Learning Outcomes
All children: will create a simple branching database.
Most children: will create a simple branching database and check their peers’ for accuracy.
Some children: will create an advanced branching database, selecting their own animals and adding names and descriptions for each one.
Cross curricular links
Key Stage 2
Science-explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment
Vocabulary
(see glossary j2e.com/data/glossary).
Resources
Animal description cards:
j2e.com/data/minibeastscards (printed off, enough for one set per group of 4-6 children).
Branch Template: j2e.com/jit5?fileId=zDFisvAfFjazae3z
Main Activities
Explain that the children are going to sort the animals again, but using the computer to help them. Show the children how to load the branch template and click play. As each question comes up, you will see the animals that fit that criteria are automatically sorted on the left of the screen.
Task 1
Load the template and click play. Work through the whole branching database and see how the animals are sorted by the computer.
Stop the class
Discuss. Draw the children’s attention to the types of questions that are asked to sort the animals. They have a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.
Task 2
Make your own branching database by choosing 6 animals to place in the box. You will then be asked to write in a question about the animals, with a yes or no answer e.g. Does it have wings? Then drag the animals into the yes or no boxes and continue with the next question. Keep going until all your animals are sorted. When you have finished, swap with a partner and play each other’s databases. Choose an animal from the selection on the left of the screen and check that the database works.
Challenge
Children can add in additional animals to their database.They can create databases in advance mode, selecting more unusual animals from the internet and adding a name and description of each animal.
Assessment
Children can save their work enabling the teacher to assess what they have produced after the lesson. The work can also be blogged. The children can then peer assess and leave comments. In order for the children todo this, the work will need to be moderated by the teacher. Children’s comments can quickly and easily be approved as the children write them.
Learning Objectives
Design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
Branching database
KS2
Introduction
Prior to the lesson, create a new j2launch tile using the Branch Template url above. This is achieved by using the + button on j2launch. Once the tile is created, hover over it and use the share button to share the new tile with the class.
What is a database? Discuss and explain. Hand out the animal description cards and ask the children to sort them using questions taken from the Branch Template, such as :-
"Can it fly?".
"Does it sting or bite?".
(We are encouraging the pupils to realise and understand that it takes a lot more time to find and sort information using a physical database).