At Pleasant Street Primary School, we believe that developing a child’s computing skills is vital for their successful future. In an ever-changing world where technology is leading the way, we aim to develop confidence and enthusiasm of the topic and to explore computational thinking.
We want pupils to grow throughout their computing education; for them to aim high in their future aspirations to become engineers, programmers, developers and anything they set their talents to. Our lessons are ones that pupils remember with fondness and to engage with the broad range of opportunities that go above and beyond that of a regular primary school curriculum expectation.
The safety of our children within the growing and developing technological world is paramount – we empower our pupils to become confident, aware, and capable users of the online world; through regular STEM opportunities being delivered and the higher-level technology present within the school. At our school, Computing is more than a curriculum subject, but a way to integrate a community within the school that provides up-to-date information to help families.
In addition to our computing curriculum, our children also experience ‘STEM’ sessions with a computing specialist teacher from MGL. We call these sessions “Awe & Wonder” sessions; they promote a high-level of enjoyment within Computing and captivate the imagination of the children to inspire and create awe. In these sessions the children work on different mini projects in teams. Take a look at some of the examples of the work produced below.
E-Safety is an important part of the school curriculum, to help support this at home we have uploaded a number of guides in the Online Safety part of the website, please click here to find out more.
USEFUL WEBSITES
Class Two spent their computing lesson creating digital art and using AI to create animated drawings. The first part of the lessons we looked at how we can use apple pencils and pro-create. Children used the different brush tools to edit a picture. We then used Sketch meta to change a drawing into an animated image.
Reception have been exploring the use of positional language in Maths, they have enjoyed exploring using the direction buttons to move the robots around the classroom and explains where to move the robots.
EYFs spent the morning exploring Sphero Indis and Apple pencils. Children worked in small groups to either work together to see how you can get a Sphero to move and turn or they used the apple pencils to create a digital piece of art work.
Class 6 have been using crumbles to create night lights. We looked at how we can program a crumble to display different coloured lights, children then researched different styles of night lights and create their own design on the net of a 3D shape . Using a crumble kit, children were able to code the crumble to use different coloured lights to get their nightlight to light up!
The children demonstrated how variables are used today, by playing a times tables quiz – by using names to track scores, they understood how variables are used in programming.
Class 3 have continued to look at programming using Scratch. Today we focused on two features movements and speech. We started off by making a program looking at how we can use different blocks from the event section to get a Sprite to move, we used the Green flag, when sprite pressed and space key pressed features. After that we looked at how we can use the wait and speech feature to get two sprites to tell a knock knock joke.
In computing we discussed the words bug and debugging. We know that when code doesn’t work, it might be because of a bug so we have to work hard to debug and fix the problem. We worked together to do this, entering code to pick the corn. We then read the book, Stevie and the Big Project which explained that mistakes and failures are just First Attempts In Learning.
Today, we recapped our knowledge of the word algorithm. We then inputted code to control the Angry Birds, helping them to navigate their way to the target.
This morning Class 3 has been introduced to the coding website Scratch. Children built on their knowledge from Scratch Jr to create their own coding program. Children explored how to add and create Sprites and backgrounds as well as creating code to get their Sprites to move and change costume.
Class 6 have been finishing off their space invaders games. Today we recapped if statements, variables and loops and focused on consolidating our knowledge from the last 2 lessons to add in ‘power ups’ for children to gain bonus lives and time. Children then had time to test out their code and debug any problems that they might have found.
We used cybergames.com to find out about hackers and malicious emails.
The children learned to use the filter tool in a database to search and sort information in an efficient manner.
This morning class 6 started a new unit of work, Today we focused on laying the ‘foundations’ ready to start develop our game during the next lesson, children designed a series of backgrounds in to show at the beginning of the program and designed and coded a character to move left and right on the screen.
Today Class 3 has been exploring using Apple pencils to create a digital piece of Artwork of a portrait of themselves. Children took a photo of their face and cropped it down to the left-hand side of their face, children then used procreate to recreate the right-hand side.
Today reception had an exciting morning exploring different ways that technology can move, the children explored different paths for beebots and used the iPads to move animals using arrows to get to different places.
Class 2 spent their computing lesson using Apple pencils & iPads to create a digital piece of art. Children have been looking at the artist Henri Matisse, they created a design on a piece of paper and then using Sketchpad and apple pencils recreated it to be a digital piece of work.
The class modified images they’d saved onto iPads, by cropping or adding filters, resulting in some eye-catching effects!
Reception took a visit to our lovely computer room this week, the children were so sensible at finding a laptop, opening the screen and turning on the power button. The children had a go at moving the mouse on the keyboard. Reception then had a practice of using the mouse to make some art on the app ‘paint’, the children practiced clicking the button and using the trackpad to draw, it was a bit tricky but they had fun learning how to use the computer.
Today we spoke about how to be safe on the Internet. We used a traffic light to determine if a website was safe or not.
This morning Class 5 was introduced to Sketchup. Children logged onto the website and started to create a new model. We focused on some of the different features such as the rectangle tool, two point arc tool, push & pull tool, orbit and fill tool that you can use in Sketchup when creating models. Children used the different design features to create their own house.
Class 3 had the opportunity to explore a Micro:bit this morning. Children looked at the basics of how a Micro:bit works and how we can use block coding to create programs. Children then focused on how we can use LEDs to display different animations creating a rock, paper, scissors game. We then created a reaction game using variables, inputs and loops.
Y5 have been looking at the Internet and its uses in Computing. They used powerpoint to present their information.
We researched and created PowerPoints to present what we learnt about WWW (World Wide Web) and the Internet.
This morning Year 2 have been continuing with their presenting data topic, by creating top trump cards about different animals. Children conducted research and gathered records and fields about 4 animals of their own choice. Using excel we then inputted the data to create a digital version of a top trump card.
The children worked hard this morning to create a database of animals! They looked at things like height, weight and life expectancy.
The children began their new computing unit by discussing the features of a keyboard, identifying some important keys.
We collected data about our favourite fruit and favourite pets. We then represented our data by creating pictograms.
This Morning Class 2 has been exploring Databases. To begin we had a class discussion about the different types of information you can have and what private information is. Children then moved onto look at the type of information you can have and what an ‘online’ and ‘offline’ database is, we listed some different examples. As a class we then created an offline database about Class 2 and children explored and collected information from an online database.
This morning Class 1 have been using their knowledge gained from the past few weeks to program Beebots and Sphero Indi’s to move. Children worked to get the robots to do a series of instructions that included turning and moving forwards and backwards, children also completed different levels on the Beebot app.
Class 7 explored our playground and garden area to begin our new topic of
This morning Class 1 has been recapping what Algorithms are and why they are used when coding. Today children had to create algorithms to get a robot to complete different levels, we focused on moving forward and how we can use the turn right and left blocks to change direction. Children then looked at how we could apply this knowledge to a Beebot and created a ‘help sheet’ to use in the next lesson.
The children discussed the importance of being safe online this afternoon and the need to make common sense decisions and always speak to a trusted adult.
Year 4 looked at how to use a Branching database to search for and find information. Children had character descriptions and had to use a branching database to match the description to an image.
We enjoyed some time using Hour of Code, Microbits and Chrome Music Lab in coding club this week. We enjoyed programming to create songs, achieve challenges and to create secret messages and symbols on the Microbits.
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This morning Class 5 investigated how Morse code is used. Children created a presentation about Morse code and why it is used. We then looked at what a Crumble is, children then programmed the crumble to play a message in Morse Code.
Before the half term Reception enjoyed exploring maps on the computer and guessing where we lived in the world, Reception then drew their houses on a map to show where they lived.
This term for Spring we explored again different places around the world using the computer, Reception let me know where they wanted to go on google earth and we discovered lots of different countries and places some children have been on holiday to and some places they have never been before. Reception also investigated some atlases.
The children enjoyed creating a city setting this afternoon, giving a car instructions to drive through the scene!
We worked creatively this morning to create a stop motion animation film!! The children worked together to design a setting and characters before making the animation!
