These 20 Broad General Education lesson plans focus on the creative and collaborative aspects of computational thinking, programming and coding, building girls confidence and resilience by embedding these concepts through interdisciplinary learning into Literacy & English, health and wellbeing, mathematics, sciences, art & design, music, social subjects and physical education.

The resource packs comprise of lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, video tutorials and website recommendations and provide a wealth of engaging and inspiring learning experiences for teachers to use with their class over a period of a week, a term or over the academic year. Lessons have been designed to ensure there is a progression in experiences throughout broad general education from Nursery to S3 using the refreshed Technologies Experiences and Outcomes and new Benchmarks.

How to use this exemplar

Research shows that currently just 18% of digital technologies jobs are held by women. The gender balance in the sector reflects closely the proportion of those qualifying in the relevant subjects at Higher Education (HE)/Further Education (FE). This low proportion is also reflected among those studying the relevant subjects at school. In 2015, girls accounted for 20% of Computing Science National 5 entrants, 17% at Higher and only 13% at Advanced Higher. The proportion of girls studying these subjects has not increased in recent years; in fact, it has fallen, from 35% of Standard Grade entrants in 1995, to 30% in 2013, and a further drop to 20% with the introduction of the new National 5.

Research has highlighted the importance of engaging girls early with computing science as well as helping to support interest and engagement at various junctures including primary to secondary transition and subject choice during secondary school. These lesson plans and resources cover broad general education allowing girls to benefit from the wealth of opportunities computing science can offer them -

• These resources will help engage girls, stimulating their interest in computing science by showing how it relates to other interests and subjects.
• Inspire and support teachers to embed computing science skills into their own subject areas and across the curriculum with targeted support, learning plans and tutorials on how to use the computing science resources.

Improvement questions

• What classroom strategies/techniques do you think better enables females to participate in lessons? Techniques such as allowing time for group discussions, using gender-neutral language, assigning roles to a group and monitoring your interactions with the boys and girls in your class.
• What opportunities do you provide for your pupils to discuss future careers in the digital industries?

Download(s)

Early level

Zip file: A story map (1.4 MB)

Zip file: Create a dance (4.5 MB)

First level

Zip file: Bonne visite! (1.9 MB)

Zip file: Parlez-vous Francais? (537 KB)

Zip file: What is it like to be a learner in our class? (1.5 MB)

Second level

Zip file: What's on your plate? - Food for thought (21 MB)

Zip file: What is your mindset? (19 MB)

Zip file: Scratching the surface of musical coding (10 MB)

Zip file: Profile - Animate me in Scratch (2 MB)

Zip file: Mary Queen of Bots (3 MB)

Zip file: Etcho-shape (13.5 MB)

Zip file: Dance Dance (15 MB)

Zip file: Algorithms for story writing (400 KB)

Third level

Zip file: Data representation (6 MB)

Zip file: Environmental web design (2.5 MB)

Zip file: Interactive story writing (2 MB)

Zip file: Mixing beats and making music (3.5 MB)

Zip file: Networks (4.8 MB)

Zip file: Renewables Info app (2.1 MB)

Zip file: Simulating a wind turbine (7.8 MB)