OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

Students will create a virtual pet using micro:bits and then collect data for their pet as it interacts with its ’environment'.

Meta description

• Subject Area: Computer Science, Science, Reading/Language Arts, Technology, Engineering, Art
• Grade Level : 3-5
• Computer Science Domains:
  • Computing Systems, Data Analysis, Algorithms and Programming
• Computer Science Principles:
  • Collaborating Around Computing, Developing and Using Abstractions, Creating Computational Artifacts, Communicating About Computing
• Materials:
  • Micro:bit
• Considerations:
  • Completing the dice tutorial could prepare students for programming the randomized selection for their pets food, shelter, and water.

Lesson Plan

Overview

Students will create a virtual pet using micro:bits and then collect data for their pet as it interacts with its ’environment'.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

How will you program you virtual pet to meet its needs for food, shelter, and water? How will you collect data to show your animal’s behavior as it meets its needs in order to survive?

OBJECTIVES

Program their micro;bit to mimic behaviors of an animal as it meets its needs for food, shelter, and water. Students will collect and analyze data for animal survival.

CATCH/HOOK

Create an animal that will survive in its habitat by collecting food and water, and finding shelter.

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

Students will use maker space materials to create a virtual pet that can hold their micro:bit. Students will then program their micro;bit using at least 3 inputs to show when it has found food, found water, and found shelter. Students will then interact with their pet and collect data for the number of times the pet found food, water, and shelter. Students will analyze data to determine if their pet would survive in its environment.

Supplements

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REVIEW

Students will share data collected and whether their data was reliable, based on their coding of their virtual pet.

STANDARDS