Go Noodle

https://www.gonoodle.com/

Gonoodle is a fun interactive website and app that students and teachers can use in many different ways.

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: Kindy to year 6- This app is probably most rewarding for lower primary aged children, but all students can have fun with is and the meditation activities can be beneficial to all ages.

Strand: Knowledge and Understanding.

Sub Strand: Digital systems (hardware and software) are used in everyday life and have specific features(ACTDIK001)

 

Using the PrimaryConnections Science Program to Teach Technology

Using the PrimaryConnections Science Program to Teach Technology

Learning Area

Design and Technology

Year Level

Four

Strand

Technologies Contexts

Sub-Strand

Engineering principles and systems

Forces, and the properties of materials, affect the behaviour of a product or system (ACTDEK011)

This is from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) however the equivalent for the Australian curriculum can be found online.

Link to the Resource

Hard Copy ($42):

https://www.primaryconnections.org.au/shop/2PC405-BK

Online resource available on Scootle for free; however, you will need to create an account:

http://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/viewing/S7161/Package-it-better-2012/index.html

To watch PrimaryConnections in action within the classroom click here and it will take you to their YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmx-UK7n-78qwCi4tnJYdDQ

Cross Curricular Priorities

Critical and creative thinking (CCT), Personal and social capability (PSC)

Links to Other Learning Areas

Science, Literacy, Mathematics

Some Background on the Creators

The Australian Academy of Science has linked science with literacy through the innovative program that is PrimaryConnections. The many lesson ideas and units created through PrimaryConnections use an inquiry-based approach to develop students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in both science and literacy; however, many of the lessons can be adapted to suit teaching different aspects of the curriculum. To find out more, please visit the PrimaryConnections website at https://primaryconnections.org.au/about.

Using this Resource

Whilst this resource is set to a quite specific year level and section of the curriculum, it is very easy to implement in the classroom. The program is an eight week course that is designed to cover an entire section of the year four chemistry curriculum. However; looking deeper into the content and tasks required of the students, it is actually a program that coincides very closely with the technologies curriculum. The program is essential lesson plans that include diagnostic, formative and summative assessments; with sequential lessons that build on each other with every activity. The entire program is extremely hands on, with each child being placed into groups and assigned a role, which is linked to improving personal and social capabilities. It caters for visual, audible and kinaesthetic learners. Much of the work is already done for you, it just needs to be adapted to have more of a technology focus if you so desire. If year four is not your year, PrimaryConnections offer science programs for every year level K-12, all of which have ideas on how to teach lessons based on technology. It is just up to you to adapt the program accordingly!

Popplet

Subject: Design Technologies

 

Strand – Processes and Production Skills
Sub strand – Designing
Develop, communicate and discuss design ideas through describing, drawing, modelling and/or a sequence of steps.
General Capabilities:

  • Literacy
  • ICT
  • Creative and critical thinking

Links to all other learning areas
Objective:
Popplet is a visual tool that allows students to show ideas. It is an engaging tool used for mind mapping, graphic organisers, timelines and other forms of visual organisation. Popplet focuses on brainstorming and can also be used as a presentation tool.

How to use this resource

  • Register with Popplet
  • Begin by developing a project by creating a popple.
  • Add text by clicking on each popple.
  • Videos and images can be imported from Facebook or YouTube, or any file saved on the computer.
  • The drawing tool is used to write notes or sketch.
  • Other users can leave feedback using the comment function.

iMovie

Subject: Digital Technologies

 

Year Level: Year 1 – 6

 

Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

 

Sub-strand: Using digital systems

 

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/imovie/id377298193?mt=8

 

Links to all other areas

 

Objective:
Students can use technology to visually show creativity and individuality. The editing tools on the app allow students to create a variety of different types of movies which they can then show to the rest of the class as a project.

 

How do you use it?

  • Import video using clips from your camera
  • Import images or music
  • Edit clips
  • Combine clips into a movie
  • Add effects or titles to clips

 

Ways to use it in the classroom:

  • Creating visual presentations
  • Using for projects
  • Video reports
  • News telling
  • Story telling

Popplet

Popplet


http://www.popplet.com/

 

About:

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.

LEGO Autobots, roll out!

Subject: Digital Technology

Year level: 3-6

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.

Become your own Virtual DJ

v8_2decks.jpg

Subject: Digital Technology

Year level: 5/6

Strand: Knowledge & Understanding and Processes & Production Skills

Sub-strand: Collecting, Managing & Analysing Data and Digital Systems

Possible Curriculum Links:

Collect, sort, interpret and visually present different types of data using software to manipulate data for a range of purposes (ACTDIP016)

Collect, store and present different types of data for a specific purpose using software (ACTDIP016)

Link to the Resource:

http://www.virtualdj.com

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:

Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capability

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Cross-curriculum links:

The Arts: Music

 

What is it:

Virtual DJ is a computer program that allows students to create their own music mixes or mix together already existing songs to create a new track. It allows students to experiment with speed, tempo, loops and crossfading. This program also enables the students to mix videos to go in addition with their music track including fading and transitions.

How to use it in the Classroom:

One example of how this program can be used in the classroom is to teach students about different way to represent data through sound. students would use the program to create an end product by mixing together existing sounds. this teaches students that sound is a type of data and that they are able to manipulate it. This shows their understanding that sound is made up of data.

 

Ozobot – How to make coding simple and easy!

About:
Ozobot is a compact, robot that students can use to learn about coding. This little robot is able to be used from Pre-primary to Year 8/9 when used with correct differentiation. The robot is designed to follow a line, you can then program the robot to do different tasks by editing the line with different colours (Red, green, black and blue). Students will have to follow specific codes to get the ozobot to do different actives for example they would have to follow the colour code pattern to get the ozbot to successfully complete a spin. Within a classroom this little ozobot has a wide range of uses for both the teacher and students to enjoy.

Use within classroom:
Teachers can use these bots to teach multiple learning areas when supported with other texts and resources (these lessons can be found on the Ozobots website -linked below). Depending on the age group of the students the Ozobots can be used with both pens and iPads as well as creating simple coding to complex coding.  The limit to these bots is the teachers imagination and technical ability.

Price:
The Classroom Kit is $1195.
This includes:
18 ozobots
18 clear DIY skins
3 multi-port chargers
18 sets of colour code markers
18 ozocode sheets
Teachers guide
Ozobot tip sheet
OzoBlockly get started sheet
Log sheet
Bowling challenge with bowling pins
Ozobot storage box
Classroom kit storage Box

Year Levels: Pre-primary +

Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Link to resource: http://ozobot.com/stem-education

Cross Curricular and General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking and Information  and Communication Technology (ICT)

Curriculum links:
– Data can have patterns and can be represented as pictures and symbols (ACTDIK002)
-Data can have patterns and can be represented as pictures, symbols and diagrams (ACTDIK002)
-Use data to solve a simple task/problem (ACTDIP003)
-Data can have patterns and can be represented and used to make simple conclusions (ACTDIK002)
-Use data to solve similar tasks/problems (ACTDIP003)
-Use visually represented sequenced steps (algorithms), including steps with decisions made by the user (branching) (ACTDIP011)
And many more

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.

Robot Turtles Resource- Emma Hoad

Robot Turtles Resource- Emma Hoad

Overview of the resource:

This resource is a game which can be used by students when learning about and employing com
putational thinking. ‘Robot Turtles’ is a board game which has been developed to teach children about the fundamentals of computational thinking through programming. The game is suitable for students in Year 1 to Year 3, as the game can be adapted to suit each of these year levels, according to their abilities and the degree of challenge and complexity. The game also does not a great depth of reading, therefore it is more accessible to all students, especially those who are still beginning and emergent readers and require additional support with reading tasks. 

The game would be suitable to use during group rotations during a lesson or if multiple copies of the game were to be purchased they could be used simultaneously by small groups in teams.

The game is very engaging, interactive and evolves as students’ knowledge, understanding and skills of programming ways of computational thinking develop. The game can be modified to have increased difficulty to challenge students’ computational thinking and understanding of programming. As described by the developer, “Just like real programmers, they mentally run their code and debug it. Then they get frustrated and just try it to see what happens… also like real programmers” (Dan Shapiro, 2014).

Cost– The board game can be purchased for $29 each or a class set of 10 for $240.

Link to resource-

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/danshapiro/robot-turtles-the-board-game-for-little-programmer 

How to play the game:

The game has a maximum of 4 players
  • One student or the teacher supervising the group is to read out the rules of the game. This reader is called the “Turtle Mover” and is responsible for moving the cards.
  • The Laser and Function Frog cards need to be placed aside to used later when unlocked in the game.
  • Each player, a “Turtle Master” is to pick a turtle, and with this turtle they are given the accompanying deck of cards for that turtle.
  • Then stack the cards on the table, in piles, face up, and build a maze for each player out of walls and a jewel.
  • The “Turtle Mover” then reads out to the group 1. Put down instruction cards, one at a time. 2. Every time you put down a card, I will move the turtle for you. 3. Collect the robot jewels to win!
  • Students can then begin the game, with the youngest player going first. They place their card down and the Turtle Mover moves the card according to the image on the card. Note- the purple card turns the turtle toward the purple flower, the yellow card toward the yellow flower, etc
  • As they progress, they build their program up on the table. If they make a mistake, they can shout “Bug!” and debug it.

The Turtle Mover is like the computer, following directions of the Turtle Masters as they place their cards on the board and try to collect as many jewels as they can.

To read the instructions for the game by the developer, refer to http://www.robotturtles.com/instructions/

or view/listen to the instructions for the game as explained by Dan Shapiro, the developer of the game – see video below.

Note-  The unlockable cards which can be added to the game make the game more challenging, making it harder to collect jewels.  these cards are shown below:

Links to the curriculum:

Digital Technologies

Digital Implementation:

  • Use visually represented sequenced steps (algorithms), including steps with decisions made by the user (branching) (ACTDIP011).

Creating solutions by:

Investigating and defining
  • Create a sequence of steps to solve a given task.

General Capabilities:

Information and Communication Technology (ICT), as “In Digital Technologies, students develop an understanding of the characteristics of data, digital systems, audiences, procedures and computational thinking…[and]…Students learn to formulate problems, logically organise and analyse data and represent them in abstract forms. They automate solutions through algorithmic logic” (SCSA, 2016).

Literacy,  as students “…learn how to communicate ideas, concepts and detailed proposals to a variety of audiences; read and interpret detailed written instructions for specific technologies, often including diagrams and procedural writings…[and]…the importance of listening, talking and discussing in technologies processes, especially in articulating, questioning and evaluating ideas” (SCSA, 2014).

Critical and creative thinking, as students “develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they imagine, generate, develop and critically evaluate ideas. They develop reasoning and the capacity for abstraction through challenging problems that do not have straightforward solutions. Students analyse problems, refine concepts and reflect on the decision-making process by engaging in systems, design and computational thinking” (SCSA, 2014).

References:

Robot Turtles | The Board Game that Teaches Programming to Kids. (2017). Robotturtles.com. Retrieved 11 January 2017, from http://www.robotturtles.com