The survival guide to control and monitoring
at upper Key Stage 2
Course Description
This is a practical course which aims to
equip teachers with the skills, knowledge and understanding required to teach
the Year 5 and Year 6 control technology and environmental monitoring units of
the QCA Scheme of Work for ICT.
We shall be basing the course around the following programs:
Course objectives:
-
To provide teachers with a practical interpretation of
the QCA ICT.
-
To give teachers first hand experience of the software
and hardware listed above.
Course achievements:
-
Greater expertise and confidence in the delivery of the
upper Key Stage 2 QCA Scheme of work for ICT.
-
Greater understanding of the application of control
technology and data-logging across the upper Key Stage 2 Technology and
Science curricula.
Email contact
Unit 5F Monitoring environmental conditions and changes
Data loggers have enormous potential to enhance the primary science
curriculum. They enable children to design and carry out investigations which
exploit the ability to record data accurately over time.
This unit is designed to teach children the concepts and techniques of data
logging. Its key objective can usually be met in a relatively short time and
there seems little point in spending longer than is necessary. It is better to
apply the learning repeatedly in order to meet scientific learning objectives.
| Key Objective |
Can choose the appropriate sensor/s to monitor environmental
conditions and changes and carry out experiments safely and independently |
|
| Activity 1 Getting the data to tell its story |
Interpret pre-prepared graphs and make deductions from the
data |
 |
| Activity 2 LogIt Explorer |
Explore using the LogIt Explorer for:
- Snapshots data collection
- Live logging
- Remote logging
|
|
| Activity 4 Data logging ideas |
Consider scientific questions which could be investigated
using data logging equipment:
- How can we keep out tea hot?
- Which materials reflect the most light? link to road safety.
- Which materials are the most effective at sound proofing?
- Which part of the pond is the warmest?
- Which part of the classroom is the warmest?
- How does temperature change when we mix materials? e.g. plaster of
paris and water, salt and ice, vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.
- What is the best way to cool down hot tea?
- When is the school noisiest over a 24 hour period? (or warmest etc.)
- What does the school hamster do at night?!
|
More ideas from Data Harvest
Sensing Science Primary Teacher's Notes and Activities
(pdf) |
Unit 5E Controlling devices
The control technology strand of the QCA Scheme of Work begins in Year one
with children responding to instructions and sequences of instructions. In Year
two children program a robot with instructions and sequences of instructions and
in Year four children are taught to write computer programs in the Logo
language. In Year 5 and Year 6 we are still essentially concerned with
programming computers to carry out instructions, known as commands, and
sequences of instructions, known as programs. In so doing we can make the
computer control electrical devices such as bulbs, buzzers and motors. The
skills taught in units 5E and 6C, along with those taught in science, can be
applied to good effect in technology.
| Key objective |
Is able to use a control box and control software to write
and amend simple procedures which control output devices such as bulb and
buzzers. |
|
| Activity 1 What is control and why do we teach it? |
Consider machines where a sequence of events is controlled
by a computer such as:
- washing machines
- car wash machines
- climate control
How might their programs be notated?
Consider the work of programmers. Bearing in mind that they spend more
time fixing bugs than writing code, what skills and qualities do they need
to apply? |
|
| Activity 2 Flow Charts |
Lines and symbols |
Flowcharts PowerPoints |
| Activity 3 Controlling output devices |
Fairground model and bridge lights |
|
Unit 6C Control and monitoring – What happens when...?
| Key objective |
Is able to use a control box and control software to write
and amend, with some help, simple procedures which respond to input devices
such as switches. |
|
| Activity 5 Introducing sensors |
Lighthouse model |
|
| Activity 6 Integrated task |
Fairground design and make activity linked to D&T scheme of
work. |
Guidance from Lincs By Sharon
Buxton & Helen Savage |
