Arduino Success - Feeling Accomplished

 Last week, my "making" left me feeling like a hot mess, but after a reboot, some tutorials, and a little time at home, I was able to complete the blinking LED light challenge.

I was even able to have success at adjusting the code and getting the light to blink at a different speed.

After my success, I was excited, but a little apprehensive about Challenge #2.  For this challenge, we were asked to use a potentiometer on the Arduino to adjust the dimness and speed of the blinking LED.  A potentiometer is like a volume control on your TV or cell phone.  The frequency is adjusted when you turn it.  To my surprise, I was successful on my first attempt - yay me!

I'm honestly not sure I completely understand how the entire circuit works, but I do understand that there are three wires connecting the potentiometer so that it is possible to have the adjustment with the turning of the knob.  The center wire connects the potentiometer to the analog in which allows it to have more frequency.  The resister is connected to the digital side.  The ground connection completes the circuit.  I am still learning the vocabulary and understanding the ins and outs of circuits and the programming.  I did do some extensions which are below.

Because I was catching up from last week, I feel like I still have quite a bit of learning to do as far as the coding and exactly how the circuits work.  I am way out of my comfort zone, but am enjoying the challenge.  I am hoping to have more time to tinker and explore this week. For this challenge, I started by looking closely at the schematic in my book and following it exactly.  When I got to the coding, it seemed a little bit overwhelming and I wasn't sure what to take out, or what everything meant so I turned to our discussion board to read what others had done. Thank goodness for collaboration when we aren't sure what we are doing.  I am reminded that we can still learn by seeing what others have done.  It gives us something to start with and can begin to make our own connections with more practice.  

As I was playing with this challenge, I couldn't help but think of Christmas lights.  We are the Christmas house on our block with all of our lights and decorations.  We have some strands of lights where we can push a button and change the type of blinking from twinkling to flashing or dimming in and out.  This would be an example of a potentiometer changing the frequency and action of the circuit.  I can't imagine the programming that must go in to the homes that have their Christmas lights programmed to music, but now I am definitely more curious.

Here's to more learning this week as we tinker and grow as learners!