Lessons summary
This series of five lessons is written for primary school pupils aged 9-10 years. Pupils compose musical phrases and write algorithms to play their phrases on pitched instruments (e.g. glockenspiels).
They then program the micro:bit to play their phrases when events are triggered and experiment with using the accelerometer.
Finally, they consider whether the micro:bit can be used as a music-making device, especially for those who might not have access to instruments.
The unit comprises five lessons of approximately 60 minutes each:
- Unplugged lesson composing musical phrases
- Programming musical phrases in MakeCode
- Unplugged lesson on communicating with gestures
- Making the micro:bit into a musical instrument
- Modifying music programs, reviewing learning and evaluating the micro:bit as an accessible musical instrument.
Learning objectives
- can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
- can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
- are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology
Additional skills
Creative thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, critical thinking, evaluation, researching, presenting.
You will need
Downloadable resources:
- Lesson plan
- Lesson slides
- Student handouts
- HEX files
Other resources:
- alligator / crocodile clip leads (optional)
- headphones (optional)
- MakeCode editor
- micro:bit battery packs (optional)
- micro:bits (optional)
- musical instruments
- paper - large sheets
- paper - writing
- presentation software
- printouts of slides
- speakers (optional)
- student work from previous lesson
This content is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) licence.