Micro:bit Showcase

Overview

In this final lesson of the “Micro:bit Explorers” unit, teams will showcase their favorite project or program from the past lessons. Students will organize a clear presentation and produce a short, publishable written explanation that connects what they built to evidence from their own results.

Learning intentions

• Students will organize ideas for a team showcase using clear categories (what it does, how it works, evidence it works).
• Students will present relationships between information and ideas clearly for classmates and families.
• Students will write and format a short technical explanation that matches the audience and purpose.
• Students will use technology to publish their team’s showcase page or slideshow.

Success criteria

• I can introduce my project topic clearly and preview what my team will show.
• I can explain how my project works using logical reasons and evidence from test results.
• I can include headings and at least one graphic (photo, diagram, or table) to help viewers understand.
• I can use technology to publish our team’s showcase in a readable, organized format.

Curriculum links

• Writing: History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects — Introduce a topic clearly, preview what is to follow, and organize ideas into broader categories with formatting and graphics.
• Writing: History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects — Use technology to produce and publish writing and present relationships between information and ideas clearly.
• Writing: History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects — Produce clear and coherent writing with organization and style appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Warm welcome + goal. Teacher posts today’s success criteria and briefly models a “great showcase” example (2 slides or a printed sample). Students turn and talk: What part of your project are you most proud of?

2. 5–12 min · Team planning sprint. Teacher gives each team a Showcase Planning Sheet with three required sections: (1) What it does, (2) How it works, (3) Evidence it works. Students fill in bullet notes and decide who speaks for each section (one speaker per section).

3. 12–18 min · Direct teach: strong presentation structure. Teacher reviews how to introduce and preview (one sentence), how to organize into categories (headings), and how to add one graphic that supports understanding (photo of wiring, screenshot of code, or a simple chart of results). Students revise their notes to match the required categories and choose their best evidence item.

4. 18–30 min · Build the showcase page. Teacher circulates with a quick checklist: headings included, at least one graphic, short explanations in complete sentences, and a clear closing (“Try it at home/class!” or “Here’s what we learned”). Students create or update a digital showcase product using provided templates (Google Slides, a class wiki page, or a district-approved writing tool) and upload one image and one screenshot of their program/output.

5. 30–40 min · Showcase carousel. Teacher organizes stations (or rows) and sets a timer for 2–3 minutes per team. Students present using their assigned section roles while other students use a feedback form to record one “What worked” and one “One question.”

6. 40–45 min · Quick publish check + exit ticket. Teacher checks that each team has a saved draft and at least one uploaded graphic. Students complete a short exit ticket: “My project’s purpose is… My evidence is… The heading/section I used best is…”

Resources

• Micro:bit devices and any required accessories from the unit kit
• Showcase Planning Sheet (printed) with required sections and speaking roles
• Student device with access to the class template (slides or writing tool)
• Image upload access (photos of the device, wiring, and test results)
• Screenshot tool access (for code/output display)
• Feedback form for carousel listening (“What worked,” “One question”)
• Timer visible to students
• Teacher checklist for quick grading during step 4 and 6

Assessment

• Formative: Teacher checklist during the build time (headings, graphic, clear organization, evidence included).
• Formative: Feedback form during the carousel (student listeners identify what worked and ask a meaningful question).
• Exit ticket: Assesses whether students can clearly state purpose and connect evidence to their explanation.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters for each section: “Our project does…,” “We used… to…,” “When we tested, we observed…,” “This shows…”
• Support: Offer a mini “heading bank” (Purpose, How it Works, Evidence/Results, Team Learnings) and a graphic choice list.
• Extension: Challenge teams to include one alternate idea they tried briefly and why they changed it (without making it long).
• EAL/SEN: Allow oral rehearsal before writing; accept short bullets that students convert into sentences with teacher or partner support; ensure visual evidence is emphasized for comprehension.