Keep this light. Hold up or name a toaster (or show a picture on the IWB). Take three or four quick answers only. Do not teach the full IPO table yet.

Listen for: bread in, heat or toasting, toast out. If pupils say only "it makes toast", nudge: What went in first? What did the toaster do?

Have the device cards, sticky notes and the three floor labels ready nearby, but do not lay out the full floor flow until the group mapping step.

Project only the short board text. Use the table below yourself.

Worked model (say aloud, do not project as a script): I wonder how a pencil sharpener works as a system. I predict: input is the blunt pencil and turning the handle; process is the blades shaving the wood; output is a sharp point and pencil shavings. Point at each part on a real sharpener if you have one.

Misconception to head off: pupils often name only the output ("it makes light"). Gently insist on all three parts every time. Keep process as the internal action only, not the result the user sees. If you need fuller language for yourself, process for a torch is electricity flowing through the circuit to the bulb — keep "circuit" in your talk only, not on pupil cards.

Nature of STEM: technologists use input–process–output to plan a new device or to find where a broken one has gone wrong: is the problem the input, the middle step, or the output?

Drive the flow-builder interactive in explore mode with layout: ipo on the IWB. Pupils do not need devices. Model this whole-class torch map before groups map their own device cards.

Cards on screen (exactly these three for the first map): press the switch, electricity goes to the bulb inside, beam of light.

• Drag press the switch into Input.
• Drag electricity goes to the bulb inside into Process.
• Drag beam of light into Output.

Then clear and rebuild with a second device if time allows, using cards: bread and push lever, heat browns the bread, hot toast.

Fold the whole class in: Are they right? What would happen if the input never arrived?

Your turn prompts on screen: use the prompts in the interactive to ask where a fault might sit if the torch stayed dark.

Before the lesson

• Print the provided device cards (one set per group of three to four). Full card texts are below.
• Place one shared strip of three large labels on the floor or along a clear bench: Input, Process, Output. Use existing wall or floor space; no special sheet needed.
• Give each group three sticky notes (or scrap paper) so they can plan at their desks before using the shared floor strip.

Device cards (print as provided)

Card A — Toaster: A kitchen toaster. Bread goes in the slots. You push the lever down. Heat browns the bread. Toast pops up.

Card B — Torch: A hand torch. You press the switch. Electricity goes to the bulb inside. A beam of light comes out.

Card C — Automatic door: A shop or school door that opens by itself. A person steps on the mat or walks in front of a sensor. The door motor runs. The door swings or slides open.

Card D — Pencil sharpener: A classroom pencil sharpener. You put in a blunt pencil and turn the handle (or press it in). Blades shave the wood. A sharp point comes out, and shavings collect inside.

During the step

Give each group one card and three sticky notes. Groups first agree IPO at their desks. Then invite about two or three groups to the shared floor strip to place notes and stand on Input, Process and Output while they say their three parts. Not every group will stand on the strip in the time — that is fine. Watching groups listen and may be asked: Do you agree? What is the process?

After about eight minutes of planning and sharing, you should have heard two or three groups in full. Correct gently if process and output are swapped.

Differentiation: support groups with sentence stems said aloud — The input is… The process is… The output is… Confident groups can name a second input (e.g. electricity to the toaster as well as bread).

Keep groups of three (a fourth pupil can be the narrator who names each part). Allow two minutes to plan and about one minute per group to perform. Two to four groups is enough; the rest watch and call out the IPO. Make this clear before planning starts so watchers know their job.

Look-fors: clear order (input first), a visible middle action, an obvious output. Celebrate simple, clear mime over long plays.

If a group freezes, offer role cards: Input / Process / Output with one example line each for the toaster.

Peer prompt for watchers: What was the input? What was the process? What was the output?