Year 2 Uses of IT (Teacher notes)
Pupil Activity Code: RUX3 – What is it?
Progression of skills in this pack
– Recognise common uses of information technology beyond school;
– Understand computers store and follow instructions.
– Spot digital technology in school or at home
– Understand how different technology helps us.
– Find a piece of computer equipment amongst day to day objects and choose the correct definition.
National Curriculum Content
Recognise common uses of information technology beyond school.
3 hours
Teacher Input
Younger pupils should understand which day to day objects have computers within them. It is a good idea to watch the video tutorials from the pupil activities below before the pupils try the activity. Pupils will need a piece of paper and pencil for activity 1. For activity 3, you may want to read through the BBC What is Digital Technology Website together and then pupils can try the matching activity PDF, which you may want to print out if required. For activity 4 below, you may want to work through all of the review section of the Find technology website together and discuss each piece of equipment, as there will be many the pupils may not have seen before. As part of the input you may want to discuss with the class the importances of electrical safety, using the SwitchedOn Kids website to help.
Differentiation
Less able readers may need help with the website reading on activity 3 and also reading the descriptions on the printable matching activity. Less able pupils may struggle with the wording of activity 4 in particular but there is a little speech icon next to the multiple choice questions to hear the possible definitions being spoken.
AssessmentAs well as the class discussions and observing the activities below, pupils could also fill out the Computer spotter activity below, which could be done in class and used as a stimulus for a whole class discussion.
The answers to question 1 are: digital alarm clock, iPad and calculator.
The answers to question two are: headphones (listen to sounds), keyboard (types letters and numbers), mouse (moves cursor), modem (connects to the internet).
Pupil Activity Pack (Teacher view)
Watch the video to learn how we can recognise computers, that they store and follow instructions and how they are used to help us.
Activity 1. Computer Treasure Hunt
After watching the video can you look around your classroom or home for devices that you think have microprocessors (small computers) inside. Could you draw a picture of them on a piece of paper, label them and write below the pictures what jobs they do?
Activity 2. Computer Spotter
Watch the video to learn how to use the Computer Spotter website to find objects that have computers inside.
Activity 3. Uses of Computers
Computers can be found in lots of different objects that help us. Read the BBC What is Digital Technology Website to learn how computers help us everyday and try the activity at the bottom of page. Then try the matching activity on this activity PDF. (You may need to ask your teacher to print it off)