Adding additional features to your buggy
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe improvements and modify a system to enhance a product’s performance.
Key learning points
- Reviewing helps identify the strengths and weaknesses of a product.
- The functionality and capability of a product can be improved by adding extra components or systems.
- Adding new systems and components requires careful consideration.
- Creativity and problem-solving drive innovation.
Keywords
Review - to look over something carefully to check, improve or evaluate it
Consideration - careful thought about something before making a decision or forming an opinion
Innovation - to create something new or improve something in a fresh, original way
Common misconception
Adding more features always makes a product better.
Adding features should be done carefully, focusing on usefulness and how well they work together to solve a problem.
Teacher tip
Encourage learners to think critically about their work and identify areas for improvement. Ask them to consider aiming for improvements that make the project stronger, not just more complex. Sometimes, simplifying or refining what they already have is the smartest way forward.
Equipment
Pupils will need a microcontroller and software to program it. Examples in this lesson use the RPi Pico and Thonny https://oak.link/thonny
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match each example to the correct term:
car programmed to drive itself
flashing lights turning on one after another
code split into blocks for different tasks
lorry transporting goods
Q2.What type of component is often used for lighting and signals in electronics?
Q3.Which of these is NOT a use for LEDs?
Q4.What is an advantage of using modular code?
Q5.Why is synchronising systems important in technology?
Q6.Arrange these steps for using LEDs to create a sequence:
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why is reviewing a product important?
Q2.What is the main benefit of adding extra components to a product?
Q3.What should you do before adding new systems to a product?
Q4.Arrange these steps for improving a product:
Q5.Match each keyword to its description:
careful thought before acting
checking or evaluating something
creating something new or original
how well something helps solve a problem
Q6.Which statement best addresses the misconception that adding more features always makes a product better?
To help you plan your 11 computing lesson on: Adding additional features to your buggy, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 computing lesson on: Adding additional features to your buggy, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 computing lessons from the Using physical computing to create a robot buggy unit, dive into the full secondary computing curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.