Good Practice - Sandwich database

Key Stage:

Subject:

ICT

Key Skills

1 - Numeracy

National Curriculum Links:

1 - ICT, AT1, 1, 2, 3

2 - Ma, AT1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.2

Objectives

1 - To reliably collect information

2 - To understand a database is only as reliable as the information entered into it

3 - To begin to ask 'what would happen if...' type questions

4 - To create and print out bar graphs to show results

Outline of activity

The pupils use the topic of favourite sandwiches based on the categories of, smell, texture, appearance and taste. It is advisable that the pupils have some previous experience of collecting and inputting simple data. Using a teacher prepared form, the pupils taste a variety of sandwiches and note down, according to the given criteria, which are the favourite. The pupils need to understand the need to collect and input the data accurately, or the results will be wrong. Once the data has been created, each pupil can input their own data into the class database of which is the best sandwich. They can print out their graphs for display. More able pupils could begin to think of questions to ask the database to find out more involved data.

Plenary

Ask the children if they made any mistakes inputting the data and what effect this may have had. Ask the to discuss how easy it is to read the results using a block graph.