Computing: Blog items
Date: 26th Jan 2022 @ 7:41pm
This week in Computing we have been creating media using digital painting. Over the past few weeks we have been using the Paintz program during our Computing lessons and getting to grips with all the tools we can use. Today we looked at a piece of abstract art and discussed some key questions. We talked about the shapes we could see, the colours we could see and how we thought the art was made. We then had a go at recreating a similar piece of art work. We had 3 steps to follow to succeed and by the end of the lesson we had all followed these steps to create our own art work!
Date: 18th Jan 2022 @ 4:53pm
Computing and Lego? What a lesson that sounds like! Today Year 4 would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Goldie from EdTech who came and taught our computing lesson today. We had a fantastic time and learnt loads about coding. We got to build a Lego snail, and then all through the coding software make the snail make sounds, move, and light up! We can't wait for the next one!
Date: 9th Dec 2021 @ 7:53pm
This week in our Computing lesson we have explored online safety through the story 'The Adventures of Smartie the Penguin!' We began by thinking about how we find out information on the internet and discussing these search enginges. We learnt about SafeSearchKids and how this is a safe place for us to search for information. We were then introduced to SMART and we learnt what each letter stands for in relation to online safety. We then read our story and helped Smartie to make some safe and smart decisions when using his device. We learnt a song to help us to help Smartie...
Before you tap and click...
You need to stop and think...
And TELL someone!
We discussed who could help us if something happens online that we are not sure about. We then completed tasks to help us further understand information we should keep safe and what we can share.
Date: 29th Nov 2021 @ 8:00pm
Throughout our computing lessons this half term we have been working hard to log on to the Chromebooks independently. This week we have been practising using a range of tools on the 'Paintz' programme. Our task was to create a winter snowman picture. Whilst creating our picture we also practised using drop and drag to create shapes of different sizes. Finally we used our typing skills to put our name and date on our work.
Date: 25th Nov 2021 @ 8:39am
This half-term we have been learning how to code animations and games, using a website called code.org. In this lesson we had to code part of a Minecraft game and could even add sound effects and music to make it more realistic. These skills will help the children as they move through school, as computing skills and coding have become part of our everyday lives. Pupils move from 'block-coding', to 'free coding' and eventually may be able to write their own lines of code.
Date: 16th Nov 2021 @ 4:13pm
In Geography we started our journey learning about the UK. We went on ariel tours of England, Northern Island, Scotland and Wales and we were fascinated by the beautiful landscapes and spectactular buildings that the UK has to offer.
We also used atlases to find the UK on a world map and compared it to other countries in the world. We enjoyed looking for places we had visited and those we long to visit.
Date: 1st Nov 2021 @ 7:19pm
As an introduction to our first computing unit Year 1 spent some time today using the Chromebooks. Using our own individual user names and passwords, we each logged onto the laptops and practised showing some of our essential skills. We then had some time to get used to the tools on 'Paintz.' We used the drawing, line and shape tools and began to try typing a short sentence on the keyboards. We all displayed our characteristic of the week, growth mindset, to keep trying our best even when we didn't necessarily find it easy! We can't wait for our next computing lesson!
Date: 20th Sep 2021 @ 12:48pm
In computing this half-term we are becoming digital artists. So far, we have learned how to make digital images using shapes in the drawing function in Google Docs.
Date: 14th Sep 2021 @ 4:13pm
Having spent much of the past year learning remotely and spending much more time online becuase of lockdowns and isolations, this week in our computing lesson we have been learning about Online Safety. We have been discussing how we can all stay safe online and how we can teach others to stay safe online. We worked in groups to create a big sider diagrams outlining the dangers of not staying safe online and how we should behave when accessing the internet. We have all also logged on to our new Google Classroom and completed our independent task through there so we now know how to use it and to log in!
Date: 11th Sep 2021 @ 8:08am
During our first week in year one we have been grouping and sorting! We have used a number of different objects and talked about what is the same and what is different. We have learnt we can sort by colour, by shape, by type and by size. We have learnt how to log into our own Seesaw account and post pictures of our learning! We have also been exploring our new classroom environment and completing lots of maths challenges in continuous provision.
An introduction to spreadsheets
Date: 7th Sep 2021 @ 4:01pm
Today we began our new unit in Computing - Spreadsheets. We discussed what a spreadsheet is and why people use them. We were also introduced at the following key vocabulary that we will be using through the unit:
- Data
- Cell
- Input
- Output
- Format
Our task today was to first have a practise at inputting simple data into cells and then add borders, changing text colour and adding colour to cells. We were then taught how to add add formula to cells in order to add, subtract, multiply and divide inputted numerical data.
Date: 16th Jul 2021 @ 1:17pm
As part of our Computing curriuclum, Year Two have been experimenting with the program Paintz. We have been practising how to use the different tools such as draw, paint, fill and make lines. We looked at different styles of artwork from famous artists including French artist Georges Seurat and Dutch artist Piet Mondrian. We then used these pieces as an inspiration for our own artwork.
Date: 25th Jun 2021 @ 12:36pm
Tihis week we have been learning how to program with Turtle. We recapped on the definition of an algorithm and learned various commands to make the Turtle move, including forwards, backwards and left and right turns. We also leaned how to use the repeat command to so that we could reduce the number of lines of code needed. Finally, we learned how to debug an algorithm when the Turtle did not do as we expected.
Now Press Play - Under The Sea
Date: 17th Jun 2021 @ 3:04pm
The Nursery chilldren took part in a "Now Press Play" activity. Each child had a set of headphones (which they tried so hard to turn on by themselves) and listened to a story set under the sea! They had to listen carefully and follow some instructions and we all went for a swim in the sea, rowed a boat and became a pirate, a jelly fish and a crab!
Now Press Play - A Viking's Tale
Date: 16th Jun 2021 @ 4:53pm
Today we took part in an immersive listening experience where we listened to a story about the Viking's. We had to follow the story and use actions throughout when prompted. These made us have a better understanding of what was being told within the story as well as it being incredibly fun! We can't for our next 'Now Press Play' experience!
Date: 15th Jun 2021 @ 4:29pm
We have been creating our own musical rhythms and accompaniments for tunes using Music Lab on the Chromebooks. We have been looking at keeping the pulse and beat and using different long and short notes to create the rhythms. We changed the pitch and created texture in the melodies by adding layers of sound. Some people used different types of instruments and created synth effects, strings or glockenspiel sounds.
Date: 7th May 2021 @ 11:46am
In our computing lessons, we have been improving our typing and presentation skills.
We have used our computing skills across the curriculum too by manipulating shapes in maths and writing up our Hot Write from Reading into Writing.
Date: 2nd May 2021 @ 11:11pm
In Reading into Writing we have been reading and writing quest stories. We based our story on the picture book
Date: 28th Apr 2021 @ 11:25am
In computing this week we used the Beebots! For the past few weeks we have looked at algorithms, creating step by step instructions and saying why it is important to be precise when writing an algorithm. We have tried hard to learn our left and right from different points and which way is clockwise or anticlockwise. This week we put all our prior learning into practise to program Beebots. We used the terms algorithm, sequence, debugging and programming to explain what instructions we were giving to our Beebots, to get them to move from one point to another. We had to remember to clear each previous instruction before giving our Beebot a new instruction, or our Beebots went off in the wrong direction! We worked in small groups to program the Beebots and then on the IPads using the Beebot app.
Date: 23rd Apr 2021 @ 4:55pm
Year 4 have started to learn how to program in computing. The children went onto Hour Of Code to complete many computing challenges in a Minecraft style game. The children had to debug some of their coding if they did not complete the challenge correctly. This was to ensure they went onto the next level.
Website creation including hyperlinks
Date: 22nd Mar 2021 @ 4:02pm
This week we continued our Computing lessons and spent more time cerating our own websites. The theme of of our work is the Ancient Greeks. This week, we learned how to insert a hyperlink and how to evaluate digital content to check for authenticity.
Date: 11th Mar 2021 @ 2:58pm
We all logged into the Chromebooks and went onto:
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/editor
Firstly we changed the background area and found a sprite to match our setting. Then we used the script area to begin to programme our characters to move forwards and backwards, make a sound and change colour. Everyone worked really well and had great success manipulating the blocks. We also talked about online safety because its really important that everyone stays safe using the internet - it's a great resources and lots of fun, when used sensibly.
Date: 13th Jan 2021 @ 7:58pm
It's not easy being without our teachers but we are doing a great job with our home learning by listening to and following video tutorials that Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Rose make for us. In Computing, we have completed 2 lessons on spreadsheets - both with a video tutorial to follow. This included learning how to add data to cells, change colour and font of text as well as the size of text and cells. We then progressed to learning how to use formulae in cells to complete calculations. In today's lesson, we learned how to turn data into graphs and how to add a filter to sets of data so that we could order it smallest to largest and vice versa. We think we are doing well with our work!!
Year 1 - Our Learning This half-term
Date: 17th Dec 2020 @ 3:10am
Year 1 – Our half term!
We have had a very busy half term! From exploring 2D and 3D shapes in Maths, to balancing and creating routines in PE, and listening and appraising reggae songs in Music!
In Science this half term we have been learning about animals; learning lots of new vocabulary including carnivore, omnivore and herbivore and the five animal classifications.
In Computing we have been creating our own Christmas artwork using Paintz, exploring the different tools to create shape, images and text and on the 1st December our class elves arrived in Beech and Hazel with a letter - he asked us to find out everything we needed to know to write back to him! So, in Reading into Writing we explored the journey of a letter, finding features, piecing together the layout, and reading the letters from our class elf, before finally writing our own letter.
It has been a very exciting half term, filled with lots of learning and fun!
Date: 2nd Dec 2020 @ 10:58am
Today, Year 6 took part in a 90 minute online safety talk with Bernadette from WIRED. The session talked about how we can stay safe online and the dangers of being on social media sites. She went through ways in which APPs like Tik Tok can be dangerous/inappropriate for children and what children should be looking at if they do go on these sites.
We are also having another talk next week to go further into online safety.
