TurtleBlock Studio

Block coding lesson plan for class

By Turtleback Robotics Academy ยท Updated 15 October 2026

Free ($0) is the block builder and the Pico W simulator. Standard ($30/month) adds ESP32, Raspberry Pi, Makeblock, USB upload, and .py downloads. Premium ($50/month) adds online project saves.

This plan is for one class period with learners about 8 to 14 years old, and for the adult in the room. Students open TurtleBlock Studio in the browser, load Blink an LED, run the Pico W simulator, and read the MicroPython. No account is needed. The studio does not check a birthday, take attendance, or grade the work.

Before the period

Use a Chromebook, Windows PC, or Mac. The page is the whole app. Students do not install it. Firefox and Safari can run the simulator. USB to a real Pico W or ESP32 needs Chrome or Edge. For a first period, skip the cable. The simulator is enough.

Blocks stay in that browser on that computer. There is no class folder and no cloud save. If two students share a computer, the second student sees the first student's blocks. A new sample replaces the workspace. Say that before anyone opens Samples.

The skills in this period are a sequence, a repeat, a wait, and an output. Teachers can match those skills to the standards their school already uses. The studio does not print a standards code. Beginner Mode has a Blink Core Lesson: a repeat block, a pin write set to HIGH, and a delay. How to Code has short lessons on output and loops. This plan uses the Blink an LED sample so the class starts from the same blocks.

  1. Minutes 0 to 5. Students press Open Studio. Ask them to find the board name Raspberry Pi Pico W and to leave it there. No account, and no names typed into the page.

  2. Minutes 5 to 15. Open Samples and choose Blink an LED. Students point to the forever block, the onboard LED block, and the two wait blocks set to 500.

  3. Minutes 15 to 25. Press Simulate, then Run Blocks, with the Terminal or Split window open. Students read Onboard LED ON and OFF, and Delay 500 ms (simulated). The simulator guide is the teacher backup if a window is hard to find.

  4. Minutes 25 to 35. Students change one 500 to 100, then back to 500. They say what got faster. The sample tip calls 100 a quick strobe.

  5. Minutes 35 to 45. Read the code panel together. while True is the forever block. Pin("LED", Pin.OUT).value(1) is LED on. value(0) is LED off. time.sleep_ms(500) is the wait. Press Copy if you want the text.

  6. Optional next period. Open Traffic Light and run it in the simulator. Wires and a button wait for a day when an adult can help. The traffic light guide has the pin numbers and the 220 ohm note.

  7. Close by leaving the blocks as they are. Browser recovery keeps them on that computer. Do not promise that a different computer will have the same project.

The program the class reads together

from machine import Pin, PWM, ADC
import time

while True:
    Pin("LED", Pin.OUT).value(1)
    time.sleep_ms(500)
    Pin("LED", Pin.OUT).value(0)
    time.sleep_ms(500)

What to say about the code

Ask one student to read while True and another to point at the forever block. Ask what 500 means. It is milliseconds. Half a second. The panel also shows from machine import Pin, PWM, ADC and import time. You can say the studio adds those lines so the program has the words it needs. A first class does not have to explain PWM.

If you open the Code view, Sync from Blocks copies the panel into the editor. Convert to Blocks replaces the workspace after a confirm question. Skip Convert to Blocks on day one so nobody erases the sample by accident.

Beginner Mode can be turned on for a student who wants the checklist. The Blink Core Lesson looks for a repeat block, a pin write, and a delay. The sample uses a forever block and the onboard LED block, so the checklist may stay unfinished even when the blink is correct. That is fine. The sample is the class goal. How to Code is there when you want a longer explanation of loops or outputs. A later Beginner Mode lesson connects Wi-Fi. Do not put a Wi-Fi password on a shared screen.

A second period, still inside the studio

Traffic Light is the next sample: GP14 red for 3000 milliseconds, GP15 yellow for 1000, GP16 green for 2000. Students can predict which pin is on. A button and a buzzer need parts and an adult. The button sample uses GP15 and GP14, with a resistor of about 220 ohms.

There is no roster and no grade book. Walk the room and look at the blocks. Students can press Copy and paste into a document you already use. The teacher guide says Chrome or Edge for USB, and no class list yet.

Boards you can name if families ask: Raspberry Pi Pico W, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, and Makeblock (Auriga on Python Host). Day one only needs Pico W on the screen. The other boards are later guides on the learn hub.

Common questions

What ages and how long?

This plan is written for about ages 8 to 14 and one class period of about 45 minutes. The studio does not set an age limit or a timer. Shorten the code reading for younger students. The simulator steps can stand alone.

Which standards does it meet?

It does not claim a standards code. The skills to match to your own standards are sequence, a repeat, a wait, and an output. A later period can add a decision with the button sample.

Do students need accounts or a board?

No accounts. A first period needs no board. Blocks stay in that browser. A real Pico W is optional and uses Chrome or Edge.

How do I know they did it?

Look at the screen: the blink blocks, a changed 500, and a student reading while True. There is no teacher dashboard. Copy the code if you need a file.

More guides

Start Here: Open Studio