CAS CPD Events

This term I will be running two CPD sessions on behalf of Computing at Schools.

The first course - Introducing Computer Science to the Primary Classroom (10/03/15)  - explains the computer science concepts and terminology of the new computing curriculum and explores a range of engaging unplugged activities (non IT) that can be used to introduce such concepts to the classroom. 

These activities include the algorithm or advice quiz; roboteach makes squash; human number sort; the selection dance; variable guess who.

The course was over subscribed when run last term. Below is some feedback from course attendees

• "The activities shared were very useful"
• "It was excellent"
• "[the course] made me realise I had a better understanding of the concepts than I thought"
• "great examples of unplugged resources"
• "loads of practical ideas to use in the classroom" 

The second course - Using Makey-Makey Boards with Scratch (19/03/15) -  explores how Makey-Makey boards (more info here) can be used in conjunction with Scratch to program activities and games that use external inputs. As this session will be very hands-on, the numbers are strictly limited to 15 to ensure that all attendees have access to resources.

The session includes ideas on use a makey-makey board to test electric conductors; to control maze based games, control two player race games; play an onscreen instruments. 

Both courses will be run as twilight sessions from 4pm to 6pm at St Paul's Primary School in Withington (M20 4PG)  and the charge per attendee is £27.15. If you would like to book a place on either course please use the links below. Course attendees will be receive copies of resources used in the training sessions

Introducing Computer Science to the Primary Classroom - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introducing-computer-science-to-the-primary-classroom-registration-15326295362

Using Makey-Makey Boards with Scratch - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/using-makey-makey-boards-with-scratch-registration-15350938069

In addition to these events, Sally Jordan will be hosting the termly South Manchester Primary CAS Hub meeting and CPD sessions on Scratch and Kodu - details below.

Next CAS Primary Hub is at Acacias Primary School on March 5^th

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cas-burnage-primary-hub-meeting-tickets-15392570593

Courses:

Introducing Scratch to Primary Teachers KS1 & KS2 on 26/03/2015 16:00 – 17:30

Using Scratch to deliver the Computing Curriculum in Primary Schools.

Exciting and engaging ideas for you and your class with practical activities to deliver straight away.

There will be an opportunity to gain practical experience using Scratch and to learn about the wide variety of plans and resources available.

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introducing-scratch-to-primary-teachers-ks1-ks2-registration-15416882310

Introduction to Kodu for Primary Teachers on 30/04/2015 16:00 – 17:30 at Acacias Primary School, Burnage.

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-to-kodu-for-primary-teachers-registration-15417046802

Sally Jordan - Sally is Computing Co-ordinator at Acacias Primary School, and was appointed as a Primary Master Teacher (Level 2) in July 2014. She is currently teaching Computing across the school and Year 6 intervention groups.

Venue for both training courses is Acacias Primary School, Alexandra Drive, Burnage M19 2WW

For further information: sally.jordan@computingatschool.org.uk

Earthquake watch on Google Earth

If you are teaching lessons on natural disasters, then using Google Earth, to show pupils recent seismic activities, is a powerful way to get across the idea that earthquakes of a low magnitude happen frequently.

To launch this, first open the Google Earth then open Earth Gallery.

Next select crisis from the explore menu and open the Earthquakes from the Last Week map, selecting view in Google Earth when the option presents itself. If you are using a computer open the .kml file you have just downloaded, touchscreen devices will do this step automatically.

You are now presented with information about the earthquakes grouped into those that have occurred in the last hour, last 24 hour and last week. In class we used the information to create a database-style information cards using the book creator app.

Databases using Top Trumps

Top Trump,  a childhood favourite, are a great way of introducing children to databases. A pack of top trumps is a database, they contain records/files and the data is organised into fields, each card has the same set of fields which enables the data to be compared.

I started the unit off by showing children how to create a database using 2investigate by Purple Mash. Each group was given a set of top trumps card and had to input the data from the cards into a collaborative database. When this was finished, the children got to play top trumps for a few minutes before I posed a question about how we could use the database to work out which field had the best chance of winning. I modelled to the children how to search individual fields and how to use greater than and less than searches. The information returned showed them how many cards were better than theirs for that particularly field. They were then able to make a mathematical choice about which field offered them the greatest chance of winning.

At home several children created their own databases from their own trop trumps card, two even created databases by using Wolfram Alpha (a class favourite) to research statistical data about football stadia.

Once the pupils had mastered the skills of designing, creating and searching databases, we moved on to applying the skills in a cross curricular context. In our topic work we had been studying natural disasters, so the children were asked to create a database about volcanoes. Using the idea of top trumps helped them to think about which fields to include: the pupils visualised the data on a top trump card. They then researched and created a database before querying it to answer questions devised by other children.

The children were clearly enthused by this unit of work and using top trumps gave them an easy way to understanding the vocabulary and purpose of databases.  

Ben Davies @b3ndavi3s 

Is it an Algorithm?

If the new primary computing curriculum has achieved anything,  it is introducing the word algorithm into the vocabulary of most teachers. We now all know that algorithms are just a set of instructions to get something done and range from knitting patterns to recipes, from lego instructions to programs written in logo. 

This term we have introduced the word algorithm to pupils EYFS. The children pretended to be a pirate, the gruffalo, even the Queen when saying the word. They have also enjoyed singing the algorithm round.

 

There are key features to algorithm that we can use to identify if something is an algorithm. They must have a outcome: something has to be achieved. They need to be sequenced into a set of steps: if these steps are not followed in order the end product will not be reached. So a no parking sign is not an algorithm but instructions on how to use a parking meter are.

Using this criteria,  pupils can sort images into algorithms or advice. This can be started in class, using this presentation, and continued at home with pupils collecting images of everyday algorithms. Before attempting to understand what a program is, pupils' need a sound understanding of what an algorithm is and isn't.

Celebrity Spelling Tests

I have been using the free iOS app photospeak for sometime, primarily as an alternative way of recording. For those who haven't used the app, photospeak allows you to record a voice over an animated face. This face can be one within the app or an imported image. In class we have created animations of Isaac Newton explaining why the Jenga tower collapsed, Winston Churchill persuading people to enlist and vegetables explaining what nutrients they contain and how these are used by the human body.

Photospeak a free iOS app

Recently a pupil asked if we could get Simon Cowell, whose animation we were using as a stimulus for our writing, to do our weekly spelling test. So that Friday the X-Factor judge obliged and read out the spellings. 

The interface for recording animated voice-overs

Since then this idea has grown and we now have a celebrity spelling test every Friday conducted by a celebrity of the children's choosing. Spellings are given out on Friday allowing children the option of writing sentences, including these words, for use in the next spelling test. It has definitely made the weekly spelling test fun and the children are motivated not just to learn the spellings, but to use the words in the correct context.

Programming with Thomas Trackmaster

Programming with Thomas Trackmaster

After spending a few hours the previous day developing a long term plan for the new computing curriculum, I started using my five year old as a guinea pig for many of the KS1 resources that had been suggested. He found the bee-bot app easy and a bit boring,  loved light-bot and within 15 minutes was able to create and use simple procedures (he even attempted to use the word). However, before I was able to trick him into testing Kandu, he announced that he wanted to play and so we built, with the help of a 3 year old, a train track using Thomas Trackmaster which involved several junctions where the trains could switch tracks and areas where they could be stopped.

As the track was still assembled the following morning, we started playing with the track again. It was at this point that I realised that it could be used as a way to introduce some concepts of programming - an idea taken from Phil Bagge’s (@baggiepr) online course Evolving ICT into Computing. I started setting challenges: can you get Thomas to go through the coal pit then the dieselworks; can you move Thomas to let Diesel past. I then used post-it notes to create a language and instructions for each component.

The challenge was then to get Thomas to the dieselworks. To do this another train had to move to another area of the track, which involved changing the direction of gates and then resetting these gates to allow the other train to get to its destination. After a spot of trial and improvement , which I now refer to as debugging, we used the post it notes to scribe a set of instructions using the specific language.

Through this activity the following aspects of the Key Stage 1 computing curriculum were addressed

• understand what algorithms are
• create and debug simple programs
• use logical reasoning to predict behaviour of simple programs

I am not claiming that through this activity he has mastered the aforementioned areas, but he has developed an understanding of the concepts and this knowledge is ready to be deepened.