Monthly Archives: May 2018

CC Links

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Micro:bit with Scratch can be used as a meaningful context, across the curriculum in various ways: designing or adapting sprites in a game in art;  positioning and using co-ordinates  in geometry; instruction writing in literacy and so on…However, a strong and clear link can be made with Design and Technology which I have focused on within this page, in the context of creating controllers.


Creating a controller

Below shows the process I used to create a steering wheel controller. I had access to a workshop with machines and tools to create this. The controller would be unlikely to be re-produced by students in school due to time, equipment, health and safety etc. I would argue that the benefit of having a singular versatile controller such as this one would be well worth the time and effort to create, if possible.

The controller could be used for:

  • Demonstrations
    • After debugging or creating code with the pupils on the interactive whiteboard, you or a pupil could model the use of the controller and use it as part of problem solving as a class.
  • Positive reinforcement
    • A child who had shown stand-out effort, behaviour or skill in a computing session could be rewarded by getting to use the “teacher’s controller” during sessions or during some choosing time (free time, golden time), if they wished.
  • Modelling
    • Children could use this steering wheel as a model when creating their own. Giving them an idea of shape, size and suitability. (See Design and Technology below for ideas)
  • Other games!
    • By creating a steering wheel, more interactive games or videos can be created and adapted by using the stimulus of having a steering wheel.
      • Cars, planes, boats, steering, driving, moving, directing, avoiding, picking up objects- some example themes that can be adapted to one controller! Enough ideas to fuel a mid term plan!

Design and Technology

Here is a link to the National Curriculum Design and Technology programmes of study: Key stage 1 and 2. You can link computing to the design and technology curriculum through the making of controllers.

Aims taken from the curriculum include-

  • develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday
    tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
  •  build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design
    and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
  •  critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others

(Taken from the National Curriculum Design and Technology programmes of study: Key stage 1 and 2, 2013)

 

Below are some example steering wheels I created using various materials that could be accessed in the classroom and adapted for different age groups and abilities. In all the examples I have used the controller above as a model for my main design. Within the post are examples of lesson ideas and links to the design and technology curriculum. The step by step pictures shown could also be valuable for pupils who find it difficult to follow instructions or would benefit a whole class as a demonstration or reminder. These examples also give opportunities for pupils to evaluate their work and test their product when using it with Scratch.

Polystyrene plate controller

This plate took minutes to transform into a wheel.  This would be suitable for any age group. I used a pen and my fingers to create handle holes and so this would be beneficial for students who struggle with fine motor skills. One plate felt strong but you could stick two together to create a stronger wheel if you were planning to use them over many lessons. As they are can be made quickly, cheaply and easily, these would also make good prototypes.

This was created using:

  • 1 polystyrene plate
  • Double sided tape/ sticky foam
  • a pen/scissors
  • a hole punch (optional)

Instructions-

1- Draw around your Micro:bit in the center of the plate

2-Sketch out the cut out parts that will form the handles

3- Using a pen (or scissors), roughly drag the tip over the sketched lines, to create a break in the polystyrene

4- Go over this line again and begin to use your fingers to break away the polystyrene

5- Decorate your plate to your own taste! (Picture below shows hole punching to create a repeat pattern and imitate a steering wheel with holes)

6- Stick on your Micro:bit

Paper plate controller

The paper plate controller was harder to cut than the polystyrene plate and so some pupils may need more time to create this. Paper plates are accessible for the classroom and as they are paper they offer a wide range of art and design opportunities such as paint, glitter, pens, crayons, oil pastels or colouring pencils. Paper plates would also make a suitable prototype for design. The plates are not strong and so it may be advisable to stick 2 or 3 together for each controller. This may require some heavy duty cutting or creating wheel templates so the pupils can cut one plate at a time.

This was created using:

  • 3 paper plates
  • Double sided tape/ sticky foam
  • a pen/scissors
  • colouring pens and glitter (optional)

Instructions-

1- Draw around your Micro:bit in the center of the plate

2-Sketch out the cut out parts that will form the handles

3- Using scissors create a hole to begin to cut out the handle holes

4- (if you are doing the plates separately: complete step 3 for the other plates using your first plate as a template, then stick the plates together)

5- Decorate your plate to your own taste!

6- Stick on your Micro:bit

 

Cake board controller

The cake board steering wheel is an design idea that could be used for upper key stage two children as a design and technology project alongside their computing sessions. I would recommend this for key stage two, or similar projects, as it would require the use of design tools. Similar controllers could be made with pieces of wood, cardboard or clay.

This was created using:

  • 1 cake board
  • Double sided tape/ sticky foam
  • a scalpel
  • Black tape (optional- could use other tape or material to re-cover the new shape of the board)

*This design is just a prototype for a project. Thinner cake boards could create easier methods of cutting and produce a better, cleaner design.*

Instructions-

1- Draw around your Micro:bit in the center of the board

2-Sketch out the cut out parts that will form the handles

3- Using a scalpel create the holes for the handles

4- Decorate your plate to your own taste!

5- Stick on your Micro:bit

 

 

 

KS2

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See KS1 for other broken code and sequencing activities which:

  • can be adapted or used as starters for upper KS2.
  • can be used in lower KS2 to build or re-consolidate core knowledge within computational thinking

What the National Curriculum says

The national curriculum computing key stage two programme of study  requires pupils to be taught to-

  • design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
  • use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output
  • use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs

(Taken from the National Curriculum in England: Computing programmes of study, 2013)

 

Micro:bit can be used in various ways to meet the national curriculum aims-

  • Design
    •  Pupils could design or change sprites and backgrounds for the Tyson the Tractor game.
    • See CC links for linking the design of a controller to the design and technology curriculum.
  •  Write
    • Pupils could add new code or adapt current code to accomplish a different goal/ produce a new outcome.
  • Debug
    • Pupils could use sequencing activities to problem solve using computational thinking.
    • Interlinked with writing and designing pupils will use and develop their understanding of programming language whilst creating their new code and absolving challenges along the way.
    • Pupils will be naturally analysing problems in computational terms.

If pupils are able to use logical reasoning and other key principals of computational thinking than they will be able to begin to move towards:

  • Adaptation
    • Pupils can make adaptations to the Tyson the Tractor game
      • Changing sprites, backgrounds, the input the controller gives etc.
  • Addition
    • Pupil can make changes to the game to begin to make it their own

Below are two activity ideas for KS2 pupils which can be adapted to KS1, used as starters or be differentiated to suit differing levels of attainment in a class.

Sequencing activity

Sequencing activities can be used in the same way as the Broken Code activities in the KS1 area.

Example

I want Tyson to look left when he moves left and look right when he moves right. Can you fix the broken code?

Below is the code I originally wrote for Tyson to move left.

“Point in direction -90” was the solution.

Pupils can then begin to use this code to enable them to write the code for moving right, and maybe even up and down as an extension.

This type of problem solving would require more experience with Scratch and the programming language.

Hints could be given to complete broken code like this where the additional code is not obvious.

Here is the code for Bess moving around the field, I want to make the game easier as I keep losing all my lives when I bump into Bess. How could I do this?  (this could be printed and cut up or on Scratch) 

(Solution: to change the glide time)

Sequencing activities could then involve removing the 0.5 sec wait from the costume changes above and asking the pupils to either:

  • picture 1- add the wait time to show Bess moving
  • picture 2- create a sequence to change Bess’s costumes to show she is eating grass

Can you…? Challenges.

Pupils can collect Can you…? cards from boxes in the classroom during a session.

These could be

  • Starter cards
  • Plenary cards
  • Whole session cards
  • Adaptation cards
  • Addition cards

Cards can offer varied levels of challenge, these could be labelled as green, orange and red so the children know the red will be the hardest challenge, or alternatively they could be labelled as Coding genius, Coding mastermind or Coding expert where the children pick a card and identify if the challenges are too difficult or too easy for their own ability.

Cards could contain a certain number of Can you…? questions to challenge the pupils. These could be adapted to fit within different sessions at different times. Children could keep a copy of the cards they used and recount how they were able to solve problems (assessment opportunity), or they could be reused over many sessions.

 

 

 

KS1

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What the National Curriculum says

The national curriculum  key stage one programme of study  requires pupils to be taught to-

  • understand what algorithms are, how they are implemented as programs on digital devices, and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions
  • create and debug simple programs
  • use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs

(Taken from the National Curriculum in England: Computing programmes of study, 2013)

 

Broken code

Broken code can be used in different ways to meet the national curriculum aims-

  • Editing code
    • By removing or adding information pupils can debug and create solutions.
  • Muddling code
    • Pupils having to rearrange code to find the correct order and helps them to produce clear algorithms from code given
  • Predicting code
    • Giving pupils a section of code, they can predict the behaviour of programs, allowing them to use reasoning and judgement.

This can also be done by-

  • Using Scratch remixes to give children broken code and let them predict, work practically and problem solve the effects.
  • Printing copies of code, cutting them up and getting the children to re-built them as a starter or plenary. (Followed by completing this on the interactive whiteboard or their own computer/laptop/tablet at school)
  • Giving partial information or hints on the whiteboard to help students piece back together the code and problem solve.
  • Designing decomposition or abstraction activities to develop of understanding of algorithms and sequencing.

Below is an example of broken code for a game created in Scratch. (See here for more information) The code below will enable the Micro:bit to be used to control the movement of Tyson the Tractor in the game. In this instance we have provided certain information for the pupils…

They know

They do not know

  • The order

This example could be done on the interactive whiteboard as a class or printed and cut out for the children to re-arrange in pairs.

 

Decomposition and Abstraction

However, there are steps before this that the children can take to enhance their computational thinking. These two examples below can help to elicit skills and develop thinking and problem solving.

Including skills of

  •  selection, repetition, abstraction, decomposition and sequence

Example of instructions

Another example of an instruction activity can be found here.

Example of a flowchart created to problem solve

Three examples of types of flow charts that could be created or progression that could be made throughout a module.

  • image 1- basic flowchart
  • image 2- colour coordinated with the blocks on scratch (or could be a pupils own key created to show block functions)
  • image 3- addition of other command blocks used in code

 

See KS2 for further ideas

Meet Micro:bit

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Getting to know the BBC Micro:bit

It is important that you are familiar with the components of the BBC Micro:bit before you use it with the students. Time can be easily taken away from lessons by having to research the anatomy of the Micro: bit which you could be teaching instead. Ideas on teaching Micro:bit anatomy can be found here.

Below is a labelled diagram of the front and back of a Micro:bit (suitable to share with pupils) and at the bottom a set of component definitions and information. (More definitions relating to Micro:bit can be found here.)


Some useful component definitions

LED

  •  (Light-emitting diode) You can program each LED to show numbers, letters or images on your micro:bit.

CPU

  • (Central Processing Unit) This is where all of the Micro: bit’s programming and information is stored and processed. The Bluetooth allows your Micro: bit to communicate wirelessly with some other Bluetooth compatible devices.

Accelerometer

  •  Measures the acceleration of your Micro: bit by sensing how you are physically moving the device.

USB

  •  Using your USB connector you can connect to a computer and download pre-made code or your own code!

 

Pins

Big Pins

Small Pins

  • Are programmed to work alongside components in your micro: bit.

3V Power port

  •  This can be used as an output to power other devices or an input to power your micro: bit if you are not using a battery or USB.

GND Ground

  •  This can be used to complete a circuit. You can even use your hands to do this whilst also touching one of the other pins.

Getting the pupils to know their Micro:bit

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Before beginning a project pupils can take part in activities to help them be acquainted with their Micro:bits. Shown below are activity ideas for KS1 and KS2 to introduce them to their Micro:bits. Tasks can be adapted for different classes and can be re-used as starters or to elicit knowledge for assessment.

 Purpose 

  • A better understanding of the Micro:bit functions will enable the children to begin to manipulate the functions effectively and be part of  more meaningful learning .

 

KS1- Jumbled labels and definitions. 

Activities 

  • Label the Micro:bit
  • Match the definitions to the labels.

All you need 

  •  Printed pictures of the Micro:bit (back and front)
  • Paper, marker pens and glue
  • Envelopes of cut up definitions to share out

Example of labelled diagram template

(This could be used to elicit pupil’s current ideas or be used as a starter to recap information.)

Example of definition list

(This could be created with the class and revisited as a starter) 

 

KS2- Create your own labelled diagram and definitions.

Activity 

  •  Pupils create their own diagram using pictures of the Micro:bit

Extension 

  •  Writing their own definitions using the BBC Micro:bit website

All you need (Suggested)

  •  Printed pictures of the Micro:bit (back and front)
  • Paper, marker pens, rulers, coloured pens or pencils, glue, scissors

 

Example of own labelled diagram and definitions

Micro:bit labelled diagram

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Getting to know the BBC Mircro:bit

(ADD LABELLED DIAGRAM OF MICRO:BIT and DEFINITIONS)

 

Getting the pupils to know the BBC Micro:bit

Before beginning a project pupils can take part in activities to help them be acquainted with their Micro:bits.

                Purpose          : A better understanding of the Micro:bit functions will enable the children to begin to                                              manipulative the functions effectively.

KS1- Jumbled labels and definitions. 

               Activity            : Label the Micro:bit and then match the definitions to the labels.

          All you need        : Printed pictures of the Micro:bit (back and front)

Paper, marker pens and glue

 

Example-  (ADD PICTURE OF CUT UP AND RE LABELLED DIAGRAM)

 

KS2- Create your own labelled diagram and definitions.

  Activity             : Pupils create their own diagram using pictures of the Micro:bit

           Extension            : Writing their own definitions using the Micro:bit website

(Suggested) All you need: Printed pictures of the Micro:bit (back and front)

Paper, marker pens, rulers, coloured pens or pencils, glue, scissors

 

Example-  (ADD PICTURE OF MY MADE ONE)