Students can use Meta-Chart to create different types of graphs online. Students can choose how they would like to represent their data – the site allows them to create bar graphs, pie charts, histograms etc. This is a great way for students to experiment with technology while still learning about data representation. Students follow three easy steps and are then able to create their graph and see it represented on their screen.
Year Level: 3-4
Subject: Technologies
Strands: Digital Technologies
General Capabilities:
Literacy – the students need to be able to effectively put titles, labels etc on the graph
Numeracy – the graphing will have to do with numbers
Information and Communication Technology(ICT) – students will be using ICT to complete their graph as it is based online
Kano is a fantastic computer and coding kit for children ages 6 and upwards. Students actually get to make a computer, learn what’s inside, play with the code and hopefully spark a lifelong passion for computing and the arts! Kano is a Raspberry π based project, which also utilises Sonic Pi for the music coding component.
Below is a video introducing Kano…
As can be seen by the video, Kano has been constructed to engage students immediately, showing them how a computer is designed and engineered on a basic level. As stated by Luke, it’s like putting Lego together. Students once into the coding phase can then learn to code and create games, hack into well known platforms like Minecraft and make music.
Here is another great video showing Luke using Kano.
There are great resource packages designed and built for educator and schools, which can be aligned with the school curriculum and provide great levels of support and training for the teachers. There is also the ability for the students to share their work or projects through portals and also check out what other students have created!
Digital Technologies
Link to SCSA (School Curriculum and Standards Authority)
Looking at the year 4 syllabus Kano could be introduced to explore digital systems in terms of their components and the other peripheral devices. Students learn how to manipulate and interpret data which allow students to develop the data to represent and communicate ideas. This helps to develop computational thinking.
Some Year 4 Content descriptors that would be covered by using Kano:
Knowledge & Understanding
Digital systems and peripheral devices are used for different purposes and can store and transmit different types of data (ACTDIK007)
Digital Implementation
Use simple visual programming environments that include a sequence of steps (algorithm) involving decisions made by the user (branching) (ACTDIP011)
Work with others to create and communicate ideas and information safely, using agreed protocols (netiquette) (ACTDIP013)
You can also easily see how using the Kano package can link in with the general capabilities:
Tynker is a creative computing platform where students are able to learn how to program and build Apps, games and more. It is self paced and is easily incorporated into the Western Australian school curriculum (School Curriculum and Standards Authority, Government of Western Australia) in the subject of Technologies particularly the strand of Digital Technologies.
Students are encouraged and engaged to create games and animated projects using visual coding and provides them with the knowledge foundations in programming and computational thinking which will then help their progress into mainstream object orientated programming. It has powerful kid friendly tools and guided, independent instruction for your students.
The resources and instruction that are available to teachers are also fantastic. It has ready to use, grade specific lesson plans and links to STEM project templates for Math, Science, ICT and English to name a few.
Tynker can be used across different PC platforms (Windows or Mac) and mobile devices running IOS or Android.
Links:
Below are a link to Tynker’s website which will allow a free initial sign up for schools to look at coding across Year levels 1 to 8. This will introduce your class to visual programming. In this course, students get introduced to basic programming as they create interactive stories, design animations, and make mini-games in Tynker’s game-like interface. Each lesson is designed for a class period of 45-60 minutes.
Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities
Critical and creative thinking (CCT),Information and Communication Technology (ICT),Literacy (LIT), Numeracy
Links to other learning areas
English, Science, Mathematics, Humanities and Social Sciences
A classroom activity using this resource
This program is a easy to use interactive program to manipulate timelines in a quick and efficient way. Both students and teachers can use this resource individually or collaboratively in sequence to collect and present data. The application allows students to easily insert dates in the past, present and into the future. It additionally allows them to enter pictures or text to connect a place in time with corresponding information. It allows students to individualize their timelines using colours, fonts and even insert pictures. It allows for multiple text boxes that can be minimized when not required and/or highlighted when needed.
This program is a effective way to promote the use of technologies whilst teaching them the traditional use of timelines but in a new, improved way. It allows for easy addition and subtraction of information and adjustment of legends if required. It additionally allows students to present their work in a professional, clear and concise format.
How to use this resource
This program is a web based program used through the website www.timeglider.com
You can follow the individual instructions on how to create the timeline using this link.
www.timeglider.com/how_it_works
It is easy to use and within some simple steps you are ready to create your time time.
Investigating Food and Fibres by Primezone is a unit of work resource.
Resource Location: http://www.piefa.edu.au/units/foodandfibres.pdf
Cost: Free!
Resource description This unit encourages students to investigate how foods and fibres are produced. It includes sections on foods and fibres we use; how food and fibre are obtained; their production systems; and technologies and processes used to assist in their production and the contributions they make to societies. As the unit progresses, the emphasis shifts to investigating how the family and cultural group students belong to produce different foods or fibre. Students interview a member of their family to obtain this information and in turn share recipes, ingredients, methods and equipment suggested by the families with the class.
Year levels: 3 and 4
Design and Technologies Strand: Design and Technologies – Knowledge and Understanding –
ACARA Content Descriptor: Investigate food and fibre production and food technologies used in modern and traditional societies ACTDEK012
Types of food and fibre produced in different environments, cultures or time periods, including the equipment used to produce or prepare them (ACTDEK012)
Cross Curriculum Priorities – Sustainability
OI.2: All life forms, including human life, are connected through ecosystems on which they depend for their wellbeing and survival.
OI.3: Sustainable patterns of living rely on the interdependence of healthy social, economic and ecological systems.
Using the unit
The unit can be used in a number of ways. It will be of most benefit to teachers who wish to implement a sustained sequence of activities following the inquiry stages identified in the About the approach section of this unit and content descriptions in Years 3 and 4 in Design and Technologies as stated in the Australian Curriculum.
Selecting activities
At each stage several activities are suggested from which you are encouraged to select the most appropriate for your purposes. Not all activities in each stage of the unit need to be used. Alternatively, you may add to or complement the suggested activities with ideas of your own. It is suggested that teachers create a hyperlinked unit. Organise the digital resources for your class’s use on a website or wiki or provide them on your interactive whiteboard.
Additional information
The flexibility of this resource facilittes the teachers ability to target the learning to her class and differentiated abilities within the class. Although the resource is specifically designed for the one SCSA, ACARA outcome it is noted that it can be adapted for use in other year levels. Furthermore, the resource is easily adapted to include the Digital Technologies curriculum.
For example,
Year 3 – Digital Technologies
Knowledge and Understanding:
Different types of data can be represented in different ways (ACTDIK008)
Processes and production skills
COLLECTING, MANAGING AND ANALYSING DATA
Collect and present different types of data using simple software to create useful information (ACTDIP009)
Create and communicate ideas and information safely (ACTDIP013)
Investigating and defining
Create a sequence of steps to solve a given task
Designing
Develop and communicate ideas using labelled drawings and appropriate technical terms
Popplet is a tool for the iPad and web to capture and organize your ideas.
Use within classroom:
In the classroom and at home, students use Popplet for learning. Used as a mind-map, Popplet helps students think and learn visually. Students can capture facts, thoughts, and images and learn to create relationships between them.
The resources strength lays in it’s ability to be used on both portable Apple devices such as iPads and online. This means students are not limited to be tied to a computer when mind mapping, great for small group work.
Price: $7.99
Digital Technologies
Year Levels: Year 3 Sylabus
Strand:Knowledge and understanding – REPRESENTATION OF DATA
Different types of data can be represented in different ways (ACTDIK008)
Cross Curricular and General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking and Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
The app is of course not limited to these aspects of the digital curriculum, or even the digital curriculum.
Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills
Sub Strand: Collect, sort, interpret and visually present different types of data using software to manipulate data for a range of purposes (ACTDIP016)
Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:
Literacy, Numeracy, Information and Communication Technology 9ICT) capability and Critical and Creative thinking.
Links to other learning areas:
English
A classroom activity using this resource:
This resource is a great way for students to develop their independence in the classroom, build their social skills and improve their knowledge on given topics. This program allows teacher or student to create a quiz that is interactive, multiple choice and engaging. I found that the best time to offer the quiz to your students is after a topic has being learnt; once assessment has been done to review and reflect on how much was learnt. The quiz can be as many questions as you desire. Images and videos can be added in relation to your quiz question. As a class, the students can verse each other in the quiz to see which individual wins the most points from each question. This can be done in groups or individually. Once the students have learnt the topic, Kahoot can be used as a reward to self reflect. A reward can be given to winning group or student if desired. This program has had positive feedback from the students both verbally and written as they can give you feedback on the quiz once they complete it. This is a great resource to keep in your classroom to develop students understanding on topis and their ICT skills.
How to use this resource:
If logging in as a teacher, go to https://getkahoot.com to access the page to design the quiz. If students are completing your quiz they go to https://kahoot.it/#/. When students log in they will type the game login that is created once you complete your quiz. This can be shown up on the IWB for all to see.
Click the ‘Create a Kahoot Quiz’ to begin.
You will then need to start creating your quiz and questions –add images or videos to correspond to the questions. You create a title, description and cover image, privacy, language, audience, sources and intro video.
Then click ‘Go’. You will then start your questions. Add the questions, write possible answers (select the correct answer) and include images or videos. You will select the amount of time your students have to answer the question.
Once completed you can review and edit your quiz until you’re happy to release it to the class room/public.
A game logi pin will be available and this is what you show the students in order to enter the quiz. Students login and create a game name for the session.
Start the quiz, the eacher controls when to move onto the next question, though the Kahoot program controls how long each question is avaible for (depending on how long you selected).
Scratch is a click-drag-and-drop programming environment that is exceptional for introducing students to programming concepts via Windows and Mac OS X . Students can use Scratch to code their own interactive stories, games, and animations. In the process, they learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively, which are essential skills for society and the classroom.
Target year level: Year 3-6 (Also recommended for high-school students)
Curriculum learning area: Digital Technologies
General Capabilities: Literacy, Numeracy, ICT, Critical and Creative Thinking
Developed by: Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab
Why use scratch in your classroom? Scratch introduces students to programming without the daunting pressure of understanding coding/programming language. Beginners are often ‘put off’ when faced with errors in coding, as many programmers are quite abstruse in their language, however scratch aims to overcome this barrier by using a drag-and-drop technique that is readily available to young ages. Scratch uses visual programming language that can be used to construct games, presentations, tutorials, animations, interactive stories and more to create a conceptual understanding or digital materials.
About this resource: Scratch has provided a educational resource for teachers that provides a digital platform for teachers to engage in and share stories, experiences, resources and meet fellow educators via the Scratch Educator Meetups. Note: These meetups are USA centralized. Scratch also provides teachers with an educator account to help manage classroom projects and student programs.
Links to other learning areas:
Art – Drawing experimentation with colour
Mathematics – Plot, graph, demonstrate and application of mathematical concepts
Science – Simulation and experimentation
Languages – Simple quiz input/output, including the recording of sound for feedback
English – Develop a narrative, plot points, characters and actions
All learning areas – Demonstrate a deeper, conceptual understanding of fundamental ideas
Mitch Resnick – Computer Scientist
Mitch Resnick is the director of the Life Long Kindergarten Group and LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research at MIT Media Lab. Resnick aims to engage students with technology, encouraging them to create and experiment using coding with digital resources. You can find more information about Mitch Resknick here: https://www.media.mit.edu/people/mres/overview/
Strand: Knowledge & Understanding and Processes & Production Skills
Sub-strand: Digital Systems, Investigating and Defining, Evaluating
Possible Curriculum Links:
Digital systems have components with basic functions and interactions that may be connected together to form networks which transmit different types of data (ACTDIK014)
Define a problem, and a set of sequenced steps, with users making decisions to create a solution for a given task
Develop collaborative criteria to evaluate and justify design processes and solutions
Link to the Resource:
https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms
Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:
Critical and creative thinking
Personal and social capability
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Numeracy
Cross-curriculum links:
Mathematics
What is it:
Lego Mindstorms EV3 is a system that allows students to build, program and command which are easy and fun to used. The package comes with bricks, motors and sensors to create one of 17 types of robots that can shoot, drive, slam, crash and spin with control from a range of devices including smart phones and tablets. Students can also further program the robots with on computer coding program for more features. The robot can be deconstructed and formed into any of the other 16 models for more missions and actions.
https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/about-ev3
How to use it in the Classroom:
one example of how Lego Midstorms EV3 can be used in the classrooms is the students programming a robots to respond to the sense of touch through lights, sounds, colour and movement. the robot can be displayed in a public area, for example the front office or staff area, with a sign next to it “Do Not Touch”. The robot recorded data every time it was touched within a space of an hour. the students can then graph and analyse this raw data to investigate trends as well as self-control of adults.
Strand: Digital Technologies – Processes and Production Skills
Sub-Strand: Collecting, Managing and Analysing Data – Collect, store and present different types of data for a specific purpose using software (ACTDIP016)
Can be accessed and downloaded on the App Store (iPad/iPhone) or on Google Play (Android) for FREE
Cross-Curriculum Priorities:
Sustainability
General Capabilities:
Literacy
Numeracy
Critical and Creative Thinking
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Links to Other Learning Areas:
English
Numeracy
Health and Physical Education
How can an app lead us to a Healthier Future?
Bupa and The George Institute have created the app ‘FoodSwitch’. This app is used to help people find the healthiest brand for a desired food item. It helps individuals and families make healthier choices by giving alternatives (or ‘switches’) for different items based on the quantities of sugar, saturated fat, salt and kilojoules. It helps to take away the overwhelming feeling of reading food labels to decide which is the healthiest food by comparing the foods for you after simply scanning the products barcode!
How does the FoodSwitch app work?
Download the app from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or from Google Play for FREE
Once in the app, you can select the filter you would like. There is a generic FoodSwitch option as well as SaltSwitch, EnergySwitch, FatSwitch and SugarSwitch option. Each shows the healthier option (in a traffic light system or Health-Star rating way) listed first based on the nutritional value of the product scanned. GlutenSwitch is also a filter which shows gluten-free alternatives. *FILTER CAN BE CHANGED WHENEVER DESIRED
Image shows options of the filters on the FoodSwitch app
After selecting a filter, under the scan button, you can scan any food products barcode. Alternatives are then given to this product (the different nutritional values are shown in a traffic light system or by the Health-Star ratings)
Image shows how products nutritional value is shown in a traffic light system. Seen below are healthy alternatives for the product scanned (healthiest at the top).
As many items as desired can be scanned and all appear under the ‘Recents’ button
Underneath the scanned product, alternative brands are listed with healthier choices to ‘switch’ the scanned product with being listed at the top
FoodSwitch Benefits for Students:
Improves design thinking. Students are required to create an outcome (based on healthy food options) that will benefit people
Students are reading data (using mathematics knowledge)
Students can use it in a cooperative working group so learn how to work with others and take turns
Students can use the app at home to educate their own family on healthy food options
Students are learning a easy way to make healthy food options
Students understand how a healthy lifestyle is sustainable for their lives as an app as simple as this can be used to provide healthy alternatives
Classroom Activity using FoodSwitch:
This is an engaging way for students to increase their digital technologies knowledge while learning about healthy food alternatives. FoodSwitch can be used by students of all ages to promote healthy eating. This app encourages students to compare data and base judgements on this data. Younger students can use this app to simply compare the different nutritional areas of food products and decide which are healthier alternatives. Older students can use this app in conjunction with a case study. They can have information about a ‘family’ and use this app to scan different food products and decide which would be most beneficial and improve their ‘families’ health in necessary areas. This app can be used in individual, partner and group work settings and works with any tablet or iPad. Students can use knowledge they learn through this app to educate their own family about healthy eating and healthy food alternatives.
