Voting Machine Civic Tech

Overview

Students connect civic technology to real-world elections and surveys by building a Micro:bit “voting machine” in MakeCode. The lesson also strengthens grade-appropriate math reasoning by tallying results, interpreting ratios, and using signed numbers to represent changes (e.g., vote differences between groups).

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• explain what a civic technology tool does and why fairness and accuracy matter
• build a MakeCode program where button presses update separate vote tallies
• display the current winner or vote count on the Micro:bit LED screen
• interpret vote totals using rational number ideas (quotients and distances) to answer questions about “who has more” and “by how much”

Success criteria

• I can describe how the voting machine collects input data and stores it as tallies.
• I can write MakeCode logic so Button A and Button B each add 1 to the correct variable.
• I can show results on the LED display using the correct variable(s).
• I can interpret a comparison of vote totals by describing the difference using rational-number thinking (distance/absolute value) and explain what it means in context.

Curriculum links

• The Number System — add and subtract rational numbers; represent on a number line.
• The Number System — understand opposites and additive inverses in rational contexts (CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.NS.A.1b).
• The Number System — subtraction as adding the additive inverse, and distance as absolute value (CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.NS.A.1c).
• The Number System — understand division resulting in rational numbers; interpret quotients in context (CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.NS.A.2b).

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (civic tech scenario). Teacher shows a quick prompt: “A student council needs fair voting. How could a small device reduce mistakes?” Students turn and talk, then share 1 idea about accuracy/fairness.

2. 5–12 min · Mini-lesson: what the voting machine must do. Teacher outlines the MakeCode plan: Button A = Option 1, Button B = Option 2; each press updates a tally variable; LED displays the results. Students record the three required features in their notebooks.

3. 12–20 min · Model the MakeCode skeleton. Teacher builds or displays a skeleton project: create two variables (tallyA, tallyB), set initial values to 0, then add event blocks for on button A pressed and on button B pressed. Students echo the structure on their devices, using guided step cards.

4. 20–29 min · Build: voting logic + display. Teacher prompts: “How will the Micro:bit show progress? What should it display after each vote?” Students implement one of two display options:

• show tallyA (then later tallyB), or
• show the “leader” (which count is bigger) using an LED readout method (example: display A’s count when tallyA > tallyB, otherwise display B’s count). Teacher circulates to check variable updates.

5. 29–36 min · Fairness and accuracy math talk (quick reasoning). Teacher writes a sample scenario on the board: “Option A gets 12 votes, Option B gets 9.” Students answer:

• “What is the difference?” (Use distance/absolute value meaning: 12 − 9 = 3.)
• “If we label A as positive and B as negative, what does +3 and −3 represent?” Teacher connects difference and direction to additive inverses (opposites cancel to 0) and emphasizes that “distance” is always nonnegative.

6. 36–43 min · Test rounds (data collection check). Teacher runs a class “two-minute vote drill” (students press buttons during test, then stop). Students verify the displayed results match the tallies they expected. Teacher asks: “Were there any missed presses? What design choices could reduce errors?”

7. 43–45 min · Exit ticket (15 seconds to write, 2 minutes to share). Students complete 3 prompts on paper or in a form:

• Write the purpose of each button in your project.
• If tallyA = 8 and tallyB = 11, what is the absolute difference?
• Interpret a quotient in context: If 20 total votes were cast and Option A has 5, what fraction/ratio idea describes Option A’s share? (Students may write 5/20 and simplify if they choose.)

Resources

• Micro:bit devices (1 per student or per pair)
• Computers/tablets with MakeCode editor ready
• MakeCode starter template or step card for “Voting Machine with button A and B”
• Variable tally printout sheet (tallyA, tallyB definitions)
• LED display decision guide (show count vs show leader)
• Notebook paper for civic tech notes and exit ticket
• Optional: quick vote cards for teacher demo (Option A/Option B)

Assessment

• Formative checks while building: teacher verifies each student’s button events correctly increment the right variable.
• Formative reasoning check during the board math talk: students correctly compute difference as distance/absolute value and explain direction with opposites.
• Exit ticket accuracy: correct description of button purpose and correct difference; quotient/ratio interpretation for Option A’s share.

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide sentence starters: “Button A is used to…,” “After each press, the variable…,” “The difference means…”
• Use partially completed MakeCode blocks (events and variable setup) so students focus on increment + display.
• Extension:
• Ask advanced students to add a third screen behavior: display “A wins” vs “B wins” when counts differ, and “Tie” when equal.
• Challenge them to compute a “vote share” quotient (e.g., tallyA / totalVotes) and display a simplified value or an indicator.
• EAL/SEN:
• Offer visual block labels and a word bank (vote, tally, option, total, difference, share).
• Allow oral responses for the math reasoning while still requiring the exit ticket computations.