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ICT at key stage 3    (Year 8)

Unit 8: Public information systems
Section 2: Activity 2

QCA

Objectives
Children should learn:
  • to appreciate the range of sources of data and the difference between primary and secondary data
  • to assess the range and sources of weather data critically

Activities

Outcomes
Children:
  • Hold a class discussion to review homework and the findings. Discuss the development of user needs to identify a small number of key requirements for the project, eg weather report for the last 24 hours, information on current conditions, a forecast for the next 24 hours.
  • Ask the class to identify the range of electronic sources of weather data (as opposed to interpreted information), eg automatic weather station, satellite-receiving station, temperature and light sensors, internet weather data and cameras. They should learn to recognise which sources are primary data and then compare this with interpreted data (secondary) as it might appear in newspapers or TV reports.
  • Ask pupils to work in pairs to investigate one or two sources and report back to the class on the type, range and frequency of data available, eg from the weather station - wind speed, temperature, light, humidity - and if the information is available as hourly and daily averages or totals.
  • understand that weather data can come from a wide range of sources
  • analyse the form and structure of data from specific sources to inform future planning

Points to note
  • A good selection of suitable electronic sources is important to ensure that pupils are able to make choices.
  • A prepared sheet for assessing or reporting the variety of weather data sources might be helpful to aid assessment.
  • The use of a large-screen display and a prepared spreadsheet could be a useful way of collating source information.
  • Homework could involve an investigation into which people would make use of weather information, or to take the information from the last activity and identify gaps in the information and how this missing information might be collected.

Sections in this unit

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This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.
1. Activity 1
2. Activity 2
3. Activity 3
4. Activity 4
5. Activity 5
6. Activity 6
7. Activity 7