Wilteq WILTEQArduino Self-Study
Facilitator guide

Teaching the Arduino Uno Course

Sixty two-hour sessions over twelve weeks for electronics students who are new to programming. Weeks 1-10 teach the Uno modules with Code Along practice and four practical assessments; weeks 11-12 are studio time for the individual final project.

Student pre-reading page
12weeks in class
60sessions of 120 min
10teaching weeks
2final project weeks
5assessments incl. final project

How the sessions work

  • Students spend 20-30 minutes on pre-reading on their phones before each session. The reading for every session is listed on the student Before class page.
  • Most teaching sessions share one rhythm: a short recap quiz, a demonstration, a bench build with measurements, Code Along practice, then a wrap-up that points to the next pre-reading.
  • Code Along exercises named in a session plan are done in class on the lab PCs. Homework exercises can be done on a phone; ones tagged Laptop have long solutions and suit a computer.
  • The checkpoint at the end of each plan is the minimum every student should reach before the next session. Students who miss it follow the catch-up path, usually in the next review session.
  • Assessments use set briefs with Competent / Not Yet Competent criteria. Reassessment sessions (S35 and S49) give one further attempt at criteria marked NYC.
  • Every bench has a multimeter and an oscilloscope, so measuring is built into the plans: students record readings as evidence instead of assuming.

All 60 sessions

Select a session for its full plan. Colours show the session type.

Teach & buildReview & mini-projectAssessmentReassessmentProject studioFlex
Week 1 · TeachingGetting Started

Bench habits, the Uno board, first uploads, variables and types.

S01Bench safety and first measurementsTeach & buildS02The Uno and a first reliable uploadTeach & buildS03Variables and Serial outputTeach & buildS04Types, maths and integer divisionTeach & buildS05Review: a bench status reportReview & mini-project
Week 2 · TeachingDecisions & Debugging

if, switch, Serial commands, loops and arrays.

S06Operators and decisionsTeach & buildS07switch and choosing between modesTeach & buildS08Serial commands and debuggingTeach & buildS09Loops and arraysTeach & buildS10Review: LED patterns under Serial controlReview & mini-project
Week 3 · TeachingFunctions, Outputs & Buttons

Functions, RGB LEDs and buzzers, pull-ups, bounce and edges.

S11FunctionsTeach & buildS12Functions that share valuesTeach & build · flexS13Digital outputs, RGB LEDs and buzzersTeach & buildS14Buttons, bounce and edgesTeach & buildS15Review: reaction timerReview & mini-project · flex
Week 4 · TeachingTiming & Evidence

millis(), state machines, planning evidence and the code-correction assessment.

S16Timing without delay()Teach & buildS17State machinesTeach & buildS18Planning, documentation and evidenceTeach & buildS19Finding and fixing faultsTeach & buildS20Code-correction assessmentAssessment
Week 5 · TeachingAnalogue, PWM & Task A

Hardware fault finding, the ADC, PWM on the scope, and Task A.

S21Hardware fault finding with meter and scopeTeach & build · flexS22Analogue inputs and the ADCTeach & buildS23PWM output and the oscilloscopeTeach & buildS24Task A: brief and planningAssessmentS25Task A: build, test and demonstrateAssessment
Week 6 · TeachingDrivers & Motors

MOSFET drivers, servos, DC motors, stepper stations and project proposals.

S26Driving loads with transistors and MOSFETsTeach & buildS27Servo motorsTeach & buildS28DC motors and the H-bridgeTeach & buildS29Stepper stations and motor challengesTeach & build · flexS30Review: motor control panel and project proposalsReview & mini-project
Week 7 · TeachingDisplays & Signals

The I2C LCD, buses on the scope, IR remotes, formatted text and reassessment.

S31The I2C LCDTeach & buildS32Buses on the oscilloscopeTeach & build · flexS33IR remote controlTeach & build · flexS34Formatted text and an LCD dashboardTeach & buildS35Reassessment and catch-upReassessment
Week 8 · TeachingSensors & Task B

Resistive sensors, thermistor calibration and Task B.

S36Resistive sensors and the LDRTeach & buildS37Thermistors and calibrationTeach & buildS38Task B: plan and calibrateAssessmentS39Task B: build and demonstrateAssessmentS40Review: sensors and displaysReview & mini-project · flex
Week 9 · TeachingIntegration & Task C

DHT11, the RTC, the environment monitor and Task C.

S41DHT11 temperature and humidity on the LCDTeach & buildS42Real-time clock and fixed-width textTeach & buildS43Environment monitor capstoneTeach & build · flexS44Task C: plan and prove subsystemsAssessmentS45Task C: integrateAssessment
Week 10 · TeachingExtension & Project Planning

Task C demonstrations, extension workshops, reassessment and project plan reviews.

S46Task C: test and demonstrateAssessmentS47Extension workshop: interrupts and the clock alarmTeach & build · flexS48Extension workshop: libraries and project modulesTeach & build · flexS49Reassessment sessionReassessmentS50Final project plan reviewProject studio
Week 11 · Final projectFinal Project: Build

Subsystems proven, then integrated into a working prototype.

S51Project studio: kick-off and first subsystemProject studioS52Project studio: subsystem checkProject studioS53Project studio: integrationProject studioS54Project studio: build and testProject studioS55Project studio: integration checkProject studio
Week 12 · Final projectFinal Project: Prove & Present

Testing, documentation, rehearsal and final demonstrations.

S56Project studio: testing against the criteriaProject studioS57Project studio: documentation and user guideProject studioS58Presentation rehearsal and peer reviewProject studioS59Final fixes and portfolio assemblyProject studioS60Final project demonstrations and hand-inAssessment

Running the course in fewer weeks

The plan assumes ten teaching weeks. If only eight are available, drop the ten flex sessions listed below: fold the hardware fault-finding practical (S21) into S19, set the functions practice (S12) as homework, and keep the IR, buses and stepper lessons as final-project material. The remaining sessions still cover every assessment, and the final project gains two weeks.

Flex sessions: S12 S15 S21 S29 S32 S33 S40 S43 S47 S48

Assessment map

AssessmentSessionsTime
Code-Correction ExerciseS20One 2-hour session, individual
Practical Task A: Extractor Fan Speed SelectorS24 S25Two 2-hour sessions: plan in the first, build, test and demonstrate in the second
Practical Task B: Cabinet Over-Temperature AlarmS38 S39Two 2-hour sessions: calibrate and plan in the first, build and demonstrate in the second
Practical Task C: Greenhouse Vent ControllerS44 S45 S46Three 2-hour sessions: plan and prove subsystems, integrate, then test and demonstrate
Final Project: Individual Microcontroller SystemS50 S60Milestones from week 6; final demonstration in the last session of week 12

Kit, stations and instruments

  • Each student has an Uno kit (servo, DC motor with H-bridge, I2C 16x2 LCD, DHT11, RTC, thermistor, LDR, IR receiver and remote), a digital multimeter and an oscilloscope.
  • Transistors, MOSFETs, diodes, resistors and capacitors come from the class stores. Issue them in the session that uses them.
  • There are two stepper stations (28BYJ-48 with ULN2003). In S29 run them as a timed rotation of pairs while the rest of the class works on H-bridge extensions.
  • Ultrasonic, keypad, RFID and SD modules are not in the kits. They support the extension lessons and final projects - issue them against approved proposals.
  • Motors, servos and steppers run from a separate 5 V supply with a common GND. Check this at the bench before any actuator is powered.

Lesson coverage

ModuleLessonTaught in
Module 1Lesson 01: Bench Safety, Breadboards & First MeasurementsS01
Module 1Lesson 02: Microcontrollers & the Arduino UnoS02
Module 1Lesson 03: Arduino IDE 2 & First UploadS02
Module 2Lesson 04: Sketch Structure, Variables & TypesS03 S04
Module 2Lesson 05: Operators & DecisionsS06 S07
Module 2Lesson 06: UART Serial & DebuggingS08
Module 2Lesson 07: Loops & ArraysS09
Module 2Lesson 08: Functions: Naming & Reusing TasksS11 S12
Module 3Lesson 09: Digital Outputs, RGB LEDs & BuzzersS13
Module 3Lesson 10: Digital Inputs, Pull-Ups & DebouncingS14
Module 3Lesson 11: Non-Blocking Timing & State MachinesS16 S17
Module 4Lesson 12: Planning, Documentation & EvidenceS18
Module 4Lesson 13: Practical Fault-Finding & Multimeter SkillsS19 S21
Module 5Lesson 14: Analogue Inputs, ADC & Voltage DividersS22
Module 5Lesson 15: PWM Output & Duty CycleS23
Module 6Lesson 16: Driving Loads: Transistors, MOSFETs & RelaysS26
Module 6Lesson 17: Servo MotorsS27
Module 6Lesson 18: DC Motors & H-BridgesS28
Module 6Lesson 19: Stepper Motors & the Stepper LibraryS29
Module 7Lesson 20: I2C, Address Scanning & I2C LCDS31
Module 7Lesson 21: UART, I2C & SPI ReferenceS32
Module 7Lesson 22: Infrared Remote ControlS33
Module 8Lesson 23: Resistive Sensors, Dividers & the LDRS36
Module 8Lesson 24: Thermistors, the Beta Equation & CalibrationS37
Module 8Lesson 25: DHT11 / DHT22 Temperature & HumidityS41
Module 8Lesson 26: DS1307 RTC & Formatted TextS42
Module 9Lesson 27: Capstone 1: Environmental MonitorS43
Module 9Lesson 28: Capstone 2: Clock, Alarm & ServoS47
Module 10Lesson 29: Interrupts on the UnoS47
Module 10Lesson 30: Build Your Own LibraryS48
Module 10Lesson 31: HC-SR04 Ultrasonic DistanceS48
Module 10Lesson 32: 4x4 Matrix KeypadS48
Module 10Lesson 33: MFRC522 RFID Access Log (VMA202)S48
Module 10Lesson 34: 16x2 LCD in 4-Bit ModeExtension / project

Code Along coverage

Exercises used in class, as extension or catch-up work, or as homework.

ChapterExercises scheduledSessions
1. Sketch Structure & Serial Output8 of 8S01 S02 S03 S05 S08
2. Variables & Types9 of 9S03 S04 S05
3. Operators & Decisions8 of 8S06 S07 S08 S10
4. Loops & Arrays9 of 9S09 S10
5. Functions6 of 6S11 S12 S15
6. Digital Outputs, RGB & Buzzer6 of 6S13 S15
7. Buttons, Pull-ups & Debounce5 of 5S14 S15 S25 S35 S48
8. Time Without delay()7 of 7S16 S17 S25 S35 S48
9. Finding & Fixing Faults7 of 7S19 S20 S35
10. Analogue Inputs6 of 6S22 S36 S39 S40
11. PWM & Fading6 of 6S23 S40
12. Motors & the H-Bridge6 of 6S28 S29 S30 S40
13. The I2C LCD Display6 of 6S31 S35 S40
14. Text & Time Formatting5 of 5S34 S40 S42