Unit: What is a database
and how to use them
(Junior Viewpoint).
Year: 4
Strand: Data Handling
Time: 4 - 6 hours
National Curriculum Objectives –
Pupils should be taught to:
o Accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems.
o Understand computer networks and the opportunities they offer for
communication and collaboration.
o Select and use software to accomplish given goals, including collecting,
analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
You must:
o Understand the words record, field and data when talking about databases.
o Be able to search and sort records in a paper/electronic database with support.
o Compare the differences between using an electronic databases vs a paper
database.
You should
o Be able to search and sort records in an electronic database.
o Be able to enter multiple records into an existing database.
o Be able to use the database for a specific purpose.
o Create a database with support that can be added to and searched by people in
the class.
You could:
o Create a database independently that can be added to and searched by people
in the class.
o Answer questions about a range of databases.
Key Questions:
o What is a field/record/data/database?
o What are the advantages of a computer based database over a paper one?
o What real life examples of databases can you name? (telephone book,
dictionary, top trumps)
o How can you find information in a database?
o How can you enter data in a database?
o How might you collect data to enter into a new database?
o What questions could you ask a database?
Links to more info/help
videos:
During these lessons, children
learn how information in a
database is organised and
interrogated. They do this through
the theme of an imaginary travel
website called Last Second.Com.
They use a prepared database to
find information on holidays and
add records using information
from the Internet. There is a
Junior Viewpoint and Softease
database version of the database
file.
Resources/Programs
Junior Viewpoint or 2Investigate
Y4 Handling Data Resources folder
Notebook – y4 handling data.