Explore and create: Deep-dive Creation lab 
Preregistration Required
Participant Outcomes:
• Participants will learn to facilitate STEAM-based inquiry with their students in an outdoor settings, providing choice for students to explore a topic of interest.
• Participants will familiarize themselves with the BBC Micro:bit (provided) and learn the component parts including inputs and outputs. They will also learn the free, open-source platform, Microsoft MakeCode, used to program Micro:bit with block-based coding.
• Participants will learn computational thinking fundamentals such as pattern recognition, decomposition, abstraction and algorithm. As well as coding language such as sequence and loops. These skills will be practiced through hands-on activities while they program their Micro:bit to count, record sunlight, and temperature. Challenge activities will be reviewed.
• Participants will exercise methods for students represent their data using digital tools, such as Microsoft PowerPoint (choice methods provided, including hands-on manipulatives for accessibility purposes), to create visualizations including tables and bar graphs and charts.
• Participants will explore lesson plans for single day and project-based data collection and analyzing activities and practice identifying patterns in data, inferencing and data storytelling with sample data sets.
The session will be run using a PowerPoint slide deck, including referenced videos (closed captions on) to support instruction. The PowerPoint will also include student samples to indicate success with STEAM-based inquiry, data tracking with Micro:bit, representing and analyzing data. Instruction will include using the Microsoft MakeCode editor to program Micro:bit and model graphing with Microsoft PowerPoint.
Outline (90 minutes):
• (4 minutes) Presenter introduction: I will introduce myself and share my background and experiences as an educator of 13 years.
• (4 minutes) Topic introduction: the session topic, Data Collection in Nature: Adding the BBC Micro:bit to the Toolkit, will be introduced with a video of students completing the session activities in a hook video (captions on).
• (10 minutes) Discussion of STEAM-based inquiry in nature. Discussion questions will be displayed for participants to turn and share with a partner. What do you value about inquiry-based learning? What are some challenges with inquiry-based learning? Framework: using a STEAM approach to move from guided inquiry to independent inquiry.
• (3 minutes) Nature data collection toolkit: An overview of various tools students can use to make observations and collect data outdoors, including the BBC Micro:bit. Attention is drawn to nature journals.
• (4 minutes) Overview of Micro:bit parts: a diagram is displayed as a visual and participants open their boxes and explore the (provided) Micro:bit.
• (4 minutes) Introduction to Microsoft MakeCode and the MakeCode editor for programming Micro:bit. Participants are directed to the web-based editor.
• (10 minutes) Micro:bit activity 1 - Temperature: This is a hands-on activity where participants learn coding vocabulary and program their Micro:bit to detect and display a temperature reading. Student examples are shared.
• (10 minutes) Micro:bit activity 2 - Sunlight: This is a hands-on activity where participants program the Micro:bit to detect light level light reading. Participants then test their sunlight sensors and discuss, “How could the light sensors be used to support student inquires?”. Student examples are shared.
• (10 minutes) Data collection exercise and Micro:bit activity 3 - counter: Participants observe a photo of a school garden and are prompted to collect data in partners or small groups. This section also includes acknowledging the various input sensors and possibilities for students to access these for their own data-collection tool ideas.
• (10 minutes) Graphing data with PowerPoint (other options provided). Images are shown of various student examples for representing their data.
• (7 minutes) Sample data sets are shown and participants exercise identifying patterns, inferencing and data storytelling in partners or small groups.
• (7 minutes) Sample lesson plans: Single-day lesson with nature journals to project-based, 2-week data collection.
• (7 minutes) Closing: Digital form collection of emails for sharing of lesson plans, questions, optional feedback form.
International Society for Technology in Education. (2020). Computational Thinking Competencies [online]. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/computational-thinking
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Thompson, J, Childers, G. (2021). The impact of learning to code on elementary students’ writing skills Computers in Education, (175) Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2021.104336
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