CAS Primary Community

Common Sense Media’s AI literacy lessons are suitable for ages 10 and up.
Zero cost.
Simple registration to access them - email only!
Easy to use, bite size, adaptable.
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AI Literacy Lessons
Quick, grab-and-go lessons to help your students think critically about AI and its impact.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the world we live in. From using generative AI for schoolwork to dealing with misinformation and befriending AI chatbots, students have a lot to consider when it comes to this ever-evolving technology.

This collection of quick lessons (20 minutes or less!) provide an introduction to AI and help address its social and ethical impacts. Through these lessons, students will:

Understand what AI is and how it works
Consider some of its potential benefits and risks
Think critically about how we can be responsible and ethical users of AI
New! See our AI Foundations self-paced training course for educators!

Common Sense Education has an AI Foundations self-paced training course for teachers - just the boost of confidence and introduction you need to teach.

Do you have a STEM Governor in your school? We’ve been working with others on this new toolkit!

The STEM Governor Toolkit has been developed by AtkinsRéalis, Governors for Schools and GovernorHub to define the role STEM school governance through a guidebook of questions designed to prompt teachers on how to uplift the culture of STEM provision and careers advice in schools. Ultimately benchmarking performance and creating a standard that can be adhered to across the education system in the UK.

The questions within the toolkit have been coined in collaboration with a number of expert education partners who are all dedicated to modelling high quality teaching across the STEM curriculum subjects in a show of strength to raise the bar and drive attainment.

We collectively believe this is the missing product in careers provision that will not only help governing colleagues to apply their time effectively, but ensure STEM is prioritized on the school agenda to ultimately respond to, and, provide a solution to the skills crisis.

Discover the toolkit:
• Questions to ask about STEM: https://ow.ly/7rZa50U4tVP
• STEM: role of the link governor: https://ow.ly/nAqn50U4tVS
• How to make STEM a strategic priority in your school or trust: https://ow.ly/y06v50U4tVQ

We have updated our resource AI Adventures to include a new set of lessons designed for Key Stage 2 and for teachers who are less confident when teaching about AI. Over the five lessons, pupils will learn about:

What AI is and where it currently exists in their everyday life,
How machine learning systems are used,
How machine learning systems are created,
Digital assistants, how they work, and the implications of using them,
How AI can be used to solve problems.

Throughout the unit, pupils will engage in a range of unplugged and plugged activities to develop and reinforce their understanding. Each lesson contains a full set of resources, including a detailed lesson plan, lesson presentation, and supporting worksheets.

The resource can be downloaded now as part of our AI Adventures resource.

Download the resource here AI Adventure: Explore, Create, Innovate

Barefoot turned 10 this year, and we’re inviting our whole amazing community to join the party! And since we’re Barefoot, you know it’s going to be loads of fun!

Here’s how you can help us celebrate: Share your favourite jokes with us!

Whether it’s as a school, a class, a pupil, or a teacher, we want to hear your best giggles and guffaws! You can get creative with how you share:
• Design hilarious posters
• Film funny video clips
• Use our Barefoot resource – ScratchJr Knock Knock Joke Activity
• Or even adapt this Scratch file that we have created for the celebration.
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1076329491

Share your jokes on social media tagging Barefoot and #Barefoot10, so we can share the laughter. Or, send them to us at enquiries@barefootcomputing.org.

Mark your calendars! On Friday 1st November, we’ll pick the joke that tickles our funny bone the most. The winning entry will receive a fantastic prize!

So put on your thinking caps, warm up those funny bones, and let’s make Barefoot’s birthday a real laughing matter!

Congratulations to Sir Demis Hassabis CBE, Google DeepMind, on winning the Noble Prize for Chemistry. His team has recently been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their ground breaking work on AlphaFold2, a revolutionary AI system that predicts protein structures. We’re also proud that Sir Demis Hassabis CBE accepted the BCS Lovelace Medal last year for his significant contributions to the field of AI and the UK tech sector

It’s great to see computing is a driving force at the cutting edge of scientific innovation, with the Nobel Prize for Physics awarded for work on Machine Learning!

Please see the information below regarding the Bebras challenge 2024 shared by Harriet at the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Hi everyone,
The UK Bebras challenge 2024 will be taking place between 4th-15th November. If you haven’t already registered your school and students there is still time to do this.
The Bebras Challenge introduces computational thinking to students worldwide. This exciting challenge takes place in schools, under the supervision of teachers, over a two-week period every November. Last year, over 3 million students from more than 80 countries participated!
In the UK, the challenge is open to all young people aged 6 to 19. Each participant has 45 minutes to tackle a series of interactive tasks, designed to encourage logical thinking and problem-solving skills appropriate for their age group. The challenge is conducted online, and tasks are marked automatically by our competition system.
If you would like further information or support we are hosting a series of online sessions. Details of the dates and joining link can be found on the calendar page of our site bebras.uk.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing students take part!
Harriet - Learning Manager
Raspberry Pi Foundation

Reminder:

Don’t forget to join us tomorrow for Carbon Quest, Tuesday 8th October at 4pm! We’ll explore Barefoot’s new resource on carbon emissions. Plus, Ben Davies will share classroom tips and insights. There’s also a surprise to celebrate Barefoot’s 10th birthday!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/events/2024/october/carbon-quest-barefoot-s-innovative-new-resource

Barefoot’s latest resource, Carbon Quest, launches next week. This activity combines scientific inquiry and computing. Pupils investigate their school’s carbon emissions linked to the use of technology and use Scratch as a tool for sharing these findings.

I will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday (8th October) to introduce these resources and discuss how they can be used in the classroom. I’ll also be sharing how you and your pupils can help Barefoot celebrate its 10th birthday.

The session also qualifies for our new CPD certificate.

https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/events/2024/october/carbon-quest-barefoot-s-innovative-new-resource

Hi everyone,

We’d love to have you join us at next week’s community session, Carbon Quest, on Tuesday, 8th October at 4pm!

The session will explore Barefoot’s new resource, Carbon Quest, which allows pupils to investigate the carbon emissions associated with technology use, collect data on their school’s technology usage and use Scratch to share these findings with a wider audience.

During the session, you will:

• Learn more about the pedagogy used in the programming aspect of the activity.
• Get first-hand tips on how to deliver the activity in the classroom.

As a special surprise, you’ll also hear about our exciting plans to celebrate Barefoot’s 10th birthday and how your pupils can get involved in the celebrations!

Ben Davies, our new Computing Subject Lead, will provide an insightful overview of these fantastic new resources.

Mark your calendars, and we hope you can join us!

https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/events/2024/october/carbon-quest-barefoot-s-innovative-new-resource

Join us today at 4pm. Find any LEGO robotics kits you have in your classroom / cupboards and bring one along to this session where Brian Egles will be talking us through what the kit is (if you don’t know) and giving some ideas of how you can use them and where to find free resources.

If you’re using LEGO robotics kits in your lessons / clubs please come along and share what you’re using them for!

You’ll also get a CPD certificate for attending.

https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/events/2024/october/lego-robotics-what-do-i-do-with-this-kit-ive-got

We’re delighted to hear that BCS will be taking part in @WMinsightUK’s #AIinSchoolsWM Digital Conference on the benefits, opportunities, and risks for GenAI in schools and colleges across the UK. Julia Adamson, Managing Director – Education & Public Benefit, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, will be chairing this online event.

For 20% discount, use code SPKR4385 AI in Schools and Colleges Digital Conference - Westminster Insight

Exploring Physical Computing in Primary Schools

The “Exploring Physical Computing in Primary Schools” project is a five-year longitudinal study starting in March 2024, funded by the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, BBC, and Nominet. The research, led by Sue Sentance and Jessie Dunk at University of Cambridge, aims to investigate primary-aged children’s creativity with technology, their agency and confidence with computers (especially physical and tangible devices), and their response to physical computing lessons. It also explores teachers’ attitudes towards teaching computing with physical devices.

They are currently looking for teachers from years (3-5) to complete a short micro:bit activity with a group of pupils and complete a short set of questions afterwards. The activity requires pupils to use micro:bits; they are not required to code them.

For more information please see Sue’s Blog post.

Just a friendly reminder that our AI community meeting, Oak Academy’s AI Lesson Planning Tools, is taking place today at 4pm.

Oak National Academy’s AI lesson planner helps teachers create custom lessons using adaptable content. Learn how it can aid in planning computing lessons at this intro session.

There’s still time to register and join us for what will undoubtedly be an engaging and thought-provoking session.

If you’ve not registered yet, you can do so here: Oak Academy's AI Lesson Planning Tools

I am excited to share an excellent professional development opportunity that I believe will be highly valuable. The event, BRILLIANT, is a free, full-day professional development experience designed to inspire, educate and equip teachers with the tools to innovate in the classroom.
Why Attend BRILLIANT?

This event offers a blend of inspiration, hands-on learning and cutting-edge resources to help you and your staff enhance your teaching practice, particularly in the fields of Computing and STEAM - and it is free!

CAS have a stand at the event and I will be delivering a presentation in The Inspire Theatre at 11.35am that unpicks students learning about AI.

Key Highlights:

Classroom of NOW: Experience the latest technologies, teaching methods and see firsthand how they can be applied in your classroom.
STEAM Integration: Discover practical ways to incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics into your curriculum to foster problem-solving and innovation.
Visionary Speakers: Hear from renowned educators, thought leaders and industry experts on the future of education and the role technology will play.
Hot Topics: Explore key trends such as Artificial Intelligence, DE&I in classrooms and the growing world of Esports and Gamification.
Networking & Collaboration: Connect with over 1,000 fellow educators and industry professionals, sharing ideas and building a robust learning community.
Date: 15th October 2024 (8.30am - 5.00pm)
Location: ACC Exhibition Centre, Kings Dock, Liverpool, L3 4BX

I highly recommend registering to take advantage of this inspiring day of learning and growth. Whether you’re looking to deepen your knowledge in computing or broaden your understanding of STEAM, BRILLIANT offers something for every educator.
To register or learn more, visit the BRILLIANT website.

I hope to see you there.
Becci

Catch up on yesterday’s event where we explored creating Canva websites. The recording and all relevant resources are now available on our blog:
Creating Canva Websites - CAS Primary TC meeting

Get inspired by the innovative renewable energy projects from Barefoot’s Global Scratch Conference workshop. Read more - Barefoot hosts collaborative workshop at global Scratch Conference 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for CAS Conference on Saturday - it was great to see you all in person! We hope you all enjoyed catching up with each other and listening to some great speakers as well. And don’t forget, the session materials are available to download from

https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/communities-and-events/cas-conference-2024/workshop-programme

New resource! Year 6 - 7 Transition - Code breaking activity

This resource is ideal for a taster session when y6 students are visiting their Secondary schools. This activity can be done with/without computers and involves computational thinking to crack open some cyphers. It promotes teamwork so students can get to know their new classmates whilst having fun.

!! Calling all schools longing for more engaging STEM lessons and lightbulb moments !!

SEND, Primary, Secondary, Specialist, Grammar, Private, Academies, clubs, all welcome!

My multi-awarding winning company CirKits Ltd® is currently selecting 25 schools in 3 regions for the opportunity to road test the teaching resource ComponentBuilder, which:
Encourages more girls to take up STEM subjects
Improves grades (21% average mark improvement in our trial)
Makes computer science more engaging for all students

ComponentBuilder is a tactile learning resource that I have developed to give students the opportunity to interactively experiment with the insides of the computer in a collaborative, innovative way.

If you’re passionate about improving computer science learning experiences and having an impact on STEM results in UK schools, please give me a shout.

Our aim with these 25 schools is to replicate our trial results before bringing ComponentBuilder to the market nationwide.

Here’s how it’ll work:
I’ll come visit your school twice (and bring my 10 years of computer science teaching experience with me) - once to teach a computing/STEM lesson using ComponentBuilder and once to get your feedback.
You will then get to loan a ComponentBuilder kit, free of charge, for 2 weeks to use in lessons, focus groups, extracurricular activities and transition days.
I’ll support and advise you throughout the demo period.

The road test will run in the September-October 2024 term.

If you’re at STEMFest 4-5th of July I’ll be exhibiting the ComponentBuilder and I’d love to see you.

For more information about me and this exciting opportunity, look me up on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hwright3d/ or email me at at info@cirkits.co.uk.

Can’t wait to hear from you

Hannah Wright
Founder and CEO of CirKits Ltd®

CirKits is fuelled by a passion for lightbulb moments, bringing more women into STEM and creating better computer science learning experiences for students.

The institute of imagination are working with BBC micro:bit for an online webinar for teachers and educators as part of the BBC micro:bit Playground Survey. The live webinar will be hosted by Carrie Anne Philbin MBE. It will be on Wednesday 19th June from 3.45pm-4.45pm where we will be exploring in more detail the project and using micro:bits at school. They will provide resources and everything needed ahead of the workshop, as well as the webinar link closer to the time.

Your school must already have micro:bits to participate fully in the webinar and in this activity. Sign up here: Institute of Imagination x BBC micro:bit

The institute of imagination are working with BBC micro:bit for an online webinar for teachers and educators as part of the BBC micro:bit Playground Survey. The live webinar will be hosted by Carrie Anne Philbin MBE. It will be on Wednesday 19th June from 3.45pm-4.45pm where we will be exploring in more detail the project and using micro:bits at school. They will provide resources and everything needed ahead of the workshop, as well as the webinar link closer to the time.

Your school must already have micro:bits to participate fully in the webinar and in this activity. Sign up here: Institute of Imagination x BBC micro:bit

Just a quick reminder that you can still register for today’s community event - Pedagogical approaches for teaching programming.

Matthew Wimpenny-Smith will guide us through various approaches to support KS2 programming with Scratch, based on the latest Ofsted research.

You can register here – Pedagogical approaches for teaching programming

If you missed last night’s session about the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s code editor for ages 9+, you can read a summary and check out the resources here Raspberry Pi Foundation's Code Editor - TC meeting

Hi all,

We’re running a free full day Primary Computing training day on 14th June in London at Adobe’s HQ in Old Street.

Adobe, with Primary Computing specialist & NCCE National Trainer Tom Bolton, invite primary teachers to attend a training session at Adobe HQ on Friday 14th June 2024 from 9.30am to 3pm.

Location - White Collar Factory, 1 Old Street Yard, London EC1Y 8AF

Lunch will be provided and teachers will all receive free swag.

The aim of the day is to inspire primary teachers & Computing leads to deliver engaging curriculum experiences following the NCCE Primary Computing framework using Adobe Express.

Attendees will work with images, video, text, AI & animation so they can teach these skills in the classroom.

Please fill out this form to book your free place.

www.bit.ly/ncceadobe

It will be a really fun, hands-on day designed to increase teacher confidence and give them skills and resources they can take back to their school.

Feel free to come along if you like!

Join me on Thursday at 4pm to get a demo of Raspberry Pi’s code editor suitable for ages 9+
https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/events/2024/june/raspberry-pi-foundations-code-editor-for-python-and-html-1

Are you in need of some AI training? Why not ask your senior leaders for this to be on your September INSET agenda:
https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/events/2024/september/an-introduction-to-ai-in-primary-education
Mon 2nd Sept 2-4pm online. Please share the link with colleagues

If you missed the session earlier this week about free careers resources suitable for primary students, check out the summary including links here: FREE Careers resources from BCS & Tech She Can - Primary & Secondary TC meeting

Join Jo Hodge and I on Thursday at 4pm to get ideas on how to use your Crumbles, Spheros and Micro:bits in your classroom
https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/events/2024/may/cas-physical-computing-lets-get-physical

Join me on Wednesday at 4pm for a hands on AI masterclass from James Kuht (former CTO). With free pro tools now available from ChatGPT this is going to be a very interesting session!
https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/events/2024/may/cas-ai-hands-on-ai-masterclass-from-a-former-cto

Hi. We’ve just released further details about the development of a new set of Code Editor features to help school teachers run text-based coding lessons.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation Code Editor is tailored for young people who are new to text-based programming. And it’s free forever.

Educators will be able to create coding activities in the Editor, share them with their students, and leave feedback directly on each student’s work. More information here: Introducing classroom management to the Code Editor - Raspberry Pi Foundation

We’re also taking part in a CAS online event on 6th June if you would like to hear more: Raspberry Pi Foundation's Code Editor for Python & HTML

Introducing…
AI Explorers – the latest resource from Barefoot, created in partnership with Ocado Group, and Code for Life!

It has been designed to introduce pupils aged between 9-11 to the world of Artificial Intelligence and to explore how it is used all around us. It contains three fun unplugged activities based around real life uses of Artificial Intelligence, and has been created in partnership with Ocado. Pupils consider how we can use Artificial Intelligence to solve problems, detect patterns and create new content.

To download ‘AI Explorers’ for your classroom today, head to the Barefoot site.

Join me on Monday where I’ll be joined by 2 teachers discussing AI for assessment AI to enhance assessment and integrity

Hi everyone!

You can now access the final set of resources to help you navigate online platforms!
“Getting Started with Microsoft Teams - a 3-part video series” is now available.

Hey everyone Exciting news! Our new resource, ‘Getting Started with Google Classroom,’ is now available.

On Tuesday the 26th March, we’ll be looking at some free resources for physical computing and asking you what resources you’d like to see CAS produce. We’ll also be explaining our revised digital badging system which is exclusive to the Physical Computing community and telling you how to claim your badge! There’ll also be some news about how to get an Amazon voucher for submitting a new Physical Computing resource.

https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/events/2024/march/support-for-physical-computing-and-resources

Want to find out how to make the most out of AI tools when using them for productivity? Join Tig Williams on Monday at 4 pm. Sign up here Using AI tools for productivity and join the AI community here CAS AI Community

Great Science Share for Schools

‘Sustainable Science’ is the theme for this year’s Great Science Share for Schools, the annual award-winning campaign which inspires 5-14 year-olds to ask questions that matter to them, investigate and share their science with new audiences.

New Great Guided Enquiries, consisting of teacher notes and pupil activities, enable you to participate with ease. Consider the impact of technology on the environment in the Great Computing Share.

The computing resources can be found here - Great Computing Share — The Great Science Share for Schools

You will need to sign up to the GSSfS website to access the Toolkit.