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Hi Aoife,
I really like how your learning intention clearly connects Science, biodiversity and technology in a practical way. The activity where pupils create and test their own AI model is particularly strong, as they get to see how the quality and variety of the data they provide can affect the results.
I think this supports age-appropriate AI literacy really well for 5th and 6th class because pupils are not just being told how AI works – they are actively training, testing and improving a model. This should help them understand that AI is not always correct and that human judgement is still important.One question I would be interested in exploring with the pupils is: If our AI model works well with the leaves we tested, does that mean we can trust it to correctly identify every leaf? This could open up a good discussion about accuracy, bias and limitations in training data.
As a practical extension, pupils could deliberately test the model with more challenging or unfamiliar leaf images and record where it makes mistakes. They could then suggest what additional training data might improve the model. This could also provide useful evidence of their understanding.
AI Literacy Activity – Code Green: Leaf Long Learners
For this activity, I would use Code Green Episode 4: Leaf Long Learners with 5th or 6th class. I like the lesson because it connects AI with something pupils can actually see and investigate in their own environment.
The main curriculum link would be Science – Living Things, with a learning intention that pupils will explore biodiversity and consider how technology can be used to identify and monitor plant health.
The AI concept I would focus on is machine learning and training data. Pupils would first look at and discuss examples of healthy and unhealthy plants/leaves. They would then explore how an AI model can be trained using examples and how it can make predictions about new images. In groups, pupils could discuss what makes good training data and what might happen if the examples given to the AI were too limited.
A key critical question I would ask is: “If an AI tool tells us that a plant is unhealthy, should we automatically believe it? Why or why not?” This could lead to a useful discussion about AI accuracy and the importance of checking information rather than assuming an AI-generated answer is correct.
For responsible use, I would emphasise that AI should support rather than replace our own observations, knowledge and judgement. Pupils would be encouraged to question the AI’s predictions, compare them with their own observations and explain why the AI might sometimes get things wrong.
To gather evidence of learning, I would use a short exit ticket asking pupils to explain how an AI model learns, give one reason why its prediction might be inaccurate, and describe one way a human could check its answer. I think this would be an engaging way of combining Science, sustainability and AI literacy while developing pupils’ critical thinking skills.
Maire, I really like your choice of Hour of AI – The First Night. I think it’s a great example of purposeful game-based learning because pupils aren’t just playing Minecraft – they are solving problems, using computational thinking and learning how AI needs to be trained, checked and sometimes corrected. Working in pairs could also encourage plenty of discussion and collaboration. It has strong links to STEM Education, particularly coding, problem-solving, pattern recognition and understanding how technology and AI work.
Another curriculum link I could see working well is literacy, particularly oral language. Pupils could work in pairs to explain the decisions they made when training the AI Agent, discuss why an output might be incorrect, and justify how they would improve it. The follow-up discussion around why humans still need to check AI-generated decisions would also be a great opportunity to develop pupils’ ability to express and support their opinions.
I agree that this would probably work best with senior classes and could easily be spread over a couple of sessions.
The demo world I chose was CyberSafe: Bad Connection?. It is an online safety lesson where pupils work through different scenarios involving online gaming and interactions with other people online. The main focus is on recognising warning signs, protecting personal information, setting boundaries and knowing when to block, report or speak to a trusted adult.
The lesson plan is easy to follow and combines gameplay with discussion and reflection. The learning objectives focus on helping pupils recognise unsafe or manipulative online behaviour and make safer choices. There are also plenty of useful supporting resources, including an educator guide, PowerPoint, pupil workbook, scenario cards, exit tickets and resources for parents/guardians.
I could see this linking really well with SPHE particularly around personal safety, relationships, decision-making and asking for help. It also provides a good opportunity to discuss how these skills apply to pupils’ online lives.
I would definitely consider using this world with my a senior class, although I would probably slow down the pacing and build in more discussion time. Some of the scenarios could lead to really worthwhile conversations, so I think giving pupils time to talk about what they noticed and what they would do themselves would be just as valuable as completing the Minecraft activities.
Sarah, I really liked your idea of having both healthy and unhealthy foods in your game. Having to chase the healthy foods while avoiding the unhealthy ones makes the game more interesting and links really well with your SPHE healthy eating objective. I also think the 30-second timer adds a fun challenge and keeps the player engaged.
One suggestion might be to add a short message when a food is caught, such as “Great choice!” for healthy foods. This could reinforce the healthy eating message while the children are playing.
Would you consider letting the children add their own healthy and unhealthy foods to the game? This could be a nice way to check their understanding of healthy food choices while also giving them a chance to practise and develop their coding skills.
MakeCode Arcade Game
Game type: Timed catch/collect
Game title: Star Catcher
MakeCode Arcade game link: https://arcade.makecode.com/S04574-40281-33828-65509
Curriculum area and learning objective:
Maths – Number and Operations
By playing the game, learners will practise counting and adding points accurately while collecting objects within a set time limit.Simple storyboard: The game is set in outer space, with stars appearing in different positions on the screen. The player controls a small spaceship using the keyboard or game controller. The main game element is the falling or appearing stars, which the player must collect before the timer reaches zero. Each star collected earns one point. The aim is to collect as many stars as possible within the time limit. If the player misses a star, no point is awarded, so they need to move quickly and make decisions about which stars to collect. At the end of the game, the player’s score shows how many stars they successfully collected.
Computational thinking: I used decomposition when creating the game. I broke the overall task into smaller parts, including creating the player, adding the collectible stars, programming player movement, adding a scoring system and setting the countdown timer. Breaking the game into these smaller sections made it easier to create, test and fix each part individually. I also used debugging when testing the game to identify and correct problems with movement, scoring and collisions.
Hi Eoghan,
I really like your dice project because it’s a fun way to develop coding and computational thinking. Pupils are using events, random numbers and the micro: bit’s accelerometer, while also testing and changing their code to see what happens.
To make the STEM link stronger, pupils could investigate how changing the code affects the dice, for example, creating a two-dice version and exploring how the results compare with a physical dice.
As an extension, pupils could design their own simple dice game and change the code to make the micro:bit work for their game. They could then explain the changes they made to a partner, which would be a simple way to assess their coding understanding.
Coin Flipper MakeCode Tutorial
I completed the Coin Flipper tutorial on Microsoft MakeCode for micro: bit. The program simulates the tossing of a coin. When Button A is pressed, the code randomly chooses either true or false and displays a different icon for each outcome, representing heads or tails. I also tested the program using the MakeCode simulator and found that each press of Button A produced a random result. The tutorial also allows an animation to be added, making the coin appear to flip before displaying the result.
MakeCode share link:
https://makecode.microbit.org/_PDwFHM38rYfp
I think this tutorial could make a great integrated STEM learning experience when teaching the topic of chance in Maths. For example, I could have pupils predict how many heads and tails they expect from 50 or 100 virtual coin flips. They could use the micro: bit to carry out the experiment, record the results in a table, create a graph and calculate the experimental probability. They could then compare their results with the theoretical probability of ½ for heads and ½ for tails. This would also provide opportunities for pupils to discuss fairness, randomness and why results may not be exactly 50/50 in a small number of trials. The activity connects Maths with Technology and Engineering, as pupils are not only investigating probability but also understanding and modifying a computer program. Overall, I think the Coin Flipper would be a fun, practical way of turning an abstract idea such as probability into something pupils can experiment with, measure and discuss.
Coin Flipper MakeCode Tutorial
I completed the Coin Flipper tutorial on Microsoft MakeCode for micro:bit. The program simulates the tossing of a coin. When Button A is pressed, the code randomly chooses either true or false and displays a different icon for each outcome, representing heads or tails. I also tested the program using the MakeCode simulator and found that each press of Button A produced a random result. The tutorial also allows an animation to be added to make the coin appear to flip before showing the result.
MakeCode share link:
https://makecode.microbit.org/_PDwFHM38rYfpI think this tutorial could make a great integrated STEM learning experience when teaching the topic of chance in Maths. For example, I could have pupils predict how many heads and tails they expect from 50 or 100 virtual coin flips. They could use the micro: bit to carry out the experiment, record the results in a table, create a graph and calculate the experimental probability. They could then compare their results with the theoretical probability of ½ for heads and ½ for tails. This would also provide opportunities for pupils to discuss fairness, randomness and why results may not be exactly 50/50 in a small number of trials. The activity connects Maths with Technology and Engineering, as pupils are not only investigating probability but also understanding and modifying a computer program. Overall, I think the Coin Flipper would be a fun, practical way of turning an abstract idea such as probability into something pupils can experiment with, measure and discuss.
Hi Sinead,
I really liked your point about the gap between colleagues who are confident with technology and those who are more hesitant. A strength of your reflection is that you recognise the value of the knowledge already within your school and want to use this to support others.
I think the bi-weekly technology clinic is a realistic action. Having a regular time for staff to share ideas, ask questions and troubleshoot problems makes it practical and easy to access, rather than adding another formal CPD commitment.
One suggestion would be to keep a simple list of the topics discussed at each clinic, which could then help build your Teams resource bank. You could also ask staff at the end of the term: Has the clinic increased your confidence in using technology in your teaching? This would give you a simple way to measure its impact.
A relevant area of the Digital Learning Framework that connects with my current practice is fostering a commitment to inclusion, equality of opportunity and the holistic development of each pupil.
One strength in my current practice is that I am comfortable using a range of digital tools to support learning and communication. I recognise that technology can provide valuable opportunities for pupils to work more independently and can help remove barriers to learning. I am particularly interested in how Assistive Technology can be used to support individual pupil needs and promote greater inclusion.
An area I would like to develop is my use of Assistive Technology. I would like to build my knowledge of the range of AT tools available and become more confident in selecting the most appropriate supports for individual pupils. I would also like to share this knowledge with colleagues to help build confidence in using AT across the school.
To support this development, I will:
- Trial at least three new AT tools or features over the next term and evaluate their impact on pupil learning and independence.
- Share one practical AT tip, strategy or resource with colleagues each month.
- Gather feedback from pupils and colleagues at the end of the term to assess the effectiveness of the AT tools being used and identify areas for further development.
My aim is to strengthen my own understanding of Assistive Technology while also supporting colleagues to use it confidently and effectively to meet pupils’ diverse needs and promote inclusion.