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I really enjoyed reading your post and I think your learning intention is a very important one for developing AI literacy in primary pupils. A particular strength of your activity is the decision to have pupils compare an AI-generated text with a trusted source without revealing which one is which. This is a great way to encourage genuine investigation and prevents pupils from assuming that one source is automatically more reliable than another. It supports age-appropriate AI literacy by helping children understand that AI can produce convincing information but that it still needs to be questioned and checked.
I also think the link with History is very effective, as pupils are already used to exploring evidence and considering whether sources are reliable. This naturally supports the development of critical thinking skills that are essential when using AI tools.
One question I had was how you might introduce the idea of bias alongside accuracy. For example, could pupils discuss whether an AI response might leave out certain viewpoints or present information differently depending on the data it has learned from?
A practical suggestion for assessment could be to ask pupils to create a short “AI fact-check checklist” that they can use in future activities. This would provide a useful piece of evidence of learning and encourage them to apply these skills independently.
From a School Self-Evaluation (SSE) perspective, I think your activity could provide valuable evidence of pupils developing digital literacy, research skills, and responsible technology use. Observations of pupil discussions, their fact-checking process, and follow-up activities could help the school evaluate how effectively AI literacy is being embedded across learning experiences.
For this activity, I would use **Code Green Episode 4: *Leaf Long Learners*** with a **5th Class**. The lesson links well with the **Science** curriculum, particularly the strand of *Living Things*, while also supporting digital literacy and critical thinking. The learning intention would be for pupils to understand how AI can be used to solve real-world environmental problems while recognising that AI is only as reliable as the data it is trained on.
The AI concept I would explore is **machine learning**. After watching the episode, pupils would discuss how the AI model learned to identify healthy and unhealthy leaves by recognising patterns from the examples it was shown. We would then explore what might happen if the AI was only trained using one type of leaf or poor-quality images. This would help pupils understand that AI can make mistakes if it is not trained with enough accurate and varied information.
A critical question I would ask is: **”If the AI says a plant is unhealthy, should we always believe it? Why or why not?”** This would encourage pupils to think about the accuracy of AI and the importance of checking information rather than accepting AI-generated answers without question.
A key responsible-use consideration would be helping pupils understand that AI should support human decision-making, not replace it. In this context, scientists and gardeners would still need to observe plants themselves and use their own knowledge before making decisions based on AI predictions.
To support critical thinking, I would encourage pupils to justify their answers during class discussions and compare the AI’s predictions with their own observations. They would work in pairs to explain why they agreed or disagreed with the AI’s conclusions, using evidence from what they observed in the images and what they learned during the lesson.
To gather evidence of learning, I would use group discussions, teacher observation, and an exit ticket asking pupils to explain one thing they learned about how AI works and one reason why AI can sometimes make mistakes. This would help me assess both their understanding of machine learning and their ability to think critically about AI.
From a School Self-Evaluation (SSE) perspective, I think lessons like this could make a valuable contribution to developing digital literacy and critical thinking across the school. Collecting pupil reflections and examples of their reasoning would provide useful evidence of how AI literacy is being embedded into teaching and learning while helping to identify opportunities for further development.
I really enjoyed reading your post about Bad Connection. I agree that online safety is becoming increasingly important, especially as so many young people spend time gaming, using social media, and communicating online. Using Minecraft Education to explore these topics makes the learning much more engaging and gives pupils the opportunity to experience realistic situations in a safe environment.
I also like your idea of extending the lesson by having pupils create scenarios for a younger class. This is a great example of purposeful game-based learning because pupils are not only applying what they have learned but also analysing situations, communicating their ideas, and teaching others. From a STEM perspective, they are using technology creatively while developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
A meaningful cross-curricular link could be English, where pupils could script and present their own online safety scenarios or create persuasive presentations explaining how to stay safe online. This would strengthen their communication and literacy skills while reinforcing the key messages from the lesson.</p>
From a School Self-Evaluation (SSE) perspective, this type of activity could support whole-school priorities around digital literacy, pupil wellbeing, and active learning. Teachers could use pupil presentations, discussions, and reflections as evidence of learning while also encouraging a consistent approach to online safety across the school.I chose the **Bad Connection** demo world in Minecraft Education because it focuses on digital citizenship and effective communication in online environments. The lesson places pupils in situations where communication breaks down or messages are misunderstood, encouraging them to think about how their words and actions affect others. Through interactive challenges, pupils develop strategies for communicating clearly, working collaboratively, and behaving responsibly online.
The lesson plan provides clear learning objectives, teacher guidance, discussion prompts, and reflection activities. The main learning objectives are to help pupils understand the importance of respectful online communication, recognise the impact of miscommunication, and develop positive digital citizenship skills. The associated resources support teachers in facilitating discussions before and after gameplay, helping pupils connect their experiences in Minecraft to real-life online interactions.
I think this lesson links particularly well with the **SPHE curriculum**, especially the strand that focuses on relationships, communication, and making responsible decisions. It also supports the Digital Learning Framework by promoting safe, ethical, and responsible use of technology.
I would use this world in my classroom but would make a few adjustments depending on the age and experience of my pupils. I would slow the pacing to allow more time for discussion after each challenge and include a follow-up activity where pupils work together to create a class agreement for positive online communication. This would help reinforce the key messages and encourage pupils to apply what they have learned beyond the game.
From a School Self-Evaluation (SSE) perspective, Minecraft Education could support priorities such as improving digital literacy, collaboration, and pupil engagement. Teachers could collect evidence through pupil reflections, classroom observations, and follow-up activities to evaluate the effectiveness of game-based learning and inform future teaching and learning.
I really liked the outer space theme and the idea of collecting a star while avoiding the enemy. I think this makes the game engaging and clearly supports your Mathematics and Digital Technologies learning objective by encouraging pupils to think strategically and solve problems while navigating the game. The star field effect also adds to the overall player experience and helps create an immersive setting.
One suggestion would be to gradually increase the speed of the enemy as the game progresses to make it more challenging. Have you also considered adding a score or timer so players can try to beat their previous best? The game ended very quickly so maybe extending it slightly. I think that would encourage pupils to replay the game and further develop their problem-solving skills.
Hi
I created a Timed Catch/Collect game called Find the Hearts. It’s about a monkey collecting heart shaped cookies.
https://makecode.com/_aYwUjcYe3cLe
For this game, I linked it to the Mathematics curriculum, focusing on counting and number. The learning objective is: Students will practise counting and improve hand-eye coordination by collecting objects while developing their computational-thinking skills.
Storyboard:
* Location: Jungle (I know looks more like forest!)
* Player: Monkey
* Game Elements: Heart-shaped cookies (collectibles), timer, score counter and jungle background.The aim of the game is to help the monkey collect as many heart-shaped cookies as possible before the timer runs out. Each cookie collected increases the player’s score. The challenge is to move the monkey around the screen quickly to collect as many cookies as possible before time runs out. This game could be adapted for younger pupils by encouraging them to count their score at the end or compare scores with a partner.
One computational thinking process I used while creating my game was debugging. I found this activity much more challenging than I expected and it involved a lot of trial and error. There were several occasions where the monkey didn’t move as I intended, the cookies didn’t appear correctly, or the score didn’t update properly. I had to test the game repeatedly, identify what was causing the problem, make small changes to the code, and then test it again. Although it was frustrating at times, I learned that debugging is an essential part of coding and that mistakes are often part of the learning process rather than something to avoid.
Overall, I enjoyed creating the game, even though I found it challenging. Seeing the game finally work after so much testing and tweaking was really satisfying. The experience gave me a much better appreciation of the patience and perseverance involved in coding. I can also see how activities like this would encourage pupils to develop resilience, problem-solving skills and creativity, while making coding feel engaging and rewarding.
Amazing! I can tell you have really thought deeply about Digital Learning in your School, thanks so much for sharing
I really liked your idea of using the Dice tutorial to support Maths learning. It is a great way to introduce coding and computational thinking, as pupils can see that the code gives the micro:bit instructions to produce a random number. They can also develop computational thinking by making predictions, recognising patterns in their results and discussing whether the dice is fair.
One way to strengthen the integrated STEM link would be to have pupils design and build their own dice holder or game board using recycled materials. This would add an engineering and design element while encouraging creativity and problem-solving.
As an extension, pupils could modify the code by adding sounds, icons or changing the way the dice is shaken. For assessment, I would ask pupils to explain how the code works and describe one change they made to improve or personalise their project. This would help make their computational thinking more visible.
Tutorial Completed:
Name Tag TutorialFor this activity, I completed the Name Tag tutorial using MakeCode for the micro:bit. I decided to personalise it by programming it to display my daughter’s name as a scrolling message across the LED display.
What my code does:
The code displays my daughter’s name on the micro:bit LED screen. It is a simple program that introduces the basics of using the MakeCode block editor and demonstrates how text can be displayed on the micro:bit.MakeCode Share Link:
https://makecode.microbit.org/_Vygc77bD98vYHow I could turn this into an integrated STEM learning experience:
Although this tutorial was very simple, I can see lots of opportunities to extend it in the classroom. Pupils could design and make personalised name badges or lanyards for their micro:bits, linking the activity with Art and Engineering. They could then programme their micro:bits to display their names, greetings or positive messages.
As pupils become more confident, they could adapt the code by adding animations, icons or button controls. This would encourage creativity while developing computational thinking, problem-solving and debugging skills. The activity could also support Oral Language, with pupils presenting their name tags and explaining how they programmed them. It would be an engaging way to introduce coding in a fun and accessible manner while integrating STEM learning across different curriculum areas.
Hi Nicola,
I really enjoyed reading your reflection. One of the strengths that stood out to me was how you are already using a variety of digital tools to increase pupil engagement and check understanding during lessons. It shows that digital technology is already an embedded part of your teaching practice rather than being used just for the sake of it.
I think your action of introducing Microsoft Forms or Google Forms in one lesson each week is very realistic and achievable. Starting with one lesson at a time will allow you to build confidence with the tool and evaluate its impact before expanding its use.
One suggestion I would make is to encourage pupils to reflect on the feedback they receive by including a short self-assessment or “next steps” question at the end of each form. This could provide valuable evidence for your School Self-Evaluation process while also helping pupils become more involved in their own learning.
One area of the Digital Learning Framework that is particularly relevant to my practice is Teaching and Learning, specifically creating meaningful opportunities for pupils to develop digital skills through active, hands-on learning.
One strength in my current practice is the use of LEGO Education coding activities with 1st and 2nd class. We are lucky enough to have a class set of LEGO We Do. These lessons encourage pupils to work collaboratively, solve problems, and develop computational thinking skills in an engaging way. I have found that the practical nature of LEGO coding motivates pupils of all abilities and helps build confidence in using technology to create and test solutions rather than simply consuming digital content.
An area I would like to develop further is using digital tools to assess and track pupils’ progress in coding and computational thinking. At present, I rely mainly on teacher observation, but I would like to gather more structured evidence of learning and use this to inform future planning.
To achieve this, I plan to:
- Use the Digital Learning Framework to review my current coding lessons against the relevant statements for Teaching and Learning by the end of this term.
- Introduce a simple digital assessment tool or pupil reflection activity after coding lessons to record progress and identify next steps.
- Share successful LEGO coding activities and assessment strategies with colleagues during a staff meeting to support whole-school School Self-Evaluation (SSE) in digital learning.
Using the tools and resources from Module 1 will help me reflect more effectively on my practice and provide evidence for our school’s SSE process. They will also support discussions with colleagues about strengths and areas for improvement, helping us to develop a more consistent approach to digital learning across the school.
I really like how you’ve linked what’s happening in the community with what you’d do in the classroom. The hands-on activities like litter audits or a class garden make sustainability feel real and fun for students. Getting local people involved is such a great idea too—it shows pupils that small actions can make a big difference and that they’re part of something bigger.
My school is in Cavan and Cavan is blessed with lakes, woodlands, and farmland, and I see how the community values these resources. Local Tidy Towns groups, for example, are constantly finding ways to reduce waste and improve green spaces. I’ve also noticed how many farmers are adopting more sustainable practices, which shows pupils that sustainability isn’t abstract—it’s happening right on their doorstep. The quality of the water in Lough Ramor has improved in recent years due to these farming practices mostly. We have lots of second hand shops in our town which is a sustainable way to shop.
In class, I want to nurture this awareness by helping pupils explore sustainability in meaningful ways. We could start small: focusing on the school garden, monitoring energy use with our new solar panels, or setting up a recycling challenge, getting a return bin in the school. I’d love to take them outdoors, perhaps to our local river or even to a neighbouring farm, so they can see how people balance caring for the environment with everyday life. My hope is that by connecting global sustainability goals with local action, pupils will realise that they too can make a positive difference.
hi Emma, I didn’t think about the label identification that’s a great idea to play eye spy in the supermarket type game to teach the children about that. I too have found this module a great reminder to include seafood in my diet. It’s full of nutrients.
I grew up in Skerries, a seaside town, where seafood was always part of everyday life. Being close to the harbour meant fish and shellfish were familiar foods, and over time I developed a real enjoyment for their taste as well as an interest in their health benefits. Seafood is a rich source of protein and contains important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain development and heart health. Shellfish like mussels and prawns are also valuable sources of minerals such as iron and zinc, making them an important part of a balanced diet.
In the classroom, teaching about seafood nutrition can be both engaging and meaningful. Children can learn where food comes from by mapping Irish fishing areas or even visiting the seaside if possible. Practical activities such as simple cooking demonstrations, identifying shells, or creating food pyramids that include fish help make learning tangible. Sharing personal experiences, such as my experience growing up by the sea, can also make the lesson more relatable. By connecting nutrition to local culture and everyday life, pupils not only learn the science but also develop an appreciation for healthy eating and the traditions that surround it.
