Upload Complete...No Blinking Light

I am new to Arduino, trying to prepare to help middle school kids explore the cool world of the Arduino microcontrollers. I have purchased Mega2560 kits from Sunfounder. I am using a MacBook Air with Yosemite. I have installed the Arduino IDE successfully and been able to compile the program for project one--blinking LED. I believe I have found the right board and serial port under the Arduino Tools menu. I have received the "upload complete" message after compiling and uploading the code, but I have no blinking light. My breadboard configuration also seems right.

But no blinking light. What am I missing? And, what information do I need to post for someone to diagnose my prob?

Thanks!

I would suggest that you try the example "blink" sketch that comes preloaded with the IDE to determine if it actually a programming error or a definite problem with your Arduino(s). This would blink the on-board led that is connected to pin 13.

The example sketch can be found under File ==> Examples ==> Basics ==> Blink. Also be sure to check that the correct board is selected under the Tools ==> Board menu.

Let me know the results of these.

A. Berthfield

There is an LED connected to pin 13 on the board. Does it blink? If it does and your LED does not, perhaps your LED is the wrong way around.

Thanks, berthfield and ChilliTronix for your help. I did have the LED backwards. Lesson 1 done.

kymgard:
Lesson 1 done.

And you actually learned some things:
The LED has to be in the right orientation: Anode to +, Cathode to -/Ground
How to tell which LED pin is Anode and which is Cathode.

johnwasser:
And you actually learned some things:
The LED has to be in the right orientation: Anode to +, Cathode to -/Ground
How to tell which LED pin is Anode and which is Cathode.

He also learned that a LED is one of the few things we can connect backwards that has no nasty side effect!