Session 1

Overview: In this lesson children will be introduced to and use a range of

resources, such as Makey Makey, to develop their knowledge and understanding
of inputs and outputs.
National curriculum link: Use sequence, selection and repetition in programs,
work with variables and various forms of input and output.
Learning objective:
LO1: Can we understand what inputs and outputs are and how they work
effectively.
LO2: Can we use Makey Makey to design a video game controller.
Success criteria:
All: I am able to define the difference between an input and an output.
Most: I am able to discuss inputs and outputs, relating to home experiences,
outside the context of a computer.
Some: I am able to independently create an input using Makey Makey.
Key words: Input, output, algorithm, programming
Key questions:
What do you know about computers and programs?
What is the difference between an input and output?
What inputs and outputs can you think of at home?
Resources
Makey Makeys x 7
Bananas x 2
Play dough (corn flour, salt, vegetable oil, food colouring)
Foil
Blindfold
Jam, bread, butter, knife, plate
Input and output game
Smart notes/PowerPoint
Makey Makey video
Starter Introduction to us and the project (15 mins)
Classroom will be organised to leave plenty of space in front of the IWB for the
children to sit. We will individually introduce ourselves as employees from the
Lego company, producing a letter sent from the Lego boss addressed to the
children. The letter will inform them of their new role in class which will be to
invent/create a toy/model using the knowledge which they will gain over the next
five weeks. The purpose of this creation will be for the Lego company to sell at
Christmas.
Class discussion will be prompted to gain an understanding of what current
knowledge the children have about computers (in general) and inputs/outputs. The
childrens ideas will be collected and recorded in a mind map.

New learning (10 minutes)

Inputs/Outputs reflecting on what ideas the children have shared, we will focus
on defining what inputs and outputs are using the PowerPoint slide as a guide.

Input and output activity The children will be organised into pairs and provided a
range of images which they will need to sort into input and output categories. An
example of the task will be modelled by an adult to support their understanding.
Questions to assess understanding: why have you placed these images in this
category? What input would you need for this output to happen?
Children will have the opportunity to share how they completed the activity with the
class.
Main
We will move the learning on to discuss the importance of how we instruct and
sequence an input into the computer when wanting a particular output. We will link
this to using a programme such as scratch to contextualise their learning.

Jam Sandwich Activity (15 minutes) We will explain to the children that
one of us will become a computer/robot. The children will have the task to
create a set of instructions (introduce the term algorithms) to programme
the computer/robot to make a jam sandwich. The children will be shown the
resources available to make the sandwich and given a set time to work with
another. Each pair will have the opportunity to instruct the computer/robot
to make the jam sandwich.

Direct a friend (10 minutes) To consolidate this understanding of correct

instruction importance, the children will work in pairs and one child will be
blind folded whilst the other guides the child around the classroom. Taking
care not to bump into objects.

Break (20 minutes)

Introducing Makey Makey (1hour 30 minutes)

Makey Makey video The children will be shown a youtube clip focusing on
effective ways to use a Makey Makey board as an input.
Following this, we will show how you set the board up and the controls
which we will be using/focusing on for this session. We will also draw the
Makey Makey on the board and label the controls.
We will then model using the Makey Makey with an online arcade game and
scratch to demonstrate its use with different programmes.
In pairs, the children will have the opportunity to combine the provided
resources with the Makey Makey and create input controls for their own
scratch games/online arcade games. *The adults role will be to support the
childrens problem solving and reasoning skills.

Plenary (10 minutes)

Collaborate feedback of the session, focusing on their experiences using Makey

Makey; the general learning which took place; and if they felt they had achieved
the learning objectives. To close the session we will discuss what we will be doing
next week.
Evaluation:
Session one evaluation:
LO1 Can we understand what inputs and outputs are and how they work
effectively?
A few of the children were confident to share individual understanding of this but many had
not come across this terminology with computing before. The activities prepared to
support their understanding proved to be engaging and appropriately challenging,
encouraging them to work together using their problem solving skills. The only
misconception which had occurred was during the sorting activity as a few of the pictures
appeared to show a different visual meaning depending on the individual looking at it, for
example a few of the children addressed the computer monitor as a television. This,
however, did not affect the childrens understanding of what an input and output was.
The sequencing activities were also an effective teaching resource, providing concrete
examples to support their learning.
LO2 Can we use Makey Makey to design a video game controller?
The children enjoyed the video clip and were able to relate their understanding as to what
Makey Makey was following this. All were eager to use the resource and worked
exceptionally well together.
There were several issues which occurred using this tool and effecting what had been
planned:

Although we were notified that the children were confident scratch users, this did
not appear to be the case. Adaptions were made to the session to resolve this by
bringing the children together and having a more intimate discussion about scratch
and its use.
There was one couple who appeared to have difficulty with using the Makey
Makey, however this may have been due to the resource itself.
If this was to occur in my teaching again I would ensure that an appropriate games
site was available for use to ensure that the children could use the resource
effectively.