Category: Curriculum Live

Text on left, GarageBand and podcast icons on right

Activity 6 – Create a Podcast

Day 6 – Create a Podcast

Elf on the pod podcast artwork For Day 6 of #12DaysofCreativity we will explore creating a podcast on your iPad using GarageBand. This is a great activity to build pupil confidence, develop their literacy skills, expand their research and communication skills as well as developing a key skill for the world of life, learning and work – collaboration. 

Sharing a Podcast can be easier than you think. You don’t need to publish it to Apple Podcasts or Spotify in order to let people listen – you can share the file for download from your school blog, share using QR Codes during parents evening or even have it sent out along with the school weekly newsletter. 

If you do decide to start a class podcast, then there is an excellent option available. The app Spotify for Podcasters is available for free on all platforms including the web. There are some things to consider.

It requires an account, so it is advised to have teachers create an account and publish. If you wish to explore this topic more, then this ePub is a good resource to use. 

For this activity, we used the following apps:

Pages icon

Pages can be used to plan the script for the podcast. Think about a topic, plan the research, write an introduction, and structure the flow of the episode. Who will say what. Other apps such as word, docs, or notes can also be used but for this activity we used Pages as it has a built in teleprompter. 

GarageBand icon

Garageband is the main app used for this activity. A powerful recording studio that comes built in on every iPad deployed in schools. It can be used as a voice recording app, music maker, beat smasher and more. Voice effects add a touch of creativity and for this task we recorded our voice using the chipmunk effect to give us an Elf sounding recording. Mixed with free music effects downloaded from Pixabay build a comprehensive podcast experience.

Keynote icon

Keynote continues to play a pivotal part in iPad Creativity with its versatile approach to activities. Content is key and when learners use an app like keynote to design podcast artwork, they can blend colour, design, text, drawing, shapes and more to create an eye catching colour popping podcast show artwork. You might consider the Daydream Believers activity Branding before this task to give pupils as much of a headstart as possible. 

Now, it’s your turn.

The YouTube video below is broken into several chapters which can each be used as a separate lesson. 

  1. Write your script
  2. Record your content
  3. Add some music
  4. Create your artwork. 
YouTube player

You can download the referenced in this post from OneDrive here

Try the activity for yourself and share your finished podcast with us on social media @digilearnscot using #12DaysofCreativity

#CSScotland23 ReLoaded! Explore the Resources

Computing Science Scotland 2023

Many thanks to the learners, educators and presenters that made #CSScotland23 a success! Between 6th-10th November 2023, 9658 learners from 384 schools from 29 local authorities took part in our live create-along lessons, exploring different aspects of Computing Science.  This page will host the resources and materials used in the lessons for  you to explore and use with your learners.  Most activities have follow up suggestions and video.  

Some activities are yet to be uploaded, but will be asap.

YouTube player

Locked in the DATA base: A data science escape room – Follow Up #CSSscotland23

Recap

Huge thanks to Data Education in Schools for running this session!

Agents K (Kate Farrell) and J (Jasmeen Kanwall) guided recruits through a series of taxing problems during this escape room event. 

Brief: You were working late on paperwork from your recent DATA mission and you’ve realised that you’ve been locked in the base. Solve the puzzles to get out without setting off the alarm.

Description of learners’ task: Learners use graphs and tables of data about theme park rides to answer questions. The answers to the questions provide them with the alarm code to be able to escape the base.

The recording of the activity is not yet available, but you can carry out the escape room task with your learners yourself by visiting https://dataschools.education/resource/locked-in-the-data-base/

Resources that learners will require

  • Access to a calculator or calculator app
  • Rollercoaster data sheets (printed or electronic) – one copy between 2-3 learners
  • Questions Worksheet (printed or electronic) – one copy between 2-3 learners
  • The resources are on the data education website
  • There is also an optional pre-activity logic puzzle, also available on the website.
  • Access to an internet browser to check if you manage to escape!

Further Activities

If you managed to escape and are looking for a new mission, why not try:

Agent Briefing Logic Puzzles

Find the Vikings Secret Lair

Stop the Time Heist!

 

 

Build an AI Smart Classroom Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23

Recap on session and resources

During this session, Brian explored machine learning using the website machinelearningforkids.co.uk. Learners were guided through one activity where learners trained a machine learning model to recognise different ways someone might ask for a light to be switched on/off or a fan to be switched on/off, tested this model and used the model to build a virtual smart classroom using Scratch.  

This activity is one of many available on the site.  The smart classroom activity can be found here The live lesson was based around the shorter version of the activity.

You may want to check out the Intro video first before following the lesson.

Introduction

YouTube player

Smart Classroom Walkthrough

YouTube player

Next Steps

Once you have completed the smart classroom activity, you may want to 

  • add a new device (sprite) to the classroom like a television
    – give it an on and off costume
    – add 2 new buckets to the machine learning model to turn it on and off
    – add appropriate phrases
    – update the model
    – add new code to the Scratch program to operate the television
  • try the full version of the activity
  • explore the other beginner activities looking at text, images and numbers – you can use the filters to make sure you find beginner Scratch projects

Microbit Hot Potato Game Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23

Recap

Lorna Gibson from the Micro:Bit Education Foundation guided learners through a coding activity to turn you micro:bit into a (virtual!) hot potato!  This particular activity looks at using loops and variables to create a timer.  The recording of this session didn’t work very well, so here is an alternative instructional tutorial from Micro:bit.

Next steps and related activities can be found at the bottom of this post.

The Hot Potato Game Demo

YouTube player

Video Instruction from Micro:Bit

YouTube player

Acknowledgements: Videos on this page originally created and hosted at Hot potato game | micro:bit (microbit.org)

Next Steps

  • can you think of another use for the random timer? For example, you could try to code your micro:bit so that at some point during the school day it alerts you to get active – eg the message “Do 10 Star Jumps” could appear at random.  

Related Micro:bit Activities

Makecode Arcade Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23

Callum Croughan, Mary Frances Stewart, Zoe Shanks and Alistair Mackay –  Digital School Digital Pedagogy Practitioners guided learners through building a maze game using Makecode Arcade

 Learners explored aspects of computing science such as variables, algorithms, parallel programming and loops.

Resources 

YouTube player

Follow Up Activities

Your Data Selfie Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23

This live lesson saw Craig and Daniel from Cyber Skills Live guide participants through using data about themselves to create an abstract self portrait using code. (This is activity 5 on the website).  All of the coding is done in a web browser with no other software required.  Larger screen devices are preferable as learners are required to edit code.

Teacher support / next steps

  • You can follow the instructions online and carry out all the activities with your learners. Please visit Code Your Own Data Selfie (cyberskillslesson.com)
  • Screen shots from one of the activities are shown below.  Learners can take a copy of the selfies they take after each activity.
  • As a follow up for teachers, Craig and Daniel recommend checking out the Cyber Skills Live website, which has over 20 other activities.
  • Pupils can learn about cyber security and learn “How To Rob A Bank“, or find out how artificial intelligence is used to protect animals in Africa in “Defend The Rhino with Data Science

Screenshots for Cyber Skills Live Data Selfie (Activity 3)

Example Code Activity

Example Instructions

Example Output

Games Design Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23

Resources from Games Design Workshops 6/11/23 and 8/11/23

Amanda Ford from West College Scotland took participants through Game Design techniques focussing on the purpose and scope of the game, followed by a session on level and character design.

The resources are available for you to use as you wish. You can use the slides to prompt discussion and design ideas for games.

The order in which they were used was…
 
Monday
 
Wednesday
 
Amanda has suggested some design lesson plans available to download / edit / use:
 
 
 
Additional
Towards the end of the second session we talked about using your hand drawn designs in your Scratch programs. A quick demo of this was shown.  The videos showing how to do this are below.
 

Video Resources

Use Powerpoint to get your hand drawn images into Scratch
YouTube player

Create sprites from real world objects using Powerpoint
YouTube player
 
 

Exporting transparent images using Keynote on iPad (they can be used in Scratch!)

YouTube player

Adding your own objects to Scratch as a Background or Sprite
YouTube player

App Prototyping Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23

Resources from App Prototyping Workshop from 8/11/23

We hope you enjoyed the app prototyping session with our colleagues from Inspire Learning in the Scottish Borders. The presentation from the Inspire Learning team can be found here

You can make use of the app prototyping design sheet below:
 
 
Here are the follow up videos that will help support you and your learners create their app prototypes using Keynote, Powerpoint or Google Slides.
 

Watch out for the Inspire Learning Christmas digital skills 2023 sessions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHUQbUd-jk:

Video Support

Keynote and Powerpoint demo on prototyping:

YouTube player

Google slides how to make links:  

YouTube player

A 10 minute video of how developers at Apple use Keynote to create App prototypes 

YouTube player

DigiLearnScot App Prototyping Tutorial from Digital Learning Week

YouTube player

Computing Science Scotland Week – Create a long special Nov 6th – Nov 10th 2023

Join us and our partners from across the country to celebrate Computing Science!  For the week of Monday 6th – Friday 10th November 2023, we are delighted to be delivering a host of live lessons exploring different aspects of Computing Science.

During this week you and and your learners can dive into Computing and learn new skills.  We have practical code and create a long sessions as well as some unplugged activities broadly suitable for BGE levels 2/3, and two especially for early level learners.

Topics covered during this week include

  • Data Science
  • Coding
  • Design
  • Prototyping
  • Physical Computing
  • Unplugged Computational Thinking

This week would not be possible without the support from:

  • Daniel Devine, Craig Steele (Digital Skills Education, Data Education in Schools)
  • Dr Amanda Ford (West College Scotland)
  • Suzanne Lustenhouwer (Apple Distinguished Educator)
  • Helen Orde, Roddy Graham, Catherine Little, Suzanne Pritchard and Paul Graham (Inspire Academy, Scottish Borders)
  • Callum Croughan, Mary Frances Stewart, Zoe Shanks and Alistair Mackay (Digital School Digital Pedagogy Practitioners, North Lanarkshire)
  • Dr Lorna Gibson (Micro:bit Educational Foundation)
  • Kate Farrell and Jasmeen Kanwal (Data Education in Schools project at the University of Edinburgh)
  • Isabella Lieghio, (Education Consultant, Icon Learning/Barefoot Volunteer)
  • Francisca Carocca & Jessica Blake-West, (DevTech Research Group, directed by Dr. Marina Bers in Boston College)

Most of these live lessons will take place via Glow.  There will be a team for you to join where the majority of the live lessons will take place.  If you are unable to join the Glow team then you can still access the live lesson via direct link, however you will not be able to see / interact with the chat functionality.

See below for the activities each day.

Register your interest in 1 or more of the sessions here

11am – Your Data Selfie

Digital Skills Education, Data Education in Schools
Daniel Devine, Craig Steele

Description

Join our YouTube livestreamed lesson where your pupils will combine computing, art, and data to create their own data-driven self-portrait.

In this practical workshop, pupils will learn about data visualisation and code a self-portrait using numerical personal data.

Our data experts will critique their self-portraits which will be showcased in our online portrait gallery.

Participants will follow instructions to edit and customise JavaScript code to create data visualisations based on data they collect about themselves.

Resources

  • Teacher plays the YouTube livestream on projector
  • Pupils take part individually on laptops/desktops

2pm – Game Design Part 1

West College Scotland 

Dr Amanda Ford 

 

The first game design session covering how to think about designing computer games.  Feel free to join either or both sessions! Next session on Wednesday 8th at 2pm

Session 1 Game Design Basics

This lesson will cover the basics of game design and walk through how to start coming up with an idea for a game then how to take it further. 

 

Resources 

  • paper/pencil 
  • Teacher joins team meeting and shares screen on projector

11am – Celebrate you with Swift Playgrounds (iPad)

Apple Education/Education Scotland

Suzanne Lustenhouwer (Apple Distinguished Educator)

Swift playgrounds is an excellent way to learn code on iPad. In Swift Playgrounds you have the ability to build apps directly on iPad. In this session pupils will do a real time introduction to developing their very first app on iPad.

Guided by an Apple Professional Learning Specialist, pupils will learn the approaches to take when building an app from the ground up.

This will be an interactive lesson with your class and ideally aimed for students P6 and up who have a familiarity with Swift Playgrounds on iPad.

Students will need an iPad with the latest version of Swift Playgrounds installed and the About Me Sample project downloaded. Teachers can download an Educator Guide here

Equipment needed in the classroom:

  • Screen visible for all pupils to view the webinar
  • Speakers/WiFi
  • iPads for students with the latest update installed (check Settings – General – Software Update)
  • Swift Playgrounds (up to date) & About Me Sample Playground downloaded (check app store or LA app library)

Having these steps carried out before the webinar ensures that everyone can take part without missing key steps/info.


2pm – Build your own AI smart classroom

Education Scotland

Brian Clark

Learn how you can use the power of artificial intelligence to control a (virtual!) smart classroom and get started exploring how to create with artificial intelligence.  

In this project you will make a virtual classroom that can react to what you say to it.

You’ll be able to control the virtual devices in the classroom by saying what you want. You will teach the computer to recognise commands for different devices by giving it examples of each.

Resources

  • Learners should have access to a device that has internet access to the Machine Learning for Kids website and Scratch
  • Teacher joins team meeting and shares screen on projector
  • Learners can work in pairs

11am – Create the next cool app – App Design Workshop

Inspire Academy, Scottish Borders

Helen Orde, Roddy Graham, Catherine Little, Suzanne Pritchard and Paul Graham

Description

Join us for an exciting live lesson where students will create their very own mobile app prototype! They’ll brainstorm unique app ideas to make life easier or assist others, then learn to design an app logo and finally, students will craft an app prototype that they can proudly showcase to their classmates.

Guided by our instructors, students will use Keynote (or PowerPoint and Google Slides) to design their prototype. We’ll demonstrate how quickly they can design and build an app without any coding required. Don’t miss out on this creative and engaging app design experience!

Resources

  • Teacher joins team meeting and shares screen on projector
  • App Design planning sheet + pen/pencil
  • Pupils take part individually on laptops/desktops/iPads
  • Presentation software on device– either Keynote, Powerpoint or Google Slides

 


2pm – Game Design Part 2

West College Scotland 

Dr Amanda Ford 

 

The second session covering how to think about designing computer games.  Feel free to join either or both sessions!

Session 2 Character and Level Design

This lesson will cover how to design levels and characters for your game.  

 

Resources

  • pencil/paper
  • Teacher joins team meeting and shares screen on projector

 

Woman holding laptop and micro:bit11am – Microbit Hot Potato Game

Micro:bit Educational Foundation

Dr Lorna Gibson

In this session, we will show you how to turn your micro:bit into a physical hot potato! In this game, you will start a timer with a random countdown of a number of seconds. When the timer is off, the game is over and whoever is holding the potato has lost!

We will also consider other simple games like that could be turned into a micro:bit program

Resources

  • A device with access to MakeCode Microsoft MakeCode for micro:bit (microbit.org)
  • micro:bits (if they have them). 
  • Sharing devices in pairs or small groups is absolutely fine (and actually appropriate for the hot potato game). 
  • Teacher joins team meeting and shares screen on projector

Interesting fact! The Hot Potato game is going to feature at some point in a future BBC program too!


9th November 2pm – Build a game with MakeCode Arcade

North Lanarkshire

Callum Croughan, Mary Frances Stewart, Zoe Shanks and Alistair Mackay –  Digital School Digital Pedagogy Practitioners

Learners will build a maze game using MakeCode Arcade within an online web browser. Learners will explore aspects of computing science such as variables, algorithms, parallel programming and loops.

Resources Required:

  • Teacher Support Pack – Step by Step guide to support all aspects of the lesson (to follow via email)
  • Learners should have access a device that can access Microsoft MakeCode Arcade

Teacher joins team meeting and shares screen on projector

Join our 30 minute session to find out how you can provide practical, fun and creative early level computing science experiences across CfE.

In this information session, practitioners will learn about computational thinking and how our youngest of learners can explore computing science concepts and approaches – with absolutely no devices or programmable toys! This session is suitable for all practitioners across a range of settings. Unplugged activities can be adapted to suit the level of learner you are working with.

NOTE: This session is hosted via Microsoft Teams.

11am – Locked in the DATA Base: Data Science Escape Room
Data Education in Schools project at the University of Edinburgh
Kate Farrell and Jasmeen Kanwal

Briefing for Trainee DATA Agents: You were working late on paperwork from your recent DATA mission and you’ve realised that you’ve been locked in the base. Solve the puzzles to get out without setting off the alarm.

Description of learners’ task: Learners use graphs and tables of data about theme park rides to answer questions. The answers to the questions provide them with the alarm code to be able to escape the base.

Resources that learners will require

  • Access to a calculator or calculator app
  • Rollercoaster data sheets (printed or electronic) – one copy between 2-3 learners
  • Questions Worksheet (printed or electronic) – one copy between 2-3 learners
  • The resources are on our website: https://dataschools.education/escape/

There is also an optional pre-activity logic puzzle, also available on our website.

 

Children’s Create Along – Unplugged Explorations: Introducing early level computational thinking with Barefoot Computing
Isabella Lieghio, Education Consultant, Icon Learning/Barefoot Volunteer

Description

Join this 45 minute create along, online session with Isabella Lieghio as she introduces us to the wonderful FREE Computing Science learning materials from Barefoot Computing and takes us through one of the early years activities, step by step. This session is suitable for early and first level learners.

The activity will be about recognising, continuing and creating patterns from the ‘Winter Warmers’ activity.

Where do you see patterns in you home, garden, playroom, classroom?

We will share the printable resources with you, once you have signed up.  Alternatively you can use any resources to create patterns during the create along (loose parts or natural materials such as leaves, conkers, pine cones, twigs, or various colours of playdough, small construction, sorting and counting resources).

You may even  choose to wear a patterned item of clothing that day!

NOTE: This session is hosted via Microsoft Teams. (a Glow log in is not required)

Resources:

Please register for a free account with Early Years | EN | Barefoot Computing and watch the ‘Getting Started’ video for practitioners before the session.

Winter Warmers printable – this will be shared with you via email after sign up.