Thames Valley DSB
Grant: Fall 2021
Michael Pembleton is a Grade 7/8 teacher at Victoria PS in London, ON. His ask in the fall of 2021 was for $452 to buy some Microbits for his class to “develop their coding and logical thinking skills (Junior and Intermediate students). He will have them design and run computer programs using appropriate coding software, and then have them export their programs to a Micro-Bit (pocket sized computer) so they can see the results of their work. These bits will help students meet the Ontario Mathematics Curriculum expectations for coding. Students will see if their program “output” matches their desired “outcome”.
Students will experience the excitement of coding and the angst that exists when their program output does not work as they planned. Students are always learning. The project outcome is to have students develop their logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Here are some photos of Microbits and an explanation of how they are used.
The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer that introduces you to how software and hardware work together. It has an LED light display, buttons, sensors and many input/output features that, when programmed, let it interact with you and your world.
The new micro:bit with sound adds a built-in microphone and speaker, as well as an extra touch input button and a power button.
