Encourage pupils to move beyond simply recognising tech, and towards asking ‘why?’ with this ‘technology around us’ KS1 lesson plan from Sway Grantham…
Speaking to any Year 2 child about what they know about the world around them is a fascinating experience.
They have started to gain some knowledge from their experiences, and have inferred other information – often in amusing ways.
Exploring the IT around us opens up these conversations – What stops shops running out of beans? Where do shop owners buy these beans? How does this supply affect us? – and offers children a chance to see the world differently.
To know its secrets. And even better, to begin to question the technology that is all around them…
Technology around us KS1 learning objectives
- Explain how information technology helps us
- Recognise common types of technology
- Demonstrate how IT devices work together
- Say why we use IT
Starter activity
Using their understanding of a shop, ask pupils what examples of information technology they would expect to find. This could include tills, security cameras, barcode scanners or chip-and-pin machines.
You can even do a short role-play activity to help children think about the different activities involved in shopping, such as looking for items, queuing at the till, and paying the cashier or at a self-service machine.
Next, ask the class what common examples of information technology they think would not usually be seen in a shop, and lead them towards answers such as traffic lights, speed cameras or ATMs.
After this, children will experience how different elements of IT work together, and can use this exploration to consider the benefits of digital technology in this context.
Sway Grantham works for the Raspberry Pi Foundation developing free computing resources and online training for primary teachers. Follow Sway on Twitter @SwayGrantham and see more work from the Raspberry Pi Foundation at @RaspberryPi_org
