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I really like the idea of Ducky collecting the hearts in 30 seconds, especially the fact that each heart is worth 5 points. This links really well to your 2nd Class Mathematics objective of counting in 5s, as the pupils can see their score increase by 5 each time they collect a heart. It also gives them a practical and engaging way to recognise the pattern in the numbers as their score rises.
I also really like your approach to debugging as a positive process. Presenting mistakes as something pupils can investigate and solve could really encourage resilience and problem-solving.
One suggestion would be to perhaps add a personal-best score so pupils can try to beat their own previous score. This could give them an additional reason to play the game and provide another opportunity to compare numbers and identify patterns.
Game type: Timed catch/collect
Game title: Star Catcher
Game link: https://makecode.com/_CdpHX1d18DX9
Curriculum area: Mathematics – Number: Numeration and Counting
Learning objective:
By playing Star Catcher, pupils will practice counting and comparing quantities by counting the stars they collect in 30 seconds, recording their score, and comparing it with their previous score to try to beat their personal best.Each star collected increases the player’s score by 1. At the end of 30 seconds, pupils can record their score and compare it with their previous attempt. They can identify whether they collected more, fewer or the same number of stars and work out how many more stars they need to beat their personal best.
Storyboard
Scene 1 – Start
- Location: Outer space, with stars scattered across the screen.
- Player: A spaceship.
- The player starts the game with a score of 0.
- A 30-second countdown begins.
Scene 2 – Collect the stars
- Stars appear in different places around the screen.
- The player moves the spaceship using the controller/arrow keys.
- When the spaceship touches a star, the star disappears and the player’s score increases by 1.
- New stars continue to appear while the timer is running.
Scene 3 – Time is up
- After 30 seconds, the game ends.
- The player’s final score is displayed.
- The player records their score.
Scene 4 – Beat your personal best
- The player plays again and tries to collect more stars than they did in their previous attempt.
- Pupils compare their scores using mathematical language such as more than, fewer than, greater than and less than.
- They can also work out how many more stars they need to beat their previous score.
The player’s goal is not to beat another player. Instead, they try to beat their own score by collecting as many stars as possible in 30 seconds.
Computational thinking
Process used: Decomposition
I used decomposition by breaking the game into smaller parts. First, I created the spaceship and its movement. Then I added the stars, collision detection, scoring system and 30-second timer. Finally, I added the end-of-game score. Breaking the game into smaller tasks made it easier to create, test and debug each part.
I really like your choice of the Dice tutorial. I think it would be a great way to develop coding and computational thinking because the children can clearly see the connection between an input (shaking the micro) and an output (a random number appearing). It also gives them an opportunity to experiment with changing the code and predicting what will happen.
To strengthen the STEM link, I think you could develop the dice into a simple maths game. For example, pupils could use two micro as dice and add the two numbers together. They could then change the code so that different totals produce different images or messages on the LED display. This would link coding with number, problem-solving and logical thinking in a meaningful way.
As an extension, pupils could be challenged to modify the existing code themselves and explain what they changed. You could assess this by asking them to predict the outcome before running their code and then explain whether their prediction was correct.I completed the Countdown tutorial. I found it a fun and straightforward way to introduce pupils to coding and sequencing.
The code creates a countdown on the micro display. When the program starts, the numbers count down 3-2-1 and then GO! This tutorial helped me understand how simple blocks of code can be combined to create a working program and how the simulator can be used to test and make changes to the code.
The link to my code is https://makecode.microbit.org/_dvyUsM4U03vw
I think this could be turned into an integrated STEM learning experience for 1st Class by connecting the countdown to a practical classroom activity. For example, pupils could design a countdown for a simple science experiment, such as counting down before observing what happens when two materials are mixed or before timing how long an object takes to move. In Maths, we could explore counting backwards and sequencing numbers. In English, pupils could discuss and write instructions for the activity.
The children could also work in pairs to predict what the micro will do, test the code, and then make changes to the countdown. This would develop problem-solving, logical thinking, collaboration and early coding skills while linking digital learning with Maths and Science.
I really like the strength you identified in your reflection Grace, particularly that your 6th Class pupils are already confident and comfortable using digital tools. This gives you a strong starting point for developing their use of technology for assessment and feedback.
I think your action of using a short Google Forms quiz or exit ticket twice a month is particularly realistic and well focused. It is manageable within your existing practice and provides useful evidence of pupils’ understanding without taking up too much class time. I also like that you plan to use the results to adapt future lessons, as this makes the assessment meaningful rather than simply collecting data.
One practical suggestion would be to share some of the results with the pupils so they can see what they have done well and identify an area to improve. A question I would ask is: How could you involve the pupils in deciding what they need to work on after completing the digital assessment?A Digital Learning Framework focus that is relevant to my practice in 1st Class is Domain 2: Learner Experiences, particularly supporting pupils to become active and engaged learners through the use of digital technology.
One strength in my current practice is that I use digital resources to make learning more interactive and enjoyable for young pupils. In 1st Class, children respond well to visual and interactive activities, particularly when learning literacy and numeracy skills. Digital resources can help to reinforce concepts and give children opportunities to practise skills in different ways.
An area I would like to develop is giving pupils more opportunities to use technology independently and creatively, rather than mainly using it as a teacher-led resource.
I will take three specific actions. First, I will include at least one pupil-led digital activity each week. Second, I will give pupils opportunities to create digital work, such as a drawing, recording their voice or completing a simple digital task, at least twice each month. Third, I will collect examples of pupils’ digital work each term to reflect on their progress.
The tools and resources from Module 1 could support School Self-Evaluation (SSE) by helping us gather evidence from pupil work, observations and feedback. This would help us identify how effectively digital technology is supporting learning and where further development is needed.
