Computing: Blog items
Date: 21st Nov 2024 @ 7:38am
Today we started our 3D modelling unit using the website Tinkercad. Our first lesson was an opportunity to get to know how to add shapes to the workspace and how to change the size, shape, colour and position of a range ofshapes. We worked through a selectionof tutorial tasks to prepare for the next few sessions.
Year 3- Practicing programming!
Date: 4th Nov 2024 @ 4:29pm
This week we have begun to look at programming using the online program ‘Scratch’. The children learnt how to add sprites in and change their costume. We also looked at adding in a range of backgrounds and including code to switch between different backgrounds. The children also looked at adding in movement blocks to make their characters move. Over the next few weeks we will look at creating a sequence of instructions using the coding blocks.
Year 6 Computing - Introduction to Spreadsheets
Date: 18th Sep 2024 @ 3:41pm
Today we began out Computing unit on spreadsheets. The first lesson included learning about how to input data into cells and how to format cells to change the size, colour and style of text. We also began to look at how to add a formula to specific cells in order to add together numbers.
Year 3 - DT - Investigating existing products and Market Research
Date: 9th Sep 2024 @ 9:05pm
To begin our DT journey, we looked at a range of existing pencil cases. We thought about what material they had been made from, how they had been joined, who the user was and how they opened and closed. We found most of the pencil cases were made from fabric and stitched together. Some pencil cases were made from wood or leather but these were less common. We also conducted some market research. We created a google form to gather data on what users would want from a pencil case. We thought about what we would need to put in a pencil case, the shape, the design, the material and how the case would close.
We then analysed the data to see what it told us. Our results showed that a character design is most popular. Those surveyed also wanted a soft pencil case that they could carry in their bags. We also found out that most children wanted lots of different things in their pencil case, so when we design our cases we need to make sure we have enough room and potentially a pocket for organising.
Date: 5th Sep 2024 @ 7:46am
This half term in Computing we will be exploring how to take a good photo. We began by exploring different devices that took photographs before thinking how to take a good photo. We agreed that we needed to hold the ipad steady, look through the screen and then press the button. Before we took any photos, we discussed the importance of asking for permission before taking a picture of a person. We enjoyed taking a range of photos including a selfie, buildings and objects close up.
Year 6 Computing - Variables in Games
Date: 12th Jun 2024 @ 4:06pm
Today we began our coding unit of variable in games. We used Scratch to code different sprites to either increase or decrease in value when clicked. Some of us went further and added backdrops and sound.
Date: 11th Jun 2024 @ 5:18pm
Today we began our 'moving a robot' work to learn early programming skills. We explored using the individual buttons and commands, identifying what each command for the Beebot does and using them to start to predict the outcome of the robot program.
Year 2- Position and Direction
Date: 22nd May 2024 @ 7:35am
This week, Year Two have began their position and direction Maths unit. Yesterday, we described movement in straight lines by working with a partner to follow a set of instructions to move a counter around a grid in the correct direction. We had to understand positional language including: forwards, backwards, left and right which linked to our Programming unit of Beebots. Our knowledge from the Computing unit helped us to use the vocabulary correctly and apply it in a different area of the curriculum.
Date: 21st May 2024 @ 4:05pm
This half term in computing, Year 4 have veen learning about what data is and why it is important to log it. This week, we looked at two graphs which measured temperature and light. We discussed what questions we could ask about this data and what each graph is telling us. Then, we interpreted these graphs and inputted the data that they showed on Chromebooks.
Date: 14th May 2024 @ 7:42pm
Over the past couple of weeks, Year 4 have been learning about what data logging is. We discussed that data is information that is collected to analyse something and that we use data loggers to do this. Then, we walked around the school and recorded the temperature of the school and then analysed the results. We have also discussed some of the challenges we may have when collecting data in a range of environments.
Date: 14th May 2024 @ 4:40pm
This half term, Year Two have been exploring algorithms and how to programme floor robots. So far we have looked at making predictions as to what the outcome will be of an algorithm before designing our own mats and this week creating an algorithm to get the robot from one square to another avoiding the obsticals we also placed down.
Date: 19th Apr 2024 @ 3:51pm
This half term we are learning how to use shapes and lines to be able to paint using computers. We began by learning how to use the different tools on 'Paintz' and spent time exploring what we could create using these tools.
Date: 16th Apr 2024 @ 8:39am
More practise with close questions and laying out branching databases. We realised they get their name from an upside down tree!
Year 6 - Computing: 3D modelling
Date: 15th Apr 2024 @ 7:39pm
Today we started our 3D modelling unit using the website Tinkercad. Our first lesson was an opportunity to get to know how to add shapes to the workspace and how to change the size, shape, colour and position of a range ofshapes. We worked through a selectionof tutorial tasks to prepare for the next few sessions.
Year 4- Asking Yes/No Questions
Date: 9th Apr 2024 @ 6:34pm
This half term, Year 4 have started their new computing topic which is themed around collecting and presenting data. For our first lesson, we discussed the different between an open-ended question and a yes/no question. We then played a game where our partner picked an everyday classroom object and we had to guess what the object was using yes/no questions. Finally, we grouped objects based on their attributes such as their colour, size and material.
Date: 8th Feb 2024 @ 6:17pm
This week has been Internet Safety Week . It was launched on Tuesday with a whole school assembly followed by a story in our classroom about Smartie The Penguin. Here, the children learnt, along with Smartie, how to keep themselves safe on the internet by talking to a trusted adult if things didn't seem right when playing games or doing research on the internet.
"I watch films on Youtube" Mathew.
"I ask my mum if I can watch Peppa Pig" Luca.
"Don't talk to a stranger on the internet" Oliver.
Date: 8th Feb 2024 @ 2:58pm
For Internet Safety Day, Year 4 discussed the positive and negative influences on the internet. As a class, we debated whether certain influences impacted our behaviour and views positively, negatively or both. We also talked about different uses for the internet and the differences it can make to our lives.
Year 5 - Digital Literacy No Pen Morning
Date: 16th Jan 2024 @ 8:24pm
To develop our digital literacy skills, pupils at Boundary spent the morning completing maths and writing lessons using only digital devices. For reading into writing, pupils used their chromebooks to publish their creation stories from Aboriginal culture. For maths, pupils used the BBC Micro:bits to create a rock, paper, scissors game. This was the first time pupils have used these tiny computers, and they even improved the code to reset after each turn, display a welcome message when the device was turned on, and make sound effects!
Date: 16th Jan 2024 @ 1:28pm
In Year 4, we were introduced to a multiplication competition on a website called Emile first thing this morning and we did lots of times tables to gain points for our school. Then we went on a typing skills website (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z3c6tfr#zn9s3qt) where we put on headphones and practised some typing skills. After we learnt typing skills, we learned how to use some of the skills on Google Docs (e.g bold, italic). We then used these skills to highlight some of the features of a Newspaper report like we have been doing in Reading into Writing. In Maths, some children matched 3D and 2D shapes into the correct columns on a worksheet. Everyone else continued their work on multiplying 2 digit numbers by 1 digit numbers.
Year 6 - Digital Literacy No Pen Morning
Date: 16th Jan 2024 @ 1:26pm
Our No Pen Morning focused on digital literacy. We began by completing a skills session. We recapped on how to change the font, size of font, colour and background before learning how to add pictures and change the transition of slides. We then moved on to typing skills. We talked about why it is important to be able to type accurately and quickly. The children enjoyed our typing completion. We finished by completing a PSHE lesson about images we see on line and how it may affect how we feel about ourselves.
Year 5 - Digital Learning in RE
Date: 11th Jan 2024 @ 4:46pm
To support the pupils' learning in RE, we have been using an online resource called Kahoot!. Kahoot! is an interactive quiz that engages the pupils and helps them to learn the facts and knowledge required in the lesson. Using the Kahoot! over time also helps the children to commit the new knowledge to their long-term memory.
Year 4- Finding Features of News Articles
Date: 11th Jan 2024 @ 1:06pm
In Reading into Writing, Year 4 have been identifying structural and language features of newspaper reports and online news articles. Firstly, we looked at some examples of newspaper articles and highlighted the features that we noticed. After this, we used our digital literacy skills to look at some news articles online and were given post it notes to label the features that we found. We will continue to read and annotate a range of news articles and will plan and write our own news article in the next couple of weeks.
Year 2 - Which ship can hold the most weight?
Date: 7th Dec 2023 @ 7:27am
Last week, we conducted an experiment as part of our Everyday Materials unit to test which ship can hold the most weight? We made different sized boats using tin foil and placed counters on the top, counting how many counters it took until the ship sunk. This week, we used our results to use an online program to record our data in a block chart. We thought about the axis and giving the chart a title as well as inputting our own data before we interpreted our results using the chart. We found that the biggest ship could hold the most weight whilst the smallest ship held the least. This is because we can spread the weight.
Date: 1st Dec 2023 @ 9:30am
This week, pupils in year 5 created a quiz game on Scratch. They coded an algorithm using 'selection' to make a 'true' outcome and a 'false' outcome depending on the user input. Pupils tested their programs and debugged it to make it run better.
Date: 24th Nov 2023 @ 2:12pm
Today we recapped what the internet is. Then we used our previously learnt image editing skills such as cropping and cloning to retouch images.
