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I think a strength of your activity is that pupils are encouraged to compare, question and justify their thinking rather than simply accept information as correct. This supports age-appropriate AI literacy by helping pupils understand that AI can be useful but may also create inaccurate or biased information.
Your focus on checking sources and asking “What evidence supports this?” is a valuable way to develop critical thinking skills.
One question I would ask pupils is: “How could AI-generated information be influenced by bias or missing information?”
This lesson provides scope for an extension activity where pupils could be asked to create their own AI-generated example with an error for classmates to identify. This would reinforce learning and provide further evidence of pupils’ understanding.
Class Stage: 3rd/4th Class
Curriculum Areas: English, SPHE and Digital Learning.
Learning Intention: Pupils will develop critical thinking skills by exploring how AI creates digital content and learn the importance of questioning and checking information online.
AI Concept Being Explored: Pupils will explore AI-generated content, understanding that AI can create realistic images and information but can also make mistakes or produce inaccurate content.
Short Activity or Discussion Outline: Pupils will compare two images of the same animal: one real photograph and one AI-generated image. Working in pairs, they will discuss which image they think is real and explain their reasons. The class will identify clues that suggest an image may have been created by AI and discuss why we should think carefully about online content.
As a pause point, I would raise a critical question about bias, accuracy, authorship or misinformation “How can we check if something created by AI is accurate and trustworthy?”
Pupils will discuss the importance of using AI responsibly by checking information, respecting ownership of ideas and recognising when content has been created using AI.
How Pupils Will Be Supported to Think Critically: Through questioning, pair discussions and sharing ideas, pupils will be encouraged to explain their thinking and use evidence to support their opinions.
How I Would Gather Evidence of Learning: Evidence will be gathered through observation, pupil discussions and a short reflection or exit ticket where pupils share what they learned about AI and how they can check if online content is reliable. This could support SSE by informing a whole-school focus on Digital Learning and responsible technology use.
Hi Michelle,
I explored Fantastic Fairgrounds, but I have enjoyed reading your insight on Melody Lane and am looking forward to testing this demo out also. Melody Lane sounds like a really engaging way to integrate Music with other curriculum areas. I like your idea of following up with percussion instruments, as it helps pupils make connections between the digital and real-world activities. Slowing the pace for discussion is a great suggestion too.
I explored Fantastic Fairgrounds, and I think it has great potential for purposeful game-based learning in the primary classroom. There are strengths of the world, including how it encourages pupils to solve problems through creativity and collaboration.
From a STEM perspective, the lesson allows children to apply mathematical thinking, engineering design and computational thinking as they create and test fairground attractions. Pupils must plan, build, evaluate and improve their designs, which mirrors real-world engineering processes. This makes learning engaging while developing important problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
A meaningful link to another curriculum area would be Visual Arts within the new Irish Primary Curriculum, where pupils could explore design, colour, shape and aesthetics while creating attractive and functional fairground rides. There are also strong links with Literacy, through oral language, as pupils explain their design choices, present their attractions to classmates and give constructive feedback. These experiences align with the curriculum’s emphasis on communication, collaboration and learner agency.
From a School Self-Evaluation (SSE) perspective, Fantastic Fairgrounds could support a focus on improving pupil engagement, collaboration and problem-solving across the curriculum. Teachers could gather evidence through pupil discussions, digital portfolios, screenshots of builds and self-reflection activities. I would use the world largely as provided but would include additional pause points for reflection and group discussion so pupils can explain their thinking and connect their learning to real-world STEM concepts. This would strengthen assessment and ensure the activity promotes active, inclusive and meaningful learning experiences in link with the curriculum.This is a great game idea that links coding and mathematics really well. I like how you used the x and y axis to develop spatial awareness in a fun and engaging way. The debugging process you described is a valuable part of coding, as testing and fixing errors helps build confidence and problem-solving skills for the pupils involved. The game is also quite a simple concept to play so it might be good for the students/class to share with younger learners.
I created an advanced invader game while watching the tutorial.
Link: https://makecode.com/_Dky8R1UJXUCP
Game type: Invader
Game title: Monkey Invasion
Curriculum area and objective: Mathematics: Collect, record, and interpret game score data over multiple plays, comparing results and discussing patterns to develop understanding of number, addition, and data handling.Simple storyboard:
Location: Forest
• Player: Princess Tina
• Game Description
In this MakeCode Arcade game, Princess Tina has become lost in the forest and is being attacked by monkeys. The only way she can defend herself is by throwing large sticks at the monkeys. Each time a stick hits a monkey, the monkey is defeated and the player earns 5 points.
Princess Tina begins the game with 5 lives. Every time a monkey reaches and attacks her, she loses one life. If she loses all five lives, the game ends.
Students will use the game’s scoring system to practise repeated addition, as the score increases by 5 points for every monkey defeated. After each student has played the game, their highest score will be recorded. The highest scores of a sample of five students will then be collected, compared, and displayed in a bar graph. Students will interpret the graph by identifying the highest and lowest scores, comparing differences between scores, and discussing the results, linking the activity to the Data and Chance strand of the Irish Primary Mathematics Curriculum.Computational Thinking Process: Debugging
I used debugging throughout the game development process by testing the game and fixing errors. For example, I checked that the score increased by 5 when a monkey was hit, that Princess Tina lost a life when attacked, and that the game ended after all 5 lives were lost.Hi Clodagh,
I think you have some interest ideas following your completion of the Rock, Paper, Scissors tutorial. There are many ways that this type of coding can be made fun and engaging for pupils. I particularly liked your idea of extending the game by adding a scoring system or extra options such as “Lizard” and “Spock,” as it encourages creativity while reinforcing coding and problem-solving skills.
I also like how you linked the activity to Mathematics through probability and data handling. Having pupils record and graph the results of repeated shakes would make the learning more meaningful and show how coding can support mathematical investigations.
Your suggestion of pupils testing each other’s programs is another excellent idea. Peer testing encourages collaboration, debugging, and discussion about how different algorithms work. It really highlights how one simple coding activity can be adapted into a rich, integrated STEM lesson with opportunities for creativity, communication, and critical thinking. I might try a similar approach in my own classroom.I completed the MakeCode micro:bit tutorial “Dice”. I was pleasantly surprised at how simple this activity was and understand how it could be used as a Fast Finisher activity, while the dice could then be used for a follow-on task in Maths or games in other curricular areas.
The Dice tutorial uses the detects the motion of shaking to simulate rolling a dice. When the micro:bit is shaken, it generates a random number between 1 and 6 and displays the corresponding dice face on the LED screen. This introduces pupils to coding concepts such as events (shake input) and random number generation in a fun and interactive way.
MakeCode Share Link: https://makecode.microbit.org/_19DW4ahuW3DWI could turn this into an integrated STEM learning experience by asking pupils to design and code their own board game using the micro:bit as the dice. In Maths, pupils could investigate probability by recording the outcomes of multiple dice rolls and comparing experimental and theoretical probability. In Science and Technology, they could explore how the micro:bit detects movement and discuss how similar sensors are used in everyday devices. Engineering skills could be developed as pupils design and build their own game boards, while the coding element allows them to test, debug, and improve their programs through collaboration and problem-solving.
Hi Aoife,
I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I agree that making learning activities purposeful is key to ensuring digital technology has a meaningful impact rather than simply being an add-on.
I particularly like your idea of reintroducing digital portfolios. They provide an excellent opportunity for pupils to reflect on their learning, celebrate their progress, and take greater ownership of their work.
This module has been very interesting and caused me to reflect on my own practice. It has highlighted that digital technology can make learning more engaging when it is used with a clear purpose rather than simply using technology for its own sake.
A relevant focus from the Digital Learning Framework for me is Teaching and Learning – Learner Experiences, particularly creating opportunities for pupils to become more active and independent in their learning through the effective use of digital technologies.
One strength in my current practice is that I regularly use digital tools such as interactive quizzes and collaborative activities to increase pupil engagement and provide immediate feedback. These activities encourage participation from a wide range of learners and help me identify prior learning, misconceptions and overall learning quickly.
One area I would like to develop is providing more opportunities for pupils to build computational thinking and problem-solving skills through the use of both digital and unplugged learning experiences.
To support this, I will:
• Complete a Dream Space unplugged activity with my class every fortnight to develop pupils’ computational thinking and collaboration skills.
• Use a digital self-assessment or reflection tool at the end of one lesson each week to encourage pupils to evaluate their own learning.
• Review pupil engagement and learning outcomes after six weeks through observations and pupil feedback to evaluate the impact of these strategies and identify areas for further improvement.
I hope that these actions will help create a more learner-centred classroom while developing pupils’ confidence, creativity, and digital competence in meaningful ways.