The Micro:bit Educational Foundation is a UK-based not for profit organisation. The micro:bit is an affordable pocket-sized computer designed for children's learning. 20 million
children are learning with the micro:bit worldwide with 4.5 million micro:bit devices in 60 countries.
The Micro:bit Educational Foundation is a UK-based not for profit organisation. The micro:bit is an affordable pocket-sized computer designed for children's learning. 20 million
children are learning with the micro:bit worldwide with 4.5 million micro:bit devices in 60 countries.
This unit of 5 lessons is aimed at pupils aged 9-10 (KS2 Year 5 in England) comprising editable plans, slides and student resources to teach data through a variety of unplugged and physical computing activities. Students write and evaluate algorithms and programs using selection and repetition to use micro:bit as a temperature recorder, an automatic warning system and a digital assistant. You will ideally use physical micro:bits for these lessons, although you can also use the simulator.
The unit comprises five lessons of approximately 60 minutes each:
Research lesson on understanding, locating and using data
Exploring the micro:bit’s sensors
Unplugged lesson designing gadgets with sensors
Using sensors in algorithms and programs
Programming digital assistants
.
Learning objectives
can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve problems
can evaluate and apply information technology
are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology
Additional skills
Researching, design thinking, problem-solving, debugging.
.
Included resources
Lesson plan Word documents
Lesson slides PowerPoints
Student handouts
micro:bit program files
.
England KS2 computing curriculum links
Students should 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,… in programs; work with … 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
.
England KS2 geography curriculum links
Students should be taught to:
use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods including … digital technologies
.
Code.org CS Fundamentals curriculum links
Courses C, D, E
Concepts included:
data
algorithms & programs using nested loops & conditionals (if/else if)
sensors
variables (strings)
Unit of 5 Computing and Geography lessons for KS2 Year 4 in England (ages 8-9) Through a mixture of fun unplugged and programming activities related to animations, pupils develop their understanding of decomposition, flowchart algorithms and repetition. They then write, program and test an animation showing volcanic eruption using the LEDs on the micro:bit.
The unit comprises 5 lessons of approximately 60 minutes each
Unplugged lesson decomposing dance sequences and flipbook animations
Using flowchart algorithms and exploring repetitions in the MakeCode editor
Unplugged lesson decomposing and planning volcanic eruption animations
Programming in MakeCode and reviewing and micro:bit animations
Unplugged lesson decomposing the unit’s learning
.
Learning objectives
can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve problems
can evaluate and apply information technology
are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology
.
Additional skills
Creative thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, debugging.
.
Included resources
Lesson plan
Lesson slides
Student handouts
micro:bit program files
.
England KS2 computing curriculum links
design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals
use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs
use sequence, and repetition in programs
.
England KS2 geography curriculum links
Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: volcanoes and earthquakes
.
Code.org CS Fundamentals links
Courses A and B
Concepts included
computational thinking
sequencing
events
flowchart algorithms
loops