OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

Students will construct an penguin home to prevent the phase change of an Ice-Cube Penguin. Students will code 2 micro:bit devices to be a radio and receiver to record the temperature inside the penguin home using one micro:bit, and then creating a graphical representation of the temperature change in their penguin home.

Meta description

• Subject Area: Computer Science, Science
• Grade Level : 6-8
• Computer Science Domains:
  • Computing Systems, Algorithms and Programming
• Computer Science Principles: +
• Materials:
  • Micro:bit
• Considerations:
  • Educator should have knowledge of phase changes, energy transfers, and ability to code and use micro:bits. Educator should also have the ability to troubleshoot the micro:bit coding.

Lesson Plan

Overview

Students will construct an penguin home to prevent the phase change of an Ice-Cube Penguin. Students will code 2 micro:bit devices to be a radio and receiver to record the temperature inside the penguin home using one micro:bit, and then creating a graphical representation of the temperature change in their penguin home.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

Were you able to construct an home? What is the phase change your penguin went through? How much mass did your penguin lose in 15 minutes? Were you able to code a radio that would read the temperature, and then send the temperature recording to a receiver?

OBJECTIVES

Construct an penguin home to prevent the phase change of their Ice-Cube Penguin Code 2 micro:bit devices to be a radio and receiver to record the temperature inside the igloo.

CATCH/HOOK

Save South Africa’s Penguins! Give them a home.

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

Students will read about South Africa’s penguin populations and their need for a suitable home. Students will answer questions about the article, and then begin testing different materials to determine which ones will be best to build the penguin’s homes out of. Then, students will build their prototype home, and also code 2 micro:bit devices. One device will be a radio - coded to read the temperature inside the home of the penguin and the other a receiver to read the temperature inside of the penguin home.

Supplements

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REVIEW

Were you able to have a minimum of loss for your penguin? Did you complete the graph?

STANDARDS