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Game Type: Timed Catch-Collect
Game Title: Daisy Catcher
MakeCode Share Link: https://makecode.com/_KWeLAabT7PPv
Curriculum Area and Learning Objective: SESE – Science; Living Things
Learning Objective: To help pupils identify common wildflowers in their local environment and develop observation skills through a fun, interactive game.
Storyboard:
The game is set in a garden. The player controls a character called Sloane using the arrow keys. Daisies fall from the top of the screen, and the player must collect as many as possible before the 15-second timer runs out. Each daisy collected increases the player’s score and plays a short sound effect, providing instant feedback. The aim is to achieve the highest score possible before time runs out.Computational Thinking: Debugging
I tested it several times to make sure the daisies appeared correctly, the score increased when they were collected, the countdown timer worked as intended, and the sound effect played at the right time. Testing and making small adjustments helped improve the overall game and ensured it worked as expected.I think this would be a lovely introductory coding activity for younger classes. After playing the game, pupils could extend their learning by going on a nature walk to identify daisies and other common wildflowers in the school grounds, linking digital learning with real-life observation and exploration.
Hi Rachel, I really like how you’ve adapted the tutorial to suit Junior Infants. It shows that coding and computational thinking can begin with simple activities, as pupils are already exploring sequencing, patterns and predicting what will happen when they make changes to the code.
One way you could strengthen the integrated STEM link would be to have the children investigate how their heartbeat changes before and after exercise, then compare this to changing the speed of the flashing heart on the Micro:bit.
The tutorial I completed the MakeCode Micro:bit Dice tutorial. In this activity, I programmed the Micro:bit to act as a digital dice. When the device is shaken, it randomly generates and displays a number from one to six using the LED display. I tested the program using the MakeCode simulator to ensure the shake gesture triggered a new random number each time.
MakeCode share link: https://makecode.microbit.org/_YRhDCHaMPe6b
As I am new to using Micro:bits, I found this tutorial to be an excellent starting point. It was straightforward to follow and helped me build confidence with the basics of coding. I also think it would work well as an introductory lesson for a class that is new to Micro:bits before moving on to more complex coding activities.
I could turn this into an integrated STEM learning experience by linking it with the Maths curriculum, particularly the strand of Chance. Pupils could use the Micro:bit dice to investigate probability by predicting outcomes, recording results and comparing the frequency of each number over repeated rolls. They could then present their findings using tables or bar charts and discuss whether each number appeared an equal number of times. This would combine coding, mathematics and scientific enquiry while also developing pupils’ computational thinking skills through sequencing, testing and debugging.
Hi Aine
I enjoyed reading your reflection and it is clear how you are using digital tools well already with the use of presentations and quizzes.
Assessment is also my area for improvement, as like you, I feel less confident in this area. I have some limited experience however I will say Google Forms is a brilliant and very easy tool to use which might be helpful for you particularly for surveys like you mentioned.
One area of the Digital Learning Framework that particularly resonates with me is Teaching and Learning – Teachers’ Individual Practice, especially the effective use of digital technologies to support active learning and assessment.
A strength in my current practice is that I regularly use digital tools such as presentations like Canva/Google Slides to encourage student participation. I have noticed that these approaches help maintain student engagement and allows me to cater for a variety of needs in my classroom.
An area I would like to develop is using digital assessment more consistently to inform my planning and provide more personalised feedback. While I use online quizzes occasionally, I would like to make formative assessment a more regular part of my lessons.
To achieve this, I will:
Use one digital formative assessment tool (such as Microsoft Forms or Kahoot) in at least one lesson each week during the next school term.
Analyse assessment data after each quiz and adapt at least one upcoming lesson based on the results.
Explore more options for digital resources to implement during the year to keep things interesting
I believe these actions will help me strengthen my use of digital technologies to improve both student learning and my own professional practice.
Activity-Based Lesson: Animals in the Cold
Materials:
Pictures of Arctic and Antarctic animals (polar bears, penguins, seals, etc.)
Printable animal worksheets
Crayons
A large bowl of ice water
Rubber gloves
Short video about Arctic animalsIntroduction
Engage: Show a short video about Arctic animals. Discuss what they noticed about the animals and how they survive in the cold.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-9xDztBhzE
Development
Animal Adaptations:
Show pictures of different Arctic and Antarctic animals.
Explain how each animal stays warm. For example, polar bears have thick fur and fat, penguins huddle together, and seals have blubber.
Interactive Discussion:
Ask questions like, “Why do penguins huddle together?” and “How does blubber help seals?”
ActivityInsulation Experiment:
Explain the concept of insulation.
Have a student put their hand in the ice water without gloves, then with rubber gloves, to feel the difference.
Discuss how the gloves act like blubber to keep the hand warm.
Worksheet Activity:
Hand out worksheets with pictures of cold-weather animals.
Students colour the animals and draw one feature that helps the animal stay warm.Conclusion
Review how different animals stay warm in cold environments. Answer any questions. Draw and describe their favourite cold-weather animal and how it stays warm.
Extension:
Classroom Huddle: Simulate a penguin huddle by having students group closely together to feel how warmth is shared.
Activity – Rockets – (2D Shape integration)
Materials:
“Roaring Rockets” by Tony Mitton
Construction paper
Scissors
Glue sticks
Markers
Toilet paper rolls (one per student)
Aluminum foil
Star stickers
Templates of 2D shapes (circles, triangles, rectangles)Introduction
Read Aloud:
Read “Roaring Rockets” by Tony Mitton to the class.
Discuss the story, focusing on the parts of the rocket and what rockets do.
Interactive Discussion:
Ask questions like, “What do rockets need to blast off?” and “Where do rockets go?”
Link to the previously taught maths concept of 2D shapes. Show examples of circles, triangles, and rectangles.Activity:
Rocket Craft with 2D Shapes:
Hand out toilet paper rolls, construction paper, markers, glue sticks, scissors, and shape templates.
Demonstrate how to wrap the roll in construction paper and use markers to decorate it.
Show how to cut out 2D shapes (triangles for the top, rectangles for the body, and circles for windows) and glue them onto the rocket.
Add aluminium foil for shiny details and star stickers for decoration.
Allow students to create and personalise their rockets using the shapes.
Conclusion:Have students present their rockets to the class, identifying the 2D shapes they used. Review the key points from the book, the activity, and the 2D shapes. Early finishers can draw a picture of their rocket blasting off into space, using and labeling 2D shapes.
Extension:
Shape Hunt: Have students find and identify 2D shapes around the classroom or at home, relating them to parts of a rocket.
How clever to use the gloves and get the children to complete otherwise simple tasks while wearing these, definitely doing this in September, thanks for the idea!!
This sounds like a fantastic idea Ciara, I think it would really appeal to the children, they love nothing more than inventing and designing! A great way to engage them!
Activity Set: Space and Aliens
I would combine the special life lesson from ESERO and the Mars lesson from the science week website to create a fun lesson on Aliens.
Introduction:
Discuss that we do not know of any other life forms in our solar system so we are unique and special here on earth, as outlined in the ESERO lesson I would get the children to think about what they would like to show an alien about life here on earth if they did exist. They will work in pairs and act these out.
Development:
Children will be given paper and pencil to sketch out what they think an alien would look like and will then be given clay to create their own alien, however they wish.
Conclusion:
Children will present their alien to the class and give a description about any interesting features of their alien. They will also be asked about the environment where the alien lives and what they need to survive.
Extension: In an extension activity as a whole class we will design a home for the aliens on a large IKEA roll of paper which will form the ground and backdrop to display the clay aliens. Each child will help to create this and ensure that they include whatever their own alien needs to survive.
Great idea to use the star stickers Ursula, the kids always LOVE using teacher’s stickers so I can see this being a huge hit!
I would focus on the moon as I think this is a great starting point especially for younger children.
Materials:
Video clip of moon landing
Picture book about the Moon – ‘Whatever Next’ & ‘Moon, Earths Best Friend’
Flashlight
Styrofoam ball
Darkened roomIntroduction:
I would show the children the video clip of the Apollo 11 moon landing and ask them do they know where the video was taken or what is happening in it? I would then ask students, “What do you know about the Moon?” Record answers on the board.
Development:
Read Aloud: Read ‘Moon, Earth’s Best Friend’ to the class
Discussion: Discuss key points from the book in particular the phases of the moon.
Phases of the Moon: Using the flashlight and Styrofoam ball, demonstrate how the Moon’s phases occur. Darken the room, have one student hold the flashlight (representing the Sun), and another hold the ball (the Moon). Show how the light changes on the Moon as it orbits Earth.
Interactive Activity: Have students take turns modeling the Moon’s orbit to see the phases.Conclusion:
Review what was learned about the Moon’s phases and features. Answer any questions students have. Read ‘Whatever Next’ my favourite book as a child about a bear travelling to the moon.
As an extension activity if the class are able, we could track the moon’s phases each day for a month and log this in our classroom
The inquiry based activity I would use and have used in the past with great success is in relation to forces and friction. Working in an all boys school they love their toy cars. They each bring in their favourite toy car from home and we investigate how different materials affect how quickly/slowly the car will drive down a ramp. I provide them with the ramp and materials such as cloth, sandpaper, tin foil, cling film and a smooth piece of plastic. They must predict which surface will be the fastest/slowest for the cars to drive down and why. After investigating this we come back together as a class and compare our results and discuss why they think this is the case. Depending on the classes ability I do sometimes discuss how the different cars they chose can impact the results due to the wheel material, weight of car etc.
