Online Charts

 Online Charts

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 6

Strand: Processes and Production Skills

Sub Strand: Acquire, store and validate different types of data and use a range of commonly available software to interpret and visualise data in context to create information (ACTDIP016)

Link to the Resource:

http://www.onlinecharttool.com/

https://www.mindmeister.com/823700803#

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Numeracy

Links to other areas: Mathematics, Science, HASS

Classroom activity using this resource: Online Charts is a website designed to create charts which can be printed, emailed or saved as an image. As a registered user it can also be saved online for future editing. Students are able to choose from a wide variety of charts, including;

Although primary students are not required to create the more difficult charts, by using this website enables differentiation and exposes the gifted and talented students to extended learning.

There are numerous activities that can be done using this resource, whether it be with a science, mathematics or HASS focus. The following example could be used when teaching the Science Inquiry Skill of Planning and Conducting; observe, measure and record data with accuracy using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS104).

                                                                    What Makes Mold Grow More Rapidly?

Students will create bread specimens using bread, mold spores and sealable sandwich bags. These will be placed in three different environments and data of growth of mold will be recorded at the same time each day throughout the experiment. Growth is measured using a transparent plastic grid sheet (10mm x 10mm squares). The recording should be done until there are significant measurable results.

Students will record the data on paper during the experiment and then using Online Charts create the appropriate charts  at the conclusion of the experiment. Photos should also be taken throughout and then added to the final display of data.

Future experiments could also be done by changing some of the variables, for instance, keep the temperature the same but use different types of bread, add moisture to the slices, or put different amounts of sugar or lemon juice onto the slices. Ensuring that only one thing is varied at a time.

Please refer to Martin Shuttleworth’s website for detailed instructions on the experiment items and method  https://explorable.com/mold-bread-experiment. Variations may need to be made to Shuttleworth’s experiment to suit the class, for example recording the growth of mold may need to be done every 3 days to cover the weekend break.

How to use this resource:

This resource is quite explanatory as you progress along, once clicking on “Design Your Chart” you are navigated through the website and prompted where to insert the required information. There are options to personalise your chart by changing colours and fonts etc. Upon completion of the chart you are able to print, save onto computer, email, or save online for future editing. Within the website there is also a Help section for FAQs and a Contact Us option.

Below is a short tutorial created by Michael McIlwraith in which he talks step by step through an example of creating a pie chart. Please note that some of the information he refers to may not be relevant as he is delivering this tutorial to adult learners undertaking a particular unit of study.

Edison Robot

Edison Robot

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: F-6

Strand: Both Digital Technologies processes and production skills and Design and Technologies

Sub strand: The Edison Robots can be used across all ages and many strands and sub strands of the Western Australian Curriculum.

Link to the resource:

http:// meetedison.com

https://www.mindmeister.com/823700803#

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:

Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capability, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Literacy, Numeracy

Links to other learning areas:

Science, Mathematics, English, The Arts

Interesting information about this resource:

Western Australia’s Scitech hold inexpensive Professional Learning workshops throughout the year which enable teachers to upskill themselves not only on the technology supplied by the Department of Education in the new technology kits but also more (ie Beebots, Dash and Dot robots, Edison robots, Makey Makey kits, Sphero robots, Hummingbird robotics kits, mBots, Lego EV3, LittleBits). Scitech workshops are often recognised by the Teachers Registration Board of WA as professional learning hours.

Qualified staff from Scitech will also attend schools and run incursions introducing the Edison Robots to the students and teaching them the basics.

Edison Robots have wheel encoders which allow Edison to travel specific distances at exact speeds. Edison is able to  turn to specific angles (using EdPyApp.com) and drive straight. It has a clutch in each gear box that prevents damage to the gears if the wheels are forced around. It has long range obstacle detection and a clap sensor. Edison comes with graphical programming software (EdWare) and newer software is often realised to complement EdWare ie EdPy – a free Python based programming environment for Edison which is designed to introduce students to a written programming language.

Other features of the Edison Robots are:

  • FREE robotics lesson plans
  • FREE robotics activity mat
  • FREE EdBooks
  • LEGO® compatible
  • Easy to use – suitable for all ages

A classroom activity using this resource:
Introducing the Edison Robots into the lower primary classes as a “toy” not only gains the students’ interest but it also enables the teacher to use computational language within the classroom in a less intimidating game situation.      

In small groups the teacher can guide the students to design a bulldozer using Lego pieces attached to the Edison Robot. Once designed and built they can then use the programming software (with the help of the teacher) to instruct the bulldozer to move extra Lego pieces from one area to another. Ideas are only limited by the imagination, you can even program it to do a drawing by attaching a pencil!

How to use this resource:

The Edison Robot can be purchased through https://meetedison.com, this site is also where information on using this resource is found.

The programming can be done using numerous free software applications and is easy to do due to the drag and drop graphical icons.

The robots are able to be updated with the free firmware updates that will fix bugs or add new functionality.