{"id":347,"date":"2016-11-02T13:00:59","date_gmt":"2016-11-02T13:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/industry\/2016\/11\/02\/7-perfect-microbit-projects-for-pupils\/"},"modified":"2018-12-13T09:09:17","modified_gmt":"2018-12-13T09:09:17","slug":"7-perfect-microbit-projects-for-pupils","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/government\/2016\/11\/02\/7-perfect-microbit-projects-for-pupils\/","title":{"rendered":"7 perfect micro:bit projects for pupils"},"content":{"rendered":"

The micro:bit provides KS2 and KS3 teachers with an unprecedented opportunity to introduce children to programming, electronics, and the Internet of Things<\/em><\/h3>\n

\"microbit<\/a><\/p>\n

In a bid to engage British children in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), the last six months has seen the gradual rollout of 800,000 micro:bit<\/a> computers into Key Stage 3 classrooms around the country.<\/p>\n

This BBC project is designed to inspire Year 7 children by giving them a free, pocket-sized, codeable computer, including an accelerometer, a built-in compass, and Bluetooth. (This pocket PC is actually 18 times faster than the original BBC Micro, which inspired a generation of computer programmers back in the 1980s.)<\/p>\n

A wealth of resources<\/h2>\n

As a core technology partner, Microsoft has worked closely with the BBC to create two of four online programming environments\u2013Block Editor and Touch Develop<\/a>\u2013that can be used to control the micro:bit. And teachers can find a host of guides and learning resources via the official BBC micro:bit website<\/a>, including documentation for each of the four available code editors<\/a> and lesson plans<\/a>, which also offer a breakdown of which elements apply to the Computing Progression Pathways<\/a>. (You can also access a selection of alternative lesson plans created by the IET here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

This wealth of resources, and the ease with which you can program a micro:bit makes them the perfect teaching aid, and although it\u2019s only Year 7 children who have got their hands on a free device, a number of primary schools are also showing interest in them<\/a>. (If you think your<\/strong> primary school could benefit, you can currently buy micro:bit packs in bulk here<\/a>, or you can buy a single starter kit for \u00a310.49.)<\/p>\n

Five key tips<\/h2>\n

Since the micro:bit launch Microsoft has been working with teachers to get advice for other educators, and here\u2019s a list of five key tips that they\u2019ve pulled together:<\/p>\n

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