LESSON ONE

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:
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.