Term 3 Computing

Today each class started a new and exciting topic. As always the children recapped how to stay SMART.

In Reception, they began using technology to create dinosaur music. Using a Purple Mash programme called 2Explore, the children listened to a variety of different musical instruments. They decided the drums best represented the sound of a dinosaur. The children then explored and experimented with making their own short repeating patterns. They also began adding movements to the sounds and explored changing the tempo.

In year 1, the children began following simple instructions for colouring a picture. Building upon their knowledge of algorithms, the children decorated an elephant without any commands and a bird following commands. The children could then clearly see how if they follow simple instructions / commands, the outcome is the same. If they do not, they will all have different outcomes.

In year 2, the children began exploring an exciting topic on different styles of art. The children began by looking at impressionist art. They looked at a variety of different examples and then used the programme, 2Paint, to create their own examples.

In year 3, the children began exploring simulations and their uses. The children discussed how using a simulation for certain roles was easier, cheaper and safer. The children looked at a simple example of a simulation and the ways to solve the problem of being locked out of the house.

In year 4, the children began an exciting topic on animation. The children discussed what this meant and where it is seen. They then watched a short video, on the behind the scenes of the making of Snow White. This helped the children to understand the terms frame and frames per minute. Did you know? To make the final movie, the camera operator had to take over 500,000 photos of all the frames. In class, the children began by creating their own simple animations of a face changing. Some children began experimenting with adding a background to their animations. Other children explored adding additional frames, to add further details and change.

In year 5, the children began evaluating different 2DIY games, in preparation for designing and creating their own game.

In year 6, the children began looking at simple text adventures. These are choose your own stories, which some children had read when in year 2. Today, the children looked at an example of Little Red Riding Hood, choosing what would happen to her. Next the children began planning their own stories using 2Connect, attempting to put different choices in the text. Some children found this part difficult but we will continue this aspect next week.