Lesson video

Hi, my name's Mr. Brown.

Welcome to this lesson today on planning and designing a data logger.

We're going to be thinking about what data loggers are, we're going to be planning how we're going to make one, and designing it.

And just considering what actually a data logger is, and thinking about a new piece of equipment that we're going to be using today, and that is a micro:bit.

So without further ado, let's get on and have a think about what the learning outcome and the lesson cycles are going to be.

So today, our learning outcome is that we are going to be producing sketches that contain detailed annotations.

The keywords today, well, the first key word is tally.

Now, tally is a way to collect information.

Second keyword is data, and data is information such as numbers.

It can also be other things, but today we're gonna be thinking about numbers being data.

Then we're going to be thinking about what data loggers are.

And data loggers are electronic devices that can collect information.

A micro:bit, a micro:bit is a micro controller that can be programmed to do different tasks.

And we're going to be thinking about how we use those today.

And the last one, annotations.

So annotations are notes that are added to diagrams, and this can often help us work out ways of doing things and give us extra information about what our sketches mean.

The lesson outline today, there are two lesson cycles.

So the first one is data logger design specification, and annotated sketches.

We are going to be starting with the first learning cycle, data logger design specifications.

So year four were asked to vote on which colour to paint their classroom.

And the choices that they had were orange, purple, or green.

Now, year four chose to keep a tally of which colour was going to be most popular.

And they wrote down one mark each time that a child chose a different colour.

So if one child chose orange, they would choose a mark next to orange and for purple and for green.

Once they'd actually counted all of these, made all of these marks, they then counted them up and then they created a total.

Here are the results.

So as you can see here, you've got a row that says orange, a row that says purple, and a row that says green.

The columns, the first column is colour, the second column is tally, and the last column is total.

Now, we spoke about tally as a keyword in one of the earlier slides.

And tally are those marks that we spoke about that the children made to keep a record of all of the different results.

You can see there with orange, you've got a group of five, another group of five, and another group of five, and then one, and that makes a total of 16.

With purple we've got a group of five, a group of five, a group of five, and then four additional marks, making 19.

And green column, a group of five, another group of five, and another group of five, that makes 15.

As you can see, purple was the most popular colour.

Now, I've spoken about having a group of five.

Now, the reason that we have groups of five is it makes it easier to count.

And to make these tallies, instead of actually having five marks next to each other, what we do is that fifth line is drawn diagonally across the others.

And that creates what looks like a gate, and it means that that is a group of five, making it easier to count.

And we make those, so if we were to continue counting after this one group of five, we would have one mark, bit, two, three, four.

And then the fifth one goes across.

This means it makes it easier to count.

Count the total, and you can see we've got one group of five, another group of five.

So that makes a total of 10.

Here's a check for understanding.

So looking at this table, and it's exactly the same table that we looked at before with orange, purple, and green, and the tallies and the totals, which colour received the least number of votes?

Was it orange, purple, or green?

That's right, it was green.

In this particular instance, green didn't get as many votes as the other colours.

Right, now when we talk about lines in tallies, what this means is a piece of data.

So, data being a piece of information.

Now, data is information that we collect.

It can be as numbers, obviously it can be a tally like this.

But the total is also a piece of data.

Anything that is information, such as numbers that we are collecting, is data.

Data loggers are devices that can collect this information electronically.

So the data loggers can actually collect that information, and we don't need to note it down.

Now, a micro:bit as pictured here, that's a microcontroller that can be programmed to do different tasks.

And one of the tasks that it can be used for is as a data logger.

So you can actually log data, or a tally within a micro:bit.

Let's go into thinking about what a micro:bit actually is.

Now, micro:bits have different buttons that can be used to log different types of data.

We're gonna go through and have a look at the different parts of the micro:bit that we are going to be using within this lesson.

So you've got a touch button.

Now, there are different versions of micro:bits.

And this is the latest one, which actually has a touch button.

And you've also got two push buttons on either side.

So you've got push button A and push button B.

And if you look at the picture there, you can see that below the button it says A.

And on the left hand side and on the right hand side, you've got a button that just above says B.

Now, micro:bits, they are actually powered using a battery pack.

And then they can be attached to a computer with a data cable, that can also power it as well.

But if you have a look at the picture that's there, you can see the micro:bit and you can see the battery pack.

And you can see where that's attached, to the top left of the micro:bit.

And you can also see the data cable.

Check for understanding.

So thinking about a micro:bit and the types of buttons, what types of buttons do micro:bits have?

Do they have push, pull, touch, or slide buttons?

Now, be very careful, there are actually two answers that are correct here.

So is it A, push, B, pull, C, touch or, D, slide?

That's correct, it's push and touch.

So there are two push buttons, push button A and push button B.

And there's also a touch button above on the top.

Okay, so now we're gonna be starting to think about the design specification about what we're gonna try and design and make.

So year four want to record traffic passing by a nearby road on a micro:bit, but they need a protective case for it.

Now, a case is a cover or a shell or a housing for an object.

And an example would be a pencil case.

So a pencil case holds pencils and other bits of stationary together, keeps them safe, makes sure that they don't fall out.

And that's exactly what you've got to start thinking about with regards to a case for the micro:bit.

Now, if you refer back to the previous picture of the micro:bit where we actually had a micro:bit with the battery pack, we've got to consider that as well.

So here's the design specifications for the year four micro:bit case.

We need a case to keep the micro:bit and the battery pack together.

You need to be able to access the buttons to press them to record data.

We also need the case to look good as well, but it also needs to be able to connect to the computer.

There's quite a lot here to think about.

And the last thing is it needs to be made from card, but we also don't want to waste any materials.

So we're going to be using card, paper and card for this activity.

So I'll just go through those again.

The case needs to include the micro:bit and battery pack.

We need to be able to press the buttons to record the data.

It needs to look good, but it also needs to connect to the computer.

So we need to have that data cable there.

And we don't wanna waste materials, but we are just gonna be using card.

Now, when we're thinking about this design specification, solving problems in small groups can actually be a really helpful experience, because you can start thinking about ideas together and bounce ideas off each other, create ideas that maybe you hadn't thought of before you started talking about them.

But this only really works when the discussions are really positive.

So we need to make sure that when you're working in small groups, you let everyone speak, you answer the design specification.

So we need to think about that design specification, that's really important.

You need to listen to each other, you need to be positive and polite.

Right, here is your task A, thinking about the design specification.

So in small groups, we're gonna have some discussion time.

And I want you to share ideas for making a case for the micro:bit data logger.

Use the design specification to help you.

And I've split it up into six different aspects of function, how it's going to connect to the computer.

User, how will it hold everything?

Don't forget, we need to have the battery pack, we need to have the micro:bit, and also the leads as well.

So how are the buttons gonna be used?

That's the performance.

Aesthetics, so what's it going to look like?

How are you gonna make it look good?

Materials, what is it going to be made of?

Now, we've been given that already in the design specification, but you might want to think what type of card you might be using.

And environmental, how are you going to reduce the materials you use, reuse, or recycle the materials that you're going to use?

Right, so over to you, off you go in your small groups.

Remember, being polite, letting everybody speak, getting in lots of ideas.

And what I want you to do is to really come up with all of the different designs and different ideas.

Be as creative as you possibly can.

Okay, off you go.

Right, welcome back.

So Andeep's group discussed different ways to solve the design problem.

And so he decided, so Andeep decided that he's going to put a hole in the case for the computer's cable to fit through.

So I think it's a really good idea, 'cause we need to make sure that that data cable can fit.

So Andeep is going to make sure that there is a specific hole for that to go through.

Izzy's going to recycle an old box, and decorate it with scrap materials and felt tip pens.

So Izzy's thinking about not only the aesthetics, but also how to reduce and recycle some of the materials.

Laura, Laura wants to have her case to be a leaf shape.

But she also wants it to fold up, so that battery pack doesn't fall out.

She doesn't wanna have great big holes where everything falls out.

But she also is thinking about the aesthetics, about how it's going to make it look good.

And lastly, Jun is going to make sure that the buttons can be used when it's in the case.

'Cause that's really gonna be important, that the buttons are clear and obvious and can be seen.

Good, now I'm sure that you've come up with lots of different ideas for how you're going to have all the different ideas that you've come up with.

And it could be that, you know, the group ideas that you've come up with, you might want to take ideas from each other, adapt them and change them.

Some of these things, some of the ideas that Andeep's group have come up with, you might want to utilise some of those.

But be creative, come up with your own ideas, because we'd really like you to solve this design specification in lots of different ways.

Right, we're on to now lesson cycle two.

So annotated sketches.

So you as designers have now got ideas, and what we're gonna try to do is now put those ideas to paper.

Sketches are really quick and easy way of achieving this.

Now, you can sketch lots of ideas.

You don't just need to do one.

Actually, it's a really good idea to sketch as many ideas as you possibly can.

Don't just go for one, go for lots of ideas.

Designers do this all the time, because it might actually lead to some better ideas they hadn't actually thought of.

So really try not to fixate on just one design, try to think about lots of different designs.

Check for understanding, how many ideas should we sketch?

Should it be A, none, B, one or, C, many?

Which do you think?

That's right, many.

So I hope I've really impressed upon you how we need to have more than one idea.

We need to think about many different ideas.

Now, we've talked about sketching, and how we try to do lots of different types of sketching.

But actually, annotations are notes which we add to sketches.

Now, they help explain our ideas and provide extra information.

And here's an example of annotations on this sketch, how they've provided information on how the idea meets the design brief.

And as you can see there, it's not huge amounts of writing, it's just little notes about how to improve the product.

How it's going to work, the performance of it, the function, the aesthetics, or how the design's actually going to be developed over time.

Quick check for understanding again.

So why do we annotate sketches?

Do we annotate sketches to, A, explain ideas and provide extra information, to, B, make the sketches more colourful, or, C, to draw bigger or smaller pictures?

Which do you think is the reason why we annotate sketches, A, B, or C?

That's right, we annotate sketches to explain our ideas and provide extra detail or information.

Task B, now there's going to be two tasks in this.

The first one is to create lots of different ideas.

So can you sketch your ideas?

We're not doing annotations right now, but can you sketch your ideas for a data logger case.

Come up with lots of different ideas.

Just think, be creative.

Think of lots of different ideas for how you would design and sketch ideas for a data logger case.

Okay, right, off you go.

Right, I hope you've had lots of fun coming up with lots of creative ideas there.

Here's an example with this feedback slide of some ideas that Jun came up with.

So just very simple, a simple box with some buttons.

And you can see there that the buttons are very clear.

Gone for a chocolate design, with what looks like a big bite being taken out of the chocolate bar to show that touch button being released.

A leaf shape.

And you can see that the buttons just seem to, there's holes in the leaf where those buttons can be seen.

And windows and doors, which is quite nice, like a house.

So the the windows are actually the button's coming through.

Now, I'm sure you've come up with lots of different ideas, and I'm sure they're all really creative.

So I hope you've had some really good ideas, and I look forward to seeing how we get on with the second part of task B.

Now, the second part is to choose one idea.

So now this is the tricky bit, is actually choosing one of your brilliant ideas.

And we're gonna annotate it to show how it meets the design specification.

Just to go over the design specification again.

We've got function, so how is it going to connect to the computer?

The user, how is it going to hold everything?

The performance, how will the buttons be used?

Aesthetics, what is it actually going to look like?

Materials, what is it going to be made from?

And lastly, how are we going to reduce, reuse, and recycle the materials?

Okay, off you go.

Choose one design.

You might want to draw it again on a bigger piece of paper and actually add all the annotations.

Remember, we don't need huge amounts of writing, just lots of labels, lots of ideas.

Talk about how it's going to work.

Make sure that the design specification that we've got there that's been given to us by the year four class has actually been met.

Right off you go, enjoy, and I look forward to seeing what you've come up with.

Okay, here's an example.

So we've chosen the chocolate idea, which I quite like, like the idea of this chocolate idea.

Obviously it's not made out of chocolate, it's going to be card which is going to be made to look like chocolate.

And you can see there, you've got the computer cable coming in into that data port.

We've got the two push buttons that are gonna be seen, the touch button's gonna be obvious.

To make that sort of effect of a chocolate bar, card squares are gonna be added onto a card case.

And you can see there's a side view there that we've actually got the battery pack, the removable device, and we've got a divide there which separates the micro:bit from the battery pack.

We've got a hatch that opens.

And we've also got two holes in the top where the wires will interconnect.

Now, I'm hopeful that if you need to, maybe you might want to go back to your design and look at your annotations.

And maybe change those if you need to.

If you think you've got all of the annotations that you need, that's absolutely fine.

Well done, I think you've come from, if we look back at all the learning, you've come from doing a lot of work on data loggers, what they are.

And thinking about how to design and make, and think about the design specification that we've been given.

And now you should have an annotated sketch of a solution to the design specification, well done.

Let's go over the summary of today's lesson.

So a data logger can collect data electronically.

A micro:bit has switches that can record data.

Group discussions provide solutions to design specifications.

And annotations on sketches can explain how a design works.

Think about how much you've done today in today's lesson, you've done huge amounts.

So we've been thinking about what data loggers are, an introduction to micro:bits and switches.

You've learned to work together and discuss group ideas.

And then you've chosen lots of different ideas, and then you've chosen one of those ideas and provided annotations to see how it's solved that design specification.

You've worked really hard today, well done.

Hope you've enjoyed it, and I look forward to working with you next time.