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This is preview content for the 2026-27 academic year. Your feedback will help us improve these units.
Learning objective
- To develop a functional feature of a product by programming a digital pedometer.
Success criteria
- I can identify which BBC micro:bit features are
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National curriculum
Design and technology
Evaluate
Pupils
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Cross-curricular links
Pupils should
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Before the lesson
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Lesson plan
Recap and recall
Explain that the children will talk to a partner to recall what they learnt about designing on Tinkercad. Show the Presentation: Speak like an expert. Pair the children. Ask them to share what they learnt about designing on Tinkercad using key vocabulary.
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Adaptive teaching
Pupils needing extra support:
- Could use the Activity: Programming a pedometer as a visual guide to support coding.
- Could use the Download: Pedometer .hex file or the link: Microsoft MakeCode – Pedometer project to make small changes and personalise the program (for example, change the icon in the ‘show icon’ block for the celebration or the number of steps).
- Could have the videos playing on a loop to support following each step.
Pupils working at greater depth:
- Should make independent changes to the program by adjusting variables to achieve different outcomes.
- Should explain how features of the pedometer (for example, a celebration function) benefit the target audience.
- Could program the micro:bit to display different images for different step targets.
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Assessing progress and understanding
Pupils with secure understanding can:
- Identify which features on a micro:bit are used
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Vocabulary definitions
-
code
A set of instructions that tells a computer or device what to do.
-
debug
To find and fix mistakes in a program or design so that it works as intended.
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In this unit
Maintained by: Kapow Primary team
Last update: 27th April, 2026
Lesson 3: Programming a pedometer
Exploring how input, variables and conditions are used to control real-world digital devices.
Lesson 3: Programming wearable technology
Programming a virtual micro:bit to flash using loop blocks.
Lesson 1: Tinkering with BBC micro:bit
Introducing the BBC Micro:bit and investigating what it does and how it works.
Lesson 5: Debug and evaluate
Exploring how to test, debug and improve a program to ensure it works as intended.
