Resources

October 2024 workshop: Slides and Handouts    You are free to use these slides and handouts in your classroom or elsewhere, and to adapt them as needed.

Downloads from Google Drive. Why?  

Workshop SD Image: This is the Raspbian "BBookworm" image from the October 2024 workshop, compressed with the xz format. Beware: It is a 2.3 GiB download from Google Drive; because of the size, you will get a warning that it's too big for Google to scan for viruses.  There is a README file to go with it. The easiest way to make one or a few SD cards from this image is to use balenaEtcher.  Etcher is free, works on Windows, MacOS, and Linux,  and will accept the .xz file directly; it is not necessary to extract the image from the archive.   You will need 16 GB or larger cards for this image.

If you flash a card from this image, there will be an automatic reboot the first time it is started up because the image contains code to resize the file system on first boot in order to use the full capacity of the microSD card.

If you need to make enough copies for an entire class, you can duplicate microSD cards with a Windows computer and about $150 of parts.  You can also duplicate multiple microSD cards using your Raspberry Pi. Download the image, use Etcher to flash it onto an SD card (8 GB is best for this one), then, without booting the card, use it as your master for duplicating.

If you need to extract this image, on Windows use the free 7-Zip program.  On Raspbian and most Linux distributions, use xz-utils.  On MacOS, The Unarchiver will work.  The extracted file will be over eight GiB.

These are from one to a few pages long and are intended to help your students get started on projects using the Raspberry Pi.  Subjects include the Pi Camera, infrared receiver, and temperature probe.

Download Handouts

If you've learned a text programming language like Java or JavaScript, but are new to Python, our Python Jump Start document may help.

Python Jump Start PDF

Installing xz-utils

In a terminal window, type:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install xz-utils

Decompressing a File

In a terminal window, type:

xz -d file_to_decompress.xz

Depending on the ownership of the file and directory, you may need to use sudo. The original (compressed) file will be removed.

XZ Examples

You may be able to use a laptop or desktop computer instead of keyboard, mouse, and monitor.  It will take some special configuration.
Learn More

Teaching with the Raspberry Pi – It's Not Just for Coding is available as a video or as downloadable PowerPoint 2016 slides.

View Teaching with the Raspberry Pi Video

The Picademy Parts Kit Temperature Probe: his one is a little more complicated than some of the other sensors. It may need software configuration and it's possible to damage your Pi if it's wired incorrectly. The linked PDF describes the software configuration that may be needed and includes a circuit diagram with instructions.

Download Picademy Parts Kit Temperature Probe PDF

Fritzing Component for GPIO Pins:  This is a picture of the GPIO pins, with labels, that can be used to make your own Fritzing diagrams.  It was derived from Anudit Nagar's full Raspberry Pi component.  Get Fritzing from fritzing.org, Download this file, unzip it, and import it into Fritzing.  Downloads from Google Drive.

I use this part to make diagrams like the one shown.  I make the diagram in Fritzing, export as PNG, then crop and sometimes add labels. I've been using Adobe Fireworks to manipulate the PNG, but almost any graphics program, including MS Paint, will do.

Download Fritzing Component for GPIO Pins