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Our motto: "A problem is a solution waiting to be found! Let's use digital technology to be our creative best!"

Foundation Level D

Hello!

Digital technology is everywhere in our world. It can be very useful and make our lives more enjoyable. Let's begin with making sure we understand the basics (foundations) of how digital technologies work and what we can achieve with our knowledge.

You might be wondering why we are starting at Level D? Well, we need to progress from Level D to Level A! Remember, learning is fun.

VCA Elaborations

The world's BIG digital system. Digital means numbers. Computers use numbers to work. A system is anything that works with something else. The biggest digital system in the world is the Internet (International network). The Internet is made up of over 8 billion connected devices (computers). This is why it is called the WWW (World Wide Web). All these digital devices are connected via cables, telephone lines and wireless using sattelites.

 Teacher Directed Learning.

  1. Use classroom display technology to watch and discuss the video "What is the Internet?" (right).
  2. Explain to the class what a browser program (App) is. List the main popular browsers.
  3. Instruct the class regarding which browser you wish them to use.
  4. Create a classroom account at www.abcya.com
  5. Show and have the class practice typing in the ABCYA.com address and logging in. This site will be used frequently in Foundation level.
Student Assisted/Guided Learning. 

  1. Watch a short video about using a browser >> Using a Web Browser
  2. Log in to www.abcya.com
  3. Play any game you like

Independent Student Learning.

  1. Choose one of the following websites and explore. You will need to type in each address into your browser program.
    1. www.pbskids.org/
    2. Primarygames.com
    3. www.coolmath-games.com/

What is the Internet - made simple

 

ABCYA.com

 

Data and information? With so many digital devices connected through the Internet it is almost impossible to image the volume of information and uses for the information (data). We call this the Internet of Things (IOT) Click here to see a small selection of the many IOT's connected to the Internet. Discuss how all the data can be very useful.

Teacher Directed Learning.

  1. Watch the video about the Internet of Things (right).
  2. Discuss and list all the devices that most homes have that are connected.
  3. Discuss as a class what the most common use of the Internet is?
  4. Searching the Internet can often be very confusing. Using classroom display technology show the class the video (right) about Kiddle.co safe search.
  5. Visit Kiddle and explore the various information sections.

 

Student Assisted/Guided Learning.

  1. Ask your teacher to give the class some keywords to search for that are connected to your current learning program.
  2. Using Kiddle search for  website, image, video, and Kpedia items. 

Independent Student Learning.

  1. Do you have any hobbies, interests or play sports? Use Kiddle.co to research interesting information about your choice.
  2. Ask your teacher when you can share the new information you discovered.

Creating Digital Solutions. Why bother having computers in our lives? The answer is simple, to solve problems and improve our lives. Using digital technology to solve problems is less than 100 years old, yet so much of our world involves digital devices, and data. We all love to solve problems. Using digital technology to do so is just the most recent way to do it.

Teacher Directed Learning.

  1. Using classroom display technology slowly progress through BotLogic
  2. Discuss and compose a list of robots in our daily lives and identify the solutions they offer.
  3. Using the ABCYA Robot builder (right) build robots that are useful to humans. What problems do the robots solve?.
  Student Assisted/Guided Learning.

  1. Watch the video (right) about problem solving engineers.
  2. Build your own robot at ABCYA.com (Click on image to the right).
Independent Student Learning

  • Can you program LIGHTBOT to light up all the blue squares? Click here to try. (Flash required) OR
  • Scratch Jr. (free app, Apple and Android).
    • Students have many choices through the block coding that allows them to choose images, characters, movement and scenes to tell a story.
    • Design a robot and code it to do something.

Problem Solvers are Engineers

 

Build a robot

By the end of Level D, students use key functions of digital systems and indicate their purpose.

  • Students collect, sort and recognise, with assistance different types of patterns in data. They use digital systems to display results using pictures, symbols and diagrams.
  • Students use a sequence of steps and decision making processes to solve a simple problem.

  • Digital Systems

    1. Identifying and using different techniques to carry out an instruction, for example a control key or mouse to close a file, or a mouse or hand movement to resize an image, or a stylus or selecting an existing object to create a shape
    2. Using some features of a computer to carry out a number of functions, for example saving work, moving the cursor and scrolling within a file
    3. Using icons to operate familiar software such as Save, Favourites, Home
    Code: VCDTDS010
    Data and Information
    1. Collecting, sorting and displaying data in a personally meaningful way, for example collecting leaves, sorting them into groups based on size, shape or colour and using a drawing program to represent the findings
    2. Sorting like objects based on a given classification, for example group shoes based on colour or size and presenting the findings
    3. Examining and continuing a simple repeated pattern with given objects, movement or sounds
    4. Using common software to present ideas creatively, for example creating a slideshow, poster, drawing or image about a wishful holiday destination
    Code: VCDTDI011
    Creating digital solutions
    1. Taking and using photos to represent the sequence of events, for example placing in order photos of buildings/rooms that need to be passed when getting from the classroom to the front school gate
    2. Viewing a game and listing the number of levels within it
    3. Writing a simple set of instructions to sequence events, for example the processes involved in making toast with jam
    4. Recognising sequences of instructions or events that are commonly experienced such as crossing a road that has traffic lights
    Code: VCDTD012