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80 mins
Teacher/Student led
+130 XP
Teacher-led from the board. Pupils do not need a device, but can follow on one.

Planning and Starting Your CBA

Turn your CBA choice into a workable plan by writing a clear scope and setting milestones. Start the first piece of real work and check that your plan still fits after some hands-on progress.

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    1 - Start ~4 mins

    Illustration for StartYou have already chosen your path: a software project with your team, or a portfolio of work you have made. Today you turn that choice into a plan you can actually finish: a clear scope, a few milestones, and the first piece of real work started. You will not finish the whole thing today. You will leave with a plan and something underway that you can reopen next time.

    2 - What a Realistic Plan Looks Like ~3 mins

    From choice to first build
    Three questions a plan answers

    A plan you can actually finish answers three questions before you build or collect anything:

    • What exactly am I making or collecting? One clear sentence.
    • What will I have done by each checkpoint? Three milestones written so someone else could tell if you hit them.
    • What could go wrong, and what is the backup? One risk and one simple backup.

    Scope means cutting as much as adding. If a feature or an extra portfolio piece would make the plan unrealistic, leave it out now and note it as a stretch idea for later.

    3 - Sample: a Software Project ~2 mins

    Sample: software project

    Scope: A micro:bit classroom temperature logger that shows the reading on the LED screen and saves values over a lesson.

    The software sample's milestones from today to presentation day. M1 is done when the sensors are working. M2 is done when logging and download are working. M3 is done when it has been tested with one classmate, documented and packaged.

    Risk: micro:bit not available. Backup: use the online simulator and note the swap.

    4 - Sample: a Portfolio ~1 mins

    Sample: portfolio

    Scope: Four pieces (Arcade game, website, Python list program, one studio build), each with a short learning note.

    The portfolio sample's milestones from today to presentation day. M1 is done when three pieces are in one folder. M2 is done when each has a short learning note. M3 is done when they are checked as finished, tested, documented and packaged.

    Risk: a file is missing. Backup: rebuild a small version from notes, or swap in another saved build.

    Before you write your own plan

    Open one piece of earlier work you already have (a saved game, website, micro:bit or Python file, or your portfolio folder if it exists). Leave it on screen so you can see what you are building on.

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