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Hi Miriam,
I really like the way you have linked your activity to something that pupils are already experiencing in their everyday lives. The use of a current news story is a particular strength because it gives the pupils a real reason to question the information they are being presented with, rather than AI literacy feeling like a separate topic.
I think the activity is very age-appropriate for 6th Class as it develops pupils’ ability to question the accuracy of information and check it against reliable sources. The question, “How can we know if something we see online is true, even if it sounds believable or lots of people are sharing it?” is particularly effective as it encourages pupils to think beyond simply whether something looks convincing.
One question I would be interested in exploring further is “Could an AI-generated story be biased depending on the information it was trained on or the person who created the prompt?” This could open up a discussion around bias and authorship as well as accuracy.
As a practical extension, pupils could create their own short AI-generated news story containing one or two inaccuracies and swap with another pair to fact-check. This could also provide a good opportunity to assess how well they can identify and verify unreliable information
Class stage: 6th Class
Curriculum area and learning intention: Science and Digital Learning. The learning intention would be for pupils to understand that AI can generate information, but that the information it provides is not always accurate or reliable.
AI concept being explored: AI-generated information, with a focus on accuracy, bias and misinformation.
I would use Code Green Episode 4: Leaf Long Learners as a starting point for a short AI literacy activity. After watching the episode, I would give the pupils a short piece of AI-generated information about plants. Working in pairs, they would look through the information and decide which statements they think are correct and which ones they are unsure about. They would then use their own knowledge, books and reliable online sources to check the information.
We would discuss why AI might give us an answer that is incorrect or misleading, even when it sounds very convincing. A key question I would ask is: “If AI gives us an answer, how can we know that it is actually correct?”
I would also discuss responsible use, particularly the importance of not simply copying or sharing AI-generated information without checking it first. I would encourage pupils to use the “Pause, Question, Check, Decide” approach when using AI.
To support critical thinking, I would model how I would check an AI response and encourage pupils to explain why they trust one source over another. I would gather evidence of learning through pupil discussions, their checking of the AI-generated statements and a short reflection on what they should do before accepting information from AI as fact.
I really liked your choice of Fantastic Fairgrounds, especially the Blocky Beekeeper role. I think this is a great example of purposeful game-based learning because the pupils aren’t just exploring the Minecraft world for fun; they are using the game to investigate how AI can be used in a real-world situation. I particularly liked your idea of connecting the bee tracking activity with protecting the natural environment, as it gives the pupils a meaningful reason for using AI.
I think there could also be a nice link to English, particularly oral language. After completing the activity, pupils could discuss whether they think using AI to monitor and protect bees is a positive use of technology and explain their reasoning. They could also create a short presentation or persuasive piece about how AI could be used to help protect the environment. This would give them an opportunity to use what they learned in the game and communicate their ideas to others.
I chose the CyberSafe: Bad Connection? demo world as I thought it was a really relevant topic for the pupils I teach. The world focuses on online safety and some of the situations children and young people can find themselves in when communicating online. Pupils work through different scenarios and have to make choices about what they think is safe or appropriate. I liked that their choices can have different outcomes, as it encourages them to think about the consequences of their decisions.
The lesson plan focuses on helping pupils recognise online risks, make responsible choices and understand when they should seek help or report something. There are also supporting resources to help teachers introduce the topic and encourage discussion after completing the world.
I think there is a strong link to the SPHE curriculum, particularly Myself and Others. It could help pupils develop their decision-making skills and understand how to deal with situations where they might feel uncomfortable or unsure. I also think it links well with digital learning and being a responsible user of technology.
I would use the world, but I would probably slow the pace down and allow more time for discussion. I would pause after some of the scenarios and ask pupils what they would do and why. I would also bring in examples that are relevant to their everyday lives, such as group chats, online gaming and social media. I think using Minecraft would make the topic more engaging and give pupils a safe way to explore these situations.
I chose the CyberSafe: Bad Connection? demo world as I thought it was a really relevant topic for the pupils I teach. The world focuses on online safety and some of the situations children and young people can find themselves in when communicating online. Pupils work through different scenarios and have to make choices about what they think is safe or appropriate. I liked that their choices can lead to different outcomes, as it encourages them to think about the consequences of their decisions.
The lesson plan focuses on helping pupils recognise online risks, make responsible choices and understand when they should seek help or report something. The associated resources also support teachers in introducing the topic and having discussions with pupils before and after using the world.
I think this would link really well with the SPHE curriculum and the Stay Safe programme, particularly around helping children recognise unsafe situations, understand appropriate boundaries and know what to do if they feel uncomfortable or worried. There are clear similarities with the Stay Safe message of saying no, moving away and telling an adult. I think the Minecraft scenarios could provide a more modern and engaging way of exploring some of these ideas in an online context.
I would use the world, but I would probably slow the pace down and allow more time for discussion. I would pause after some of the scenarios and ask pupils what they would do and why. I would also bring in examples that are relevant to their everyday lives, such as group chats, online gaming and social media. I think Minecraft would be a really engaging way to introduce these conversations and give pupils an opportunity to explore different situations in a safe environment.I really liked the idea of your princess catching flowers, especially the magical kingdom setting. I think it works really well with your maths objective because the player has to use their spatial awareness to position the princess and catch the flowers. It makes the x and y axis concept feel more practical and interactive rather than just learning about it on paper.
I also liked your point about debugging. I found this useful when creating my own game too, especially when trying to figure out why something wasn’t working properly. One suggestion I would have is to add some music or a sound that gets faster or more intense as the 20 seconds gets closer to ending. I think this could add a bit more pressure and excitement for the player and encourage them to catch as many flowers as possible.
Hi Cassandra,
I really liked the idea of your princess catching flowers, especially the magical kingdom setting. I think it works really well with your maths objective because the player has to use their spatial awareness to position the princess and catch the flowers. It makes the x and y axis concept feel more practical and interactive rather than just learning about it on paper.
I also liked your point about debugging. I found this useful when creating my own game too, especially when trying to figure out why something wasn’t working properly. One suggestion I would have is to add some music or a sound that gets faster or more intense as the 20 seconds gets closer to ending. I think this could add a bit more pressure and excitement for the player and encourage them to catch as many flowers as possible.
Game type: Timed catch/collect
Game title: Fishing
MakeCode Arcade game: https://makecode.com/_LmE9EFHWPXbU
Curriculum area and learning objective: STEM/Science: The learning objective for the game is for pupils to develop an understanding of living things and their habitats, particularly animals that live in freshwater habitats.
Simple storyboard:
I decided to create a simple fishing game set on a lake. The player controls a fisherman who is trying to catch as many fish as possible. The fish fall randomly from the top of the screen, and the player has to move the fisherman underneath them to catch them. When a fish is caught, it turns to ash and the player receives a point. The game is timed for 20 seconds, so the aim is to catch as many fish as possible before the time runs out. I wanted to keep the game simple but still make it challenging enough that the player has to react quickly.Computational thinking:
The computational-thinking process I used was debugging. While creating the game, I tested it regularly to make sure that the fisherman, fish, scoring and timer were all working properly. When something didn’t work as expected, I went back through my code to find the problem and make changes to fix it. I then tested the game again to make sure the changes had worked. This helped me to identify and fix errors and improve the overall game.I really like this idea! I think the tutorial is a great way to introduce coding because pupils have to think through each step of the animation and work out what needs to happen to make it move. It also gives them a chance to fix any mistakes as they go, which is a really important part of computational thinking.
One way you could build on the STEM aspect would be to get pupils to look at how different animals move before creating their own animation. That would make a nice link with Science as well as coding.
As an extension, you could ask pupils to create a different animal and then explain their code to a partner or the class. It would be a simple way to check their understanding while also letting them share ideas with each other.I completed the Flashing Heart tutorial on MakeCode for the micro:bit. It was a simple but enjoyable activity that introduced me to the basics of programming the micro:bit.
The code displays a heart icon on the micro:bit’s LED screen, pauses briefly, clears the screen and then repeats the sequence to create a flashing heart effect. I tested the program in the simulator and it worked exactly as expected. It was a good introduction to using loops, display commands and timing within MakeCode.
Linnk to my project: https://makecode.microbit.org/S70742-02761-12533-93683
I think this tutorial would work really well with my 6th class. Once the pupils have made the flashing heart, they could have a go at creating their own LED animations or symbols to represent different emotions or messages. This would be a nice way to link coding with Art, while also helping them develop their creativity, problem-solving and computational thinking skills. At the end, pupils could share their designs with the class and explain how they created them and why they chose their design.
Hi Niamh,
<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>I really liked your focus on developing computational thinking across different subjects rather than just linking it to coding. I think that’s a real strength in your reflection because it shows how these skills can be embedded naturally into everyday teaching.</p>
<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>I also think your plan to introduce one Brain Bytes activity every fortnight is very realistic. It’s a manageable goal that can easily become part of your classroom routine without feeling overwhelming, while still giving pupils regular opportunities to develop their problem-solving and logical thinking skills.</p>
One suggestion I have is to keep a simple record of which activities work best and how pupils respond to them. This could make it easier to build on successful activities in the future and provide useful evidence for your School Self-Evaluation process. Maybe asking pupils to complete a short reflection after each activity so you can track how their confidence and understanding develop over time?I think one of my strengths is using digital tools to keep pupils engaged. I regularly use interactive quizzes, collaborative activities and online research tasks in my 6th class, and the pupils enjoy using technology as part of their learning.
One area I’d like to develop is using technology in more meaningful ways, rather than just replacing paper-based activities. I’d like to give pupils more opportunities to be creative and reflect on their own learning.
To work on this, I plan to:
– Use one digital activity each week that focuses on creativity or problem-solving.
– Include a digital self-assessment or peer-assessment activity at least once a week.
– Reflect on how these strategies are working by getting feedback from my pupils and discussing ideas with a colleague.
I think these small changes will help me use digital technology more effectively to support teaching and learning.