Everything you need before week 1. Plan one evening for software install and one trip to your nearest electronics-friendly hardware source for the supplements.
Canonical kit
Arduino R4 Starter Kit Classroom Pack (Arduino store; per OPEN-QUESTIONS §17 ratification 2026-05-01; ~$165-185 per student).
Buy at: https://store-usa.arduino.cc/products/starter-kit-r4-classroom-pack (or the equivalent EU URL for European students). Educator discount is typically 10-15% via edu@arduino.cc for institutional orders; ask if you are running a cohort
What is in the pack (approximate; verify on order):
- Arduino UNO R4 Minima board (or R4 WiFi depending on which version of the pack)
- USB-C cable
- Breadboard
- Jumper-wire kit
- Resistor assortment (220 Ω, 1 kΩ, 10 kΩ, photoresistor, and others)
- LED assortment (red, yellow, green; possibly blue)
- Pushbuttons
- Potentiometer
- Photoresistor
- Temperature sensor (NTC thermistor or TMP36; varies by pack version)
- Piezo buzzer
- Small servo
- DC motor (small)
- NPN transistor (2N2222 or 2N3904)
- Diode (1N4007 or similar; for flyback in week 6)
- Capacitor assortment (ceramic + electrolytic; values vary)
- Arduino certification exam attempt voucher (bundled with classroom pack)
Confirm BOM matches when your pack arrives. Note any missing or unexpected parts; the curriculum is designed around the BOM as shipped
Required supplements (low-cost; order separately)
These ship cheaply from Amazon Prime, Adafruit, SparkFun, or your local electronics retailer
- Multimeter (~$15-25). The kit does not include one. Used every week starting week 1. A 4000-count auto-ranging meter is plenty (Innova 3320; Klein MM325; or comparable). Avoid the very-cheapest no-brand meters; they go bad fast
- HC-SR04 ultrasonic distance sensor (~$3-5). Used in week 12. Confirm it is not in your pack version; some versions of the pack do include one
- 9 V battery + clip (~$5). For weeks 1-6 (pre-Arduino) labs. The Arduino itself runs from USB; the early labs benefit from a separate power source
- Lab notebook (~$5). Spiral-bound; lined or graph paper. The course assumes you keep a written record; digital notes work but feel different
Total supplement budget: ~$30-40 per student
Optional supplements
These are NOT required for HW-101. Mentioned for completeness; advanced-track students may want them
- Soldering iron (~$30-100). Soldering is NOT part of HW-101. Mentioned here only so you know you can defer the purchase to an advanced-track course
- Oscilloscope (~$100-300). HW-101 does not require one. Some labs reference "if you have a scope, try X"; this is bonus content. Browser-based scope alternatives via the academy workbench cover the same conceptual ground
- Logic analyzer (~$10-100). Same as oscilloscope; not required
- 3D-printed enclosure parts (free with access to a printer; cost varies). Capstone projects can benefit from a custom enclosure but the rubric does not require one
Software
Required: Arduino IDE 2.x
- Download from
https://www.arduino.cc/en/software - Free; cross-platform (Windows / macOS / Linux)
- Install before week 7 (where you first need it). Install earlier if you want to play around in advance
Installation steps:
- Windows: download installer; run; accept defaults; allow driver install if prompted
- macOS: download .dmg; drag to Applications; on first launch, right-click → Open (to bypass Gatekeeper for the unsigned binary)
- Linux: download .AppImage or use the package manager. On Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install arduino-ide(may install older version); the latest IDE from arduino.cc is preferable. Add yourself to thedialoutgroup:sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USERthen log out and back in
Optional: Fritzing or KiCad
For digital schematic drawing. Hand-drawn schematics are accepted for the capstone; Fritzing is free, simpler, and produces clean output. KiCad is overkill for HW-101 but ubiquitous in industry; learn it later if you continue into hardware design
Optional: a terminal program
The Arduino IDE's Serial Monitor is sufficient for HW-101. If you want a more capable serial tool (for logging to file, scripting, etc.), try screen, minicom, picocom (Linux/macOS) or PuTTY (Windows)
Folder structure recommendation
~/HW-101/
├── sketches/ (one folder per Arduino sketch)
│ ├── lab-7-1-blink/
│ ├── lab-7-2-external-led/
│ └── ...
├── notebook/ (digital notes if you keep them)
├── labs/ (per-week worksheet copies + your work)
├── capstone/ (week 13-14 deliverable assembly)
└── photos/ (build photos)
Use git from week 1 if you are git-comfortable; commit each lab. If git is new to you (HW-101 does not require it), a folder structure plus zip backups every week is fine
Verify before week 1
After install and unboxing, you should be able to:
- Power on your multimeter and read voltage on the 9 V battery
- Open the Arduino IDE and see a blank sketch (don't connect the R4 yet; just open the IDE)
- Identify all kit components (LEDs, resistors, breadboard, jumpers, sensors)
If any of these fail: troubleshoot before week 1, not during
Estimated setup time
| Step | Time |
|---|---|
| Order the Classroom Pack | ~15 min |
| Wait for shipping | ~3-7 days |
| Order multimeter + supplements | ~15 min |
| Unbox and inventory | ~30 min |
| Install Arduino IDE | ~30 min |
| Practice opening sketches + selecting boards (no R4 needed) | ~20 min |
| Total active time | ~2 hr (plus shipping) |
Where to get help
- Academy Discord channel (link distributed at enrollment)
- Arduino official forums (
forum.arduino.cc) - SparkFun and Adafruit tutorials (both extensive and beginner-friendly)
- Instructor office hours (schedule shared at course start)
If installation fails before week 1, ask for help in advance. Software setup snags are common and not a sign you cannot do the course
Setup guide v0.1 prepared 2026-05-11. Updates after pilot-cohort install feedback.