Finch / Snap! Program 1-1 — Quick Guide Setup

Getting your Finch Robot working with Snap! (micro:bit in the Finch tail), plus starter exercises and classroom tips.

What this module is

This is the “getting started” module for programming the Finch Robot with Snap!. You’ll seat the micro:bit in the Finch tail, load the required Bluetooth firmware, connect over Chrome, and run your first movement and LED programs.

Official resources:

Step-by-step setup

Insert the micro:bit into the Finch tail with buttons A/B facing up and the LED matrix outward.
Load Bluetooth firmware (.hex) onto the micro:bit if it isn’t already showing the pairing pattern.
Power the Finch (press/hold power ≈2 seconds) and check tail LEDs for battery level.
Open Snap! for Finch in Google Chrome (web app or via BlueBird Connector) and Find Robots to connect.
Choose your level (Snap! Jr Levels 1–3 for early grades, Level 4 for full block set) and start coding.
Save your work by exporting the project file or using a Snap! cloud account.

Tip: If you chain LED or movement blocks, insert a wait block so you can see each action happen before the next one runs.

Quick starter exercises

Roll & stop: Move forward and back slowly, then faster. Add wait between moves.
Turns: Turn right and left by different degrees. Compare speeds.
Draw a square: Combine “move” + “turn 90°” four times. Tweak speed and side length.

Best practices

Seat the micro:bit firmly and in the correct orientation.
Use Chrome and allow Bluetooth permissions; reconnect via Find Robots if you drop.
Watch battery level (recharge if tail LEDs show low).
Save often—Snap! doesn’t autosave.

Troubleshooting checklist

No robot found in Snap!: confirm Chrome, permissions, and micro:bit firmware; try reconnecting.
Program runs too fast to see LEDs/motion: add wait blocks between actions.
Micro:bit shows up as storage but won’t take the .hex: safely eject, replug, and retry the copy.

More help is in the official installation and course pages (links above).