CSCI 235 — Circuit Playground Express

How to get one

I don’t know if I’m allowed to put a link to a place to buy one. You will need a Data/Sync Micro USB cable to connect your Circuit Playground Express to your computer.

Getting set up — a quick check

This should work on your Mac or Linux computer; Windows 10 should work fine, but you will may need to install a driver for older versions.

• Plug in the Circuit Playground Express
• You should see a USB drive named CPLAYBOOT on your computer. On Linux computers it will be mounted on /media/${USER}/CPLAYBOOT where ${USER} is your login id. If you don’t see CPLAYBOOT, press the RESET button on the Circuit Playground Express. You may have to press more than once.
• Look at the files in CPLAYBOOT
• Open this Magic Link in an new window and then Press EDIT. If you don’t see the a model of the Circuit Playground Express in your browser window, try making the window a bit wider.
• Move your mouse over the image of the Circuit Playground Express to tilt it.
• Press on the circles and slices in the rings to change the colors of the LED’s. Select the color in the slice and then select the circle to choose an LED.
• Read the Downloading and Flashing explanation from Adafruit. In our exterience, sixth-graders do this better than college professors. It does require practice.
• Download your program to the Circuit Playground Express.
  • Be sure to press the RESET button on the circuit.
  • Be sure to press the Download button in the web browser.
  • Be sure to download into the CPLAYBOOT drive.

For whatever it’s worth, We sometimes use the a Save Link as to the CPLAYBOOT drive.

What is this thing

The hardware

Take a look at the Guided Tour. There are a lot of fancy stuff for $25.

If you wonder what uf2 is, you can check out this detailed description from Microsoft.

The software

There are four ways to program.

• Code.org — the language for CS Discoveries (grades 6 to 10), which uses Firmata
• Makecode — based on Static TypeScript
• CircuitPython
• Arduino

What to do

• Use some of the unusual built-in sensors. Look under the INPUT blocks. You’ll find ways to measure sound, light, acceleration, roll, pitch, temperature, etc.
• Make music! You even get a keyboard to help you out. There is also an example at one of my saved programs.
• Send messages to each other using the NETWORK blocks.
• Do something exciting with the NeoPixels.
• Make a magic wand.
• Make a timer for long-winded professors.

You can also abandon the blocks programming interface and write your code in JavaScript. This is a one-way trip. There is no return.