UNO R3 Controller Board
The brain
The Arduino. It runs your code and has pins you can switch on and off or read from. Plug it into a computer with the USB cable.
ELEGOO UNO R3 Super Starter Kit
What's in the box
Every part in your kit, what it does, and which tutorials use it. Parts marked "not used in these sessions" are there for when you want to go further.
The brain
Wiring & building
830 Tie-Point Breadboard
Solder-free circuit board
Push parts and wires into the holes. Each row of 5 holes is connected inside, and the long rails along the edges carry power (+) and ground (−).
Breadboard Jumper Wires
Male-to-male wires
Both ends are pins. Use them to connect the Arduino to the breadboard and to connect rows on the breadboard.
Female-to-Male Dupont Wires
Wires with a socket end
One end is a socket, one end is a pin. Perfect for modules that have pins sticking out (joystick, ultrasonic sensor, DHT11, IR receiver).
Resistor
Slows down current
Protects parts from too much current. Read the color bands: 220 Ω = red-red-brown, 1 kΩ = brown-black-red, 10 kΩ = brown-black-orange.
Prototype Expansion Module
Mini breadboard shield
A shield with a tiny breadboard that sits on top of the UNO. Not used in these sessions.
Power
USB Cable
Power + programming
Connects the Arduino to the computer. It carries both power and your uploaded code.
Power Supply Module
Breadboard power
Plugs onto the end of the breadboard and feeds the power rails from the 9V battery. Set the yellow jumper to 5V. Has its own on/off button.
9V Battery with Snap Connector
Portable power
Powers motors through the power supply module. Never connect it directly to breadboard parts.
Outputs (things that do stuff)
LED
Little light
Light Emitting Diode. Only works one way around: the long leg is + (anode), the short leg next to the flat edge is − (cathode). Always use a 220 Ω resistor with it.
RGB LED
One LED, any color
Four legs: red, ground (the longest leg), green, blue. Mix the three colors with different brightness to make any color.
Active Buzzer
Beeps when powered
Has a sticker on top and makes one tone as soon as it gets power. The longer leg (marked +) goes to the Arduino pin.
Passive Buzzer
Plays any note
Looks like the active buzzer but with an open top. It only makes sound when the Arduino sends it a tone, so it can play melodies.
Fan Blade and 3–6V Motor
DC motor
A small motor that spins when powered. Needs more current than an Arduino pin can give, so we drive it with the L293D chip and the power supply module.
Servo Motor SG90
Motor that turns to an angle
Tell it an angle from 0 to 180 degrees and it turns there. Three wires: brown = ground, red = 5V, orange = signal.
LCD1602 Module
16×2 text screen
Shows 2 rows of 16 characters. Uses a lot of wires, but the LiquidCrystal library makes it easy to print text.
Stepper Motor
Precise turning motor
Turns in exact small steps. Needs the ULN2003 driver. Not used in these sessions.
1-Digit 7-Segment Display
Single digit
Shows one number using 7 LED bars. Not used in these sessions.
4-Digit 7-Segment Display
Four digits
Shows up to four numbers. Not used in these sessions.
Inputs (things that sense stuff)
Push Button
Press to connect
Four legs. Legs on the same side are already connected; pressing joins the two sides. Place it straddling the gap in the middle of the breadboard.
Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-SR04)
Measures distance
Sends out a click too high to hear and times the echo, like a bat. Tells you how far away the nearest object is in centimeters.
Photoresistor
Light sensor
Its resistance changes with light: bright = low resistance, dark = high. Pair it with a 10 kΩ resistor to read light levels on an analog pin.
Joystick Module
Two knobs + a button
Like a game controller stick. VRx and VRy give the left/right and up/down positions; pressing the stick down clicks a button (SW).
IR Receiver Module
Sees remote signals
Picks up the invisible infrared flashes from the remote control. Pins are labeled G (ground), R (5V), and Y (signal).
Remote Control
Infrared remote
Every button sends a different code. Pull the plastic tab out of the battery slot before first use.
DHT11 Temperature & Humidity Module
Weather sensor
Measures temperature and humidity. Three pins: S (signal), middle (5V), − (ground). Only reads once every 2 seconds.
Potentiometer 10K
Turnable knob
A variable resistor. Turning the knob changes the voltage on the middle leg. Used here to set the LCD contrast.
Tilt Ball Switch
Knows when it's tipped
A tiny ball inside connects the legs when it's upright and rolls away when tilted. Great for a tamper alarm.
Thermistor
Heat-sensitive resistor
A resistor that changes with temperature. We use the DHT11 instead because it gives a ready-made reading.
Chips & helpers
L293D Motor Driver IC
Motor control chip
An H-bridge chip. The Arduino tells it what to do with tiny signals, and it switches the big motor current on, off, forward, and backward.
5V Relay
Electrically-controlled switch
A small signal flips a switch that can control bigger loads. Not used in these sessions.
NPN Transistor PN2222
Tiny electronic switch
Lets a small current control a larger one. Not used in these sessions.
Diode Rectifier
One-way valve
Lets current flow one direction only. Not used in these sessions.
ULN2003 Stepper Driver
Drives the stepper motor
Driver board for the stepper motor. Not used in these sessions.
74HC595 Shift Register
More outputs chip
Turns 3 Arduino pins into 8 outputs. Not used in these sessions.