Project Showcase

Overview

Students will prepare and present short team showcases of their favorite Micro:bit project/program from the unit. They will organize information clearly and use technology to publish a simple presentation that explains what their project does and why it works.

Learning intentions

• Students will introduce their project topic clearly and preview what they will show.
• Students will organize reasons and evidence logically using facts from their build and tests.
• Students will create a short presentation using technology (slides or a digital poster) with appropriate headings and/or graphics.
• Students will collaborate to answer questions from classmates respectfully and clearly.

Success criteria

• I can state a clear claim about what my project does and how it solves a problem or meets a goal.
• I can explain my evidence (data, observations, test results, or specific features) in a logical order.
• I can include headings and at least one visual (chart, diagram, photo, or chart-like graphic) that helps the audience understand.
• I can publish and present my team’s showcase clearly to an audience.

Curriculum links

• Writing: organize ideas and information into broader categories and include formatting/graphics that aid comprehension (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2a).
• Produce and publish writing using technology and present relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.6).
• Conduct a short research project to answer a question using several sources and generate related focused questions (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.7).
• Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.4).
• Introduce claims and distinguish them from alternate or opposing claims; organize reasons and evidence logically (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1a).

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Showcase warm-up. Teacher displays a sample “good showcase” slide structure (claim, evidence, visuals, reflection) and asks students to turn-and-talk: “What makes a project easy to understand quickly?” Students share one idea with a partner and identify what they want their audience to notice first.

2. 5–12 min · Team planning sprint. Teacher posts a simple planning sheet on the board: Project Title, Goal/Problem, Claim, Evidence, What I’d Improve, Questions We Expect. Students in teams of 2–3 fill in their bullets, choosing evidence from build notes (what worked, what changed, what results they observed).

3. 12–22 min · Write and format the presentation. Teacher models how to convert bullets into short, clear sentences and how to add headings and a visual (photo of wiring/program screen, chart of test results, or diagram). Students draft 4–6 slides or panels: Slide 1 (topic + preview), Slide 2 (claim), Slide 3 (evidence with 2–3 specifics), Slide 4 (how it connects to the goal), Slide 5 (alternate idea addressed + what they changed), Slide 6 (demo + quick “what I’d improve” if time).

4. 22–30 min · Add visuals and publish with technology. Teacher circulates with a quick checklist: headings present, at least one graphic, sentences readable, and evidence is specific. Students add images/screenshots and finalize their digital draft using classroom devices (no hyperlinks needed).

5. 30–42 min · Live showcase rounds. Teacher sets expectations: presenters speak for 45–60 seconds; audience asks one question; teams answer using evidence from their slide. Students rotate: each team presents to another team/group, then the audience team asks one question that the presenters must answer using their evidence.

6. 42–45 min · Exit reflection. Teacher asks: “What claim did you make, and what evidence best supported it?” and collects a quick one-sentence response. Students submit their exit sentence on paper or digitally.

Resources

• Micro:bit devices and any needed cables (from student kit)
• Project planning sheet (printed or shared)
• Laptops/tablets or a computer cart
• Slide or digital poster tool (class-approved)
• Student project photos/screenshots (optional but encouraged)
• Classroom rubrics/checklists for claim, evidence, organization, and visuals
• Timer for rotation
• Sticky notes for audience questions

Assessment

• Teacher observes team planning: Are students stating a clear claim and selecting specific evidence?
• During presentations, teacher listens for logical organization (goal → claim → evidence → explanation).
• Check the digital draft for required structure: headings/formatting and at least one helpful graphic.
• Exit ticket: one sentence identifying claim + best evidence supporting it.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters on the planning sheet (e.g., “My project works by…,” “The evidence shows…,” “Another idea could be…, but we…,” “We tested by…”).
• Support: Offer a “minimum viable showcase” template (4 slides: title/preview, claim, evidence, demo).
• Extension: Teams that finish early add a short “testing results” mini-chart (before/after or success rate) and a stronger response to an alternate claim.
• EAL/SEN: Allow students to write short phrases instead of full paragraphs if needed, and require spoken explanations to include at least two evidence details; provide a word bank for presentation (claim, evidence, test, improve, compare).