T5 Y6 Creating a database in j2e

Apr 192023
 

Activity 1 – explore a database

  • In j2launch, click on j2data  
  • The database 
  • Then examples 
  • Look at some of the different databases: dinosaurs, Titanic passengers, countries or minibeasts.
  • Look at the different tabs:
    • Define – how it is set up – each category of information is called a field
    • Form – is like a record car or top trump that contains all of the information for one record – this is how you add a new tiem in the database.  You can order and search the records.
    • Table – you guessed it – lists the information in a table – good if you want to see it all at a glance.  You can sort the data by clicking on column headings.
    • Chart  – allows you to draw graphs comparing the data of all the items.  Only useful if records have numerical (number) data.   You can alse use the search to restrict results to items containing that search word.
    • Options
  • What can you find out from searching, ordering or drawing graphs of the data?  Have a go at answering these questions: enter your answers in theis Google form

 Countries

  • Which is the smallest country? (Form tab, Sort by area)
  • Which has the second lowest population (Form tab, sort by population)
  • What is the 10th country  in alphabetical order (Table tab, sort by name row by clicking on Country Name)
  • Do big countries have big populations (Chart tab, options below with scatter chart)
  • Ask and answer your own question

Dinosaurs

      • What is the longest dinorsaur?
      • Which are the first dinosaurs?
      • What proportion were carnivores? (pie chart)
      • Ask and answer your own question.

Minibeasts

      • How many have more than 6 legs?
      • Ask and answer your own question.

Titanic passengers

      • How many people survived?
      • Who was the youngest survivor? (I’ve met her!)
      • Roughly what fraction of men survived?  What fraction of women survived?  (chart – see options below)
      • Ask and snawer two questions of your own.

Activity 2 – Plan your database

  • Think of a topic that you could make a database about:
  • Good examples are
    • animals from a particular habitat or family, eg birds of prey, whales, Amazon animals
    • sportspeople eg from a partiular sport
    • geographical – countries, cities, rivers, mountains
    • engineering – buildings, bridges, ships, cars
    • It may involve research – reading books, searching for information – find one good website
    • You will need at least 20 records and 5 fields (pieces of information) – 3 of them numbers/dates
    • Something you could find interesting informations, patterns by asking questions of your database.
  • What fields will you need?

  • Start a new database
  • Add fields in the Define tab
  • Don’t forget to save frequently.

Activity 3 – Populate your database

  • Add new records and fill them in.
  • Read up or research to find more records and inforamtion.
  • Try and get as wide a range of items on the topic as you can.
  • Don’t forget to save frequently.

Activity 4 – interrogate your database

  • Think about some questions you could find out about your database.
  • Create a j2e5 page with questions and the answers that you found from your database.
  • Can you copy graphs and charts from your database to j2e?

Y4T5 Mindmaps

May 092022
 

Activity 1 – Video: What is a mindmap?

Activity 2 – Explore Coggle tools

  • Explore the tools on Coggle by making a mind map called The World
    1. Go to Google Drive
    2. New – more – Coggle
    3. Name the central idea: The World
    4. Add main branches for the continents
    5. Add two countires as next branches for each continent (apart from Antarctica)
    6. Add some more branches – maybe cities or famous things about each country

Video instructions for activity 2

Activity 3 – Mind map from a text

  • Create a mindmap about…

Antarctica

Acrivity 4 – talk it through

The tes of a good min map is if you can use it to tell someone else about the subject or even better use it to remember the facts without having to look at it.

  1. Read your mind map several times
  2. Tell someone about Antarctica including all of the facts using your minmpa as a prompt.
  3. Turn your mind map over and see if you can remember the facts.
  4. Try again in a few days time – can you still remember the facts?

Activity 5 – beautify your mindmap

  1. Tidy up your mind map by dragging branches
  2. Try to make it
    1. compact – no big gaps
    2. fit the screen in a rectangle
  3. Add symbols
  4. Add pictures
    1. In Google
      1. Search for a simple picture – should be very simple, use the word “icon” or “clipart” in your search
      2. Save image as…
    2. In Coggle
      1. When typing, click the picture icon and find your picture on your computer
      2. Change the code at the end to 50×50 so your picture is small
  5. Look at a WAGOLL

Activity 6 – Success criteria

  • Information in correct branches – read your mind map to check it makes sense
  • Branches growing in one direction – not toopy
  • Branching/splitting – not one long line
  • Compact – fits the screen
  • Simple pictures – not photos

Activity 7 – Saving to j2e

  • Click download – image
  • Right hand click – copyvimage
  • Go to a new j2e5 page
  • Make it landscape and 50%
  • Paste – Ctrl-v
  • Make your mindmap as big as possible on your page , crop any spare
  • Save as “Antartica mind map”

Other topics:

The planets

Why are rivers important?

Follow on activities

  1. Add more information, pictures and symbols to you mind map
  2. Create a new mind mpa about another topic
  3. How many of these Coggle tools did you use?
    1. Resize text by dragging
    2. Add and delete branches
    3. Add a picture
    4. Add symbols
    5. RH-click to get branch options

15 Creative Mind Map Examples for Students

T5 Y5 Creating a game piece by piece

Mar 022022
 

LF1:  Decomposing the game

  • Have a go playing this game.
  • Then have a think from a coding point of view.   How many different elements can you list – characters, moving parts, actions, consequences, backgrounds…?
  • By answering the questions above, you have decomposed  the game = broken it up into simpler parts.  This is a great way of thinking about how to code something as you can code each simple part one at at a time.

LF2 Characters, actions and consequences

This whole unit will be thinking about those elements and how we can translate them into Scrach.

  • Characters and moving parts will be sprites
  • Actions will be blocks – may be movement blocks and control blocks
  • Consequences might be if…then blocks

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/502331640

Please let me know by commenting on this post if you get stuck or need another video later on…

Jungle Rush Sketch videos:

  1. Video 1  – Home screen – gliding on title, sprite and play button
  2. Video 2 – Move to play mode – title, play disappear, sprite to correct position
  3. Video 3 – Moving background – trees
  4. Video 4 – Sprite jumping
  5. Video 5 – More background – clouds
  6. Stage 6 – Enemy sprites
    1. Make a new sprite
    2. When it receives play message, show, go to the right hand side of screen, glide to left hand side of screen – keep doing this (forever).
    3. When green flag clicked, hide
    5. Electrify enemies
      1. instead of hide – what do you want to happen?
  7. Stage 7 – Back to home screen when dead; Two states home/play
    1. Enemy sprite code – when it hits the cat (forever, if, touching cat sprite), broadcast – new message “home”
    2. Replace all green flag code starters with “When I receive home” blocks
    3. Make one block with: when green flag clicked, broadcast home
  8. Stage 8 – Timer/score
    1. Variables: Make a new variable “Score”
    2. Two blocks:
      1. When I receive home, stop counting
      2. When I receive play, set to 0, start counting
  9. Can you announce the score before going back to the home screen?
    1. Change background? Sprite says score? Wait for a few seconds then go to home screen
    2. You could have a message called “score” for this?

Continue reading »

Term 4 Computing

Feb 222021
 

Here are some Computing and other activities for this term.

  1. Y3 Create a safari scene in Scratch
  2. Y4 Create a Roman maze game in Scratch
  3. Y5 Create a jungle game piece by piece
  4. Y6 Create a WW2 Blackout game in Scratch

Other Computing skills

Use Computing in other subjects

  • Create a Coggle mind map of your topic (See Y5T5 unit)
  • Create an animation using JIT5, Scratch, Gifpaint or an phone/tablet animation app – see Y4 animated story unit
  • Use j2e5 templates or visual tools to explore ideas in your topic or complete topic work set by your teachers.
  • Install Google Expeditions  on a phone or tablet and explore places related to your topics

Other activities

  •     Thinking starters – great for getting your brain going.  Learning Zone leave a comment with your ideas.
  •   Zooniverse – people-powered research – take part in real scientific research on a range of projects
  •    #DoGoodFromHome!

Y6 Create a WW2 presentation using Google Slides

Jan 202021
 

The Big picture

We are learning how to use Google Slides (by exploring it ourselves) and how to give an effective presentation talk using our Slides by getting feedback from others.

Choose a WW2 topic – Create a Google Slides presentation – Give a talk using your presentation – Create other information presentations

1 Choose one of the WW2 topics

  1. WW2 planes
  2. The land army
  3. WW2 ships
  4. WW2 tanks
  5. The life of a WW2 soldier
  6. The blackout
  7. The Battle of Britain
  8. Anne Frank
  9. Or suggest a title in the comments and I will get back to you.

2 What different ways can we present information?

  • Let’s make a list.  Later we will list their features and think about how we can create effective examples.

3 What is a “Powerpoint” presentation?

  • Purpose – to show onscreen while you (the expert) talk about the subject
    • Not an ebook – just for people to read, they will be listening to you talk – givign details of what is on the screen
  • Format
    • Simple, clear, clean
    • Notes – not full sentences – it’s not an ebook
    • Just the key information
    • Add speaker notes below the slides for you to remember the extra info that you need to give – but again, don’t write in full sentences – nobady want to hear youread – we want to hear you talk confidently about the subject.

3 Create your presentation in Google Slides

  • In Google Classroom (Class 21), open WW2 slides
  • Explore the tools as you create your presentation
  • 3-5 slides, a few key facts on each slide, pictures, titles
  • Prepare your talking (not reading) – you could write “speaker notes” under each slide

4 Style choices

  • Decide on a font size, font, colour – one or two that work together
  • Use a theme or make sure slides feel part of the same presentation – colours, design, layout

5 Success criteria

  • 3-5 slides; 10-15 key facts
  • Simple layout
  • Consistent theme – on or two colours, fonts
  • Balanced slides – same gaps, margins between elements
  • Clear key information – no sentences
  • Speaker notes if requred to remind you of details not on slides
  • Talk through your presentation fluently with expression

6 Present!

  • Use your presentation to give a 1 minute talk ot your learning partner.
  • Get some useful feedback – don’t settle for “good” – push for comments that will help you improve your Slides and speaking.
    • What went well…
    • Even better if…
  • Go back to your Slides and improve them based on the feedback
  • Give the talk again – was it more effective? Get some more useful feedback…

Finished?

  • Make a new slide on the same presentation
  • Include the information from the whole presentation on that one slide in the stylle of an information poster.

Term 3 Computing…in Lockdown

Jan 202021
 

Here are some Computing and other activities for this term:

Keep learning, keep active and keep in touch!

Computing in Term 3

  1. Term 3 units
    1. Y3 Create a topic page in j2e5 with a repeated page border
    2. Y4 Create an adventure game using hyperlinks
    3. Y5T3 Edit a “Word” doc in Google Docs, j2e and j2office Write
    4. Y6 Create a WW2 presentation in Google Slides

Other Computing skills

Use Computing in other subjects

  • Create a Coggle mind map of your topic (See Y5T5 unit)
  • Create an animation using JIT5, Scratch, Gifpaint or an phone/tablet animation app – see Y4 animated story unit
  • Use j2e5 templates or visual tools to explore ideas in your topic or complete topic work set by your teachers.
  • Scratch project – we’ll be using Scratch in Term 4
  • Install Google Expeditions  on a phone or tablet and explore places related to your topics

Other activities

  •     Thinking starters – great for getting your brain going.  Learning Zone leave a comment with your ideas.
  •   Zooniverse – people-powered research – take part in real scientific research on a range of projects
  •    #DoGoodFromHome!

 

Welcome to Term 6

Jun 012020
 

I hope everyone is well and had a happy half term.  Thank you for everyone who has had a go at some of the activities on the blog or posted on Google Classroom – well done if you have used j2e for some of your work.

Here are some Computing activities and websites to keep us going, wherever we are…

Keep learning, keep active and keep in touch!

Quick links:

Computing in Term 6

  1. If you havn’t done Term 5 work, please do that first
  2. Term 6 units
  3. Extra ideas
    • Use j2e5 templates or visual tools to explore ideas in your topic or complete topic work set by your teachers.
    • Learn how to use Tinkercad and design somethng (see Y6 unit)
    • Coggle mind map of your topic (See Y5T5 unit)
    • Create an animation using JIT5, Scratch, Gifpaint or an phone/tablet animation app – see Y4 animated story unit
      • I’m looking for some animations like the ones here, for example 3,4,5,6 to put on a new website
    • Use Scratch or Hour of Code to develop your programming skills.

 

Y6 Tinkercad

Jun 012020
 

Sign up to Tinkercad

  • Follow the link and instructions on j2message

Learn

  • Click Learn – Starters
  • Work your way through the tutorials to get the basic skills of designing in Tinkercad
  • When you think you know what you are doing then you can move onto…

Design

  • Design something.
  • It could be a new item of furniture, a room or garden latyout, a building,…use your imagination or look at some projects for inspiration.
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