Computing: Upper Key Stage 2

Lesson plans and teacher videos to instil confidence in your Computing teaching.

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Making use of great, freely available software, Kapow Primary's lessons develop pupils’ knowledge across five areas: Digital Literacy and Online Safety, Computational Thinking and Computers and Hardware.

Year 5

Computing systems and networks: Search engines

Research skills and finding accurate information

Programming 1: Music

Applying programming skills to create sounds and melodies leading to a battle of the bands performance.

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Data handling: Mars Rover 1

Identifying some of the types of data that the Mars Rover collects and explaining how the Mars Rover transmits the data back to Earth. Children will read binary numbers, and understand binary addition as well as identifying input, processing and output on the Mars Rovers.

Programming 2: Micro:bit

Clipping blocks together in a program and predicting what will happen while making connections with previously used programming interfaces. Children create animations, recognise inputs/outputs, choose appropriate blocks, and break programs down into smaller steps.

 

 

Creating media: Stop motion animation

Storyboarding ideas, taking photographs and editing to create a video animation.

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Skills showcase: Mars Rover 2

Learning about pixels and binary, creating a pixel picture and saving a JPEG as a bitmap to understand the transfer of image data. Children will learn about the ‘fetch, decode, execute’ cycle and its real-world applications while beginning to use 3D design tools.

Online safety: Year 5

Learning about potential online dangers and safety.

Year 6

Computing systems and networks: Bletchley Park

Discovering the history of Bletchley Park, historical figures, and computer science. Children learn about code-breaking and password hacking as well as decoding messages. Children present information about historical figures.

 

Programming: Intro to Python

Learning the fundamentals of the programming language of Python, they will test, change and explain what their program does. Children use loops and explain what repeats do and what the parts of the loop do while recognising that computers choose random numbers and decompose the program into an algorithm.

Data handling 1: Big Data 1

Understanding about the use of big data including barcodes, QR codes, infrared, and RFID technologies. Children will create and scan their own QR codes, manipulate real-time data in spreadsheets, and present their findings. They also analyse transport data to understand its usefulness to commuters.

Creating media: History of computers

Writing, recording and editing radio plays set during WWII, looking back in time at how computers have evolved and designing a computer of the future.

Data handling 2: Big Data 2

Understanding data usage through the use of mobile data vs WiFi, the Internet of Things, and big data. Identifying high/low data activities and preparing presentations on using Big Data/IoT to improve school efficiency while respecting privacy.

Skills showcase: Inventing a product

Designing a new electronic product and using CAD software to design appropriate housing for it. Developing skills in website design, video editing, and persuasive language to promote their product. Evaluating and adapting existing code, debugging programs, and searching for accurate information online.

Online safety: Year 6

Learning how to navigate the internet in an informed, safe and respectful way.

Sample lessons

Sample lessons image 1
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