons explore MakeCode together. That's normal! The Maqueen extension is essential—without it, there won't be any motor control blocks. Let them experiment with dragging blocks around—MakeCode is designed for kids!
DRIVE!
Place the robot on the floor (not the table—safety first!).
Press Button A and watch it GO!
Press Button B to STOP.
🏁 Challenge: Can they make it go backward? (Hint: Use negative speed values like -100!)
🔬 What's Happening Behind the Scenes?
When Button A is pressed, the micro:bit sends a digital signal to the Maqueen's motor controller. The controller then sends electrical current to both motors, making the wheels spin. The speed value (100) determines how fast the motors turn—higher numbers = faster speed!
Real-World Connection: This is exactly how electric cars work! The accelerator pedal sends signals to the motor controller, which controls how much power goes to the motors. Your sons are learning the same technology used in Teslas!
✅ Mission Success Checklist
🚀 Ready for More?
Congratulations! You've built your first robot and made it move! Your sons now understand the basics of robotics: power, control, and movement.
Let them play! Encourage experiments: What happens if both motors have different speeds? Can they make it turn? This exploration builds problem-solving skills!