Year 4 Computing Curriculum - Skills and Outcomes

Information Technology / Computer Science / Online and E-Safety
Information Technology
Activity ideas / ICT Resources you could use / Skills / Outcomes
Children create an explanation text with hyperlinks to further detail / PowerPoint; Prezi; Class blog /
  • Evaluate a range of electronic multimedia and recognise key features of layout and design and discuss what makes good design
  • Select and import different sounds to include in their presentations
  • Select and import graphics from digital cameras, graphics packages and other sources and prepare for use ( cropping, resizing, editing)
  • Combine text, sound and graphics use font sizes and effects appropriately to communicate meaning for a given audience
  • To amend and improve text by using the find and replace Spell Check, Thesaurus and other language tools appropriately facility
  • Develop increasing sense of audience and talk about their choices and decisions
  • Use hyperlinks to link to web pages or other pages
  • Use IT to record voice, sounds vocal, sound effects and instrumental to create a sound story
  • Capture, store, retrieve and begin to edit sound, a digital image or digital video recording to suit a particular audience or task
  • Take pictures and video thinking about the purpose of the image. Developing greater control over the digital stills or video camera and use the enhanced tools
  • Create a short animated sequence to communicate a specific idea making use of a simple storyboard
  • Through peer assessment and self-evaluation,evaluate design, suggest and make suitable improvements
  • Determine the data needed to answer a specific question; organise, present, analyse and interpret the data in tables, diagrams, tally charts, pictograms and bar charts
  • Enter data into a pre defined database use the information to answer a specific question
  • Use the data produced to answer specific lines of enquiry
  • Enter data into a spreadsheet and use it to create a range of graphs and charts
  • Compare how different graph types can be used for different purposes and how some are more appropriate than others
  • Develop efficient questions to organise and sort objects by properties using yes no fields
  • Create and use a database to organise information
/ Level 2
  • Use simple editing and formatting techniques to develop their work
  • Organise information and present in different forms.
  • Make informed choices when using ICT to explore what happens in real and imaginary situations
  • Sort and organise information and present it in simple graph form
  • Able to use a simple Y/N branching database
Level 3
  • Use editing and formatting techniques to develop and refine their work to improve its quality and presentation
  • Create and combine different forms of information, refining and presenting it for a particular purpose, showing an awareness of audience and the need for quality
  • Collect, record and organise data to answer questions and present findings in different ways, (e.g. bar graph, pie chart etc.)
Level 4
  • Create and combine different forms of information, refining and presenting it for a particular purpose, showing an awareness of audience and the need for quality.
  • Use simple ICT-based models to explore patterns and relationships, and make predictions about the consequences of their decisions
  • Know how to check for and spot inaccurate data.
  • Know which formulas to use when using a spreadsheet model.
  • Produce graphs from calculations on a spreadsheet.

On a school trip children collect digital images, video, and sound samples and use these to produce a multimedia presentation to show either their parents or other children in the school / Digital Cameras; Easispeaks; MS Word; PowerPoint; Photostory 3
Use software to publish a newspaper report linked to a topic area / MS Publisher; 2Publish
Children make an audio recording of poems or a play they have written. Add effects/music. Use in a multimedia presentation / Audacity; Audio Network LGfL; FindSounds: ; Aviary audio editor Myna:
Create a photofit image for a Wanted poster of a story character / Revelation Natural Art; 2PhotoSimple; Purple Mash 2Publish and 2Publish Extra
Create an advert, using either live action or animation (link to literacy persuasive writing) / Video cameras; Jelly Cam (stop motion animation) ; MS MovieMaker for editing
Children create a persuasive trailer for a film (could be audio for radio or video for TV) / Video cameras; Jelly Cam (stop motion animation) ; MS MovieMaker for editing
Create an animation linked to the topic / 2Animate (Purple Mash); webcam plus for stop frame animation
Create and conduct a survey with a questionnaire, to collect data for use with a spreadsheet as graphing package / Surveymonkey MS Excel; 2Graph
Use a data logger to collect information about light / heat / sound around the school or the local area (link to science work) / Data loggers, graphing software
Link to Data Handling topics in Maths works, eg. Problem solving, ways of presenting information, Carroll Diagrams etc. / NRich has some interesting activities for data handling in KS2:
Computer Science
Activity ideas / ICT Resources you could use / Skills / Outcomes
Use a logo-type program to design and draw a simple repeating pattern / 2Go (Purple Mash); Soft Tronics (free Logo software to download) /
  • Algorithms can include selection (if) and repetition (loops).
  • Algorithms may be decomposed into component parts (procedures), each of which itself contains an algorithm.
  • It can be easier to plan, test and correct parts of an algorithm separately.
  • The idea of a program as a sequence of statements written in a programming language [Scratch]
  • One or more mechanisms for selecting which statement sequence will be executed, based upon the value of some data item
  • Programs can be created using visual tools. They can use a variety of control structures [selections and procedures].
/ Level 2
  • Generate/create a sequence of instructions
  • Edit/refine a sequence of commands
  • Understand what an algorithm is and what it does
Level 3
  • Use conditional statement commands within a series of instructions (‘if…then’; ‘when…’)
  • Use repetition in program commands
Level 4
  • Create and edit variables within a program
  • Can work with various forms of input and output.
  • Understand that the behaviour of a program must be planned
  • Design and debug programs to accomplish specific goals

Control a floor robot so it can travel to different points on a map (link to work on Ordnance Survey maps) / Roamer, BeeBots, ProBots, ask children to create their own floor maps with Ordnance Survey Map symbols etc
Create a computer game or an app for a specific audience (e.g. another younger class) / Espresso Coding; 2DIY; 3DIY; Scratch; Kodu Game Lab
Online and E-Safety
Activity ideas / ICT Resources you could use / Skills / Outcomes
Children use the internet to investigate a particular aspect of their topic / Search engines: Google, Yahoo for Kids /
  • Navigate to their chosen website to answer their questions on a specific topic
  • Ask questions and use keywords to enter their own search and choose an appropriate website
  • Know there are different search engines and understand they work in different ways. E.g. some within specific sites e.g. BBC, and some the whole of the Internet e.g. Google, Yahooligans, Ask Jeeves
  • To be able to discuss the different search engines and their features
  • To know that they can use search engine tools for different types of media e.g. Google Image Search, video, sound but understand that the results are not always what you expect
  • To be aware that web sites are not always accurate and that information should be checked before it is used.
  • Author their own custom pages, blogs or wikis adding text images and sound, considering layout and intended audience
  • Use a wiki to collaborate with peers on a project to produce a finished piece to support topic work
  • Begin to show an awareness of copyright when selecting music and sound
  • Understand that a password can keep information private and secure
  • Understand and abide by the acceptable use policy
  • Recognise social networking sites and social networking features built into other things (such as online games and handheld games consoles).
  • Make judgments in order to stay safe, whilst communicating with others online.
  • Identify dangers when presented with scenarios, social networking profiles, etc.
  • Articulate examples of ʻgoodʼ and ʻbadʼ behaviour online.
/ Level 2
  • Locate and use information from the internet to answer questions
  • Use ICT to communicate with others following instructions on safe use
Level 3
  • Use communication tools to share and exchange their ideas with others online
  • Use strategies for staying safe online
Level 4
  • Pupils refine searches to find, select and use information, questioning its reliability.
  • Communicate and exchange information and ideas with others online to develop ideas.
  • Manage the risks associated with the digital environment

Use the internet to research specific areas and find/save the main facts to use in a presentation / Search engines: Google, Yahoo for Kids
Children contribute to a blog or Wiki on different aspects they have researched on a topic / Class blog j2webby; WikiSpaces for education:
Pupils publish their work into their blogs eg. writing linked to the topic, music compositions, etc. / J2webby class blog

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