P5 did a great job coding on Monday as part of the Hackathon.

First we found out a little more about the Micro:bits, opened the new Micro:bits and we coded a mood badge, a beating heart and a dice.

Then we learned a little more about using technology to help the planet and we coded lights for sea turtles. When baby sea turtles are born, they are confused by bright beach lighting. We looked at an invention where the Micro:bits were coded to use their low LED lighting when the light level drops, to help guide the hatchlings back to the sea and also to remind people that the turtles are there.

We then learned a little more about the Do your :bit Challenge and the UN’s Global Goals. The challenge is to use the Micro:bits to come up with a solution to help a global issue. This year the challenge is focusing on Global Goals number 3 and 13, Good Health and Wellbeing and Climate Action.

In groups we came up with some fantastic inventions to enter the challenge. Some groups thought about the impact of COVID and how isolated we’ve all been, creating games to play with neighbours, lights and music to help us sleep or an alarm to say when we’ve had too much screen time and should go outside and take a moment! Other groups focused on climate action, thinking about overfishing, collecting plastic in the seas, using the Micro:bits to help planting and also to reduce food wastage.

We finished off by coding animations of our day. It was a busy introduction to the Micro:bit but we all learned a little more about coding and how technology can be used to help solve world problems.

Well done Primary 5!