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⭐ Teacher-created lesson guideA sensor is hidden somewhere in the school. Learners must find it — without physically searching — by analysing the live data it produces. This discovery learning project uses real sensor readings of light, motion, temperature, humidity and CO₂ to develop data reasoning, investigative skills and collaborative thinking. After the sensor is found, a new group hides it, and the challenge begins again. The project is cyclical and can run throughout the year.
Lesson overview
CfE experiences and outcomes
- ScienceSCN 2-20aAppreciation of the contribution individuals make to scientific discovery and the impact on society.
- ScienceSCN 2-20bReport and comment on current scientific news items to develop knowledge and understanding of topical science.
- ScienceSCN 3-20aCollaborate to find and present information on how scientists have contributed to innovative research and development.
- LiteracyLIT 2-07aShow understanding of what is listened to or watched by responding to literal, inferential, evaluative and other types of questions.
- LiteracyLIT 2-29aPersuade, argue, explore issues or express an opinion using relevant supporting detail and/or evidence.
- LiteracyLIT 2-02aRespond in ways appropriate to role, show that others’ contributions are valued and use these to build on thinking.
- LiteracyLIT 2-14aFind, select and sort information from a variety of sources and use this for different purposes.
- LiteracyLIT 2-10aCommunicate in a clear, expressive way and select and organise resources independently.
- LiteracyLIT 2-25aUse notes and other types of writing to understand information and ideas, explore problems and create new text.
- LiteracyLIT 2-26aSelect ideas and relevant information, organise appropriately for purpose and use suitable vocabulary for audience.
- NumeracyMNU 2-10aUse and interpret electronic and paper-based timetables and schedules to plan events and make time calculations.
- NumeracyMNU 2-10bCarry out practical tasks and investigations involving timed events.
- NumeracyMNU 2-20aInterpret and draw conclusions from data, recognising that presentation may be misleading.
- NumeracyMNU 2-20bCarry out investigations and surveys and communicate results in an appropriate way.
- MathsMTH 2-21aDisplay data in a clear way using a suitable scale, using technology effectively.
- TechnologiesTCH 2-01aUse digital technologies to collect and analyse ideas and relevant information.
- TechnologiesTCH 2-07aSuggest how technologies can support sustainability and reduce environmental impact.
- TechnologiesTCH 2-12aExtend knowledge and understanding of engineering disciplines to create solutions.
- TechnologiesTCH 2-14bUnderstand how information is stored and how key components of computing technology connect through networks.
- Social StudiesSOC 2-12aCompare local area with a contrasting area outwith Britain; investigate weather and climate and their impact on living things.
- Social StudiesSOC 2-10aExplore local area and present information on different places to live, work and relax.
- Expressive ArtsEXA 2-06aDevelop and communicate ideas, demonstrating imagination and presenting at least one possible solution to a design problem.
- Expressive ArtsEXA 2-05aExpress and communicate ideas, thoughts and feelings through activities within art and design.
Skills progression covered — Second Level
🎯 Focusing
- Asking questions to clarify tasks and plan goals with some support
- Drawing from various sources of information, focusing on what is essential
- Suggesting changes to their environment to support focus
🔄 Adapting
- Posing interesting questions and constructively challenging ideas
- Identifying problems and researching different ways to find solutions
- Changing their way of working to fit different activities and groups
🚀 Initiative
- Evaluating and classifying information and selecting appropriate methods
- Setting their own goals to complete a task within a deadline
- Confidently challenging themselves when faced with the unexpected
💬 Communicating
- Communicating confidently in a variety of familiar and unfamiliar situations
- Posing interesting questions that don’t have straightforward answers
- Sharing, explaining and justifying their own views
🤝 Collaborating
- Working within a group, taking on different roles and tasks
- Showing sensitivity to others’ feelings
- Sharing, explaining and justifying views and using language to influence others
👑 Leading
- Building on other people’s ideas and suggesting solutions during group work
- Helping to lead a group towards an agreed purpose through listening and collaboration
- Using research tools to deepen understanding and make suggestions
🔍 Curiosity
- Being curious about the unfamiliar and unexpected
- Independently using a range of sources to form and justify opinions
- Constructively challenging ideas that are presented
💡 Creativity
- Creating and designing solutions to a problem independently and collaboratively
- Understanding that mistakes and failures can lead to solutions
- Learning from and building on other people’s ideas and experiences
🧩 Sense-making
- Identifying problems and researching different ways to find solutions
- Identifying and ordering patterns and relationships through grouping, classifying and comparing
- Examining options, sharing opinions and justifying answers
🧠 Critical thinking
- Making and testing predictions, examining evidence and making links between causes and effects
- Explaining and justifying methods, opinions and conclusions
- Selecting the most appropriate strategy to solve a problem
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🎯 Learning intention
Interpret, ask questions about, and analyse data.
✅ Success criteria
- I can discuss some variables in the data
- I can spot and discuss patterns in the data
- I can compare two sets of data from different sensors
- I can work well in groups
- I can back up my arguments using the data
Inform learners there is a secret sensor hidden somewhere in the school, and we are going to try to find it — without physically looking for it.
Pose the question: “How will we find it?”
Allow pupils to discuss and facilitate conversation around using the data emitted by the sensor to locate its position in the school.
🔑 Key questions
- What do you wonder?
- How will we find it?
- What will we need to look for?
- What will make us successful?
- What evidence will we gather?
Go over the Learning Intention and Success Criteria together.
Discuss a real-life context where data is used to locate or identify something. Pupils research online in groups and present back to the class.
A suggested context is forensic science and digital evidence:
- Cyber Skills — How to Solve a Murder — examines how data and digital evidence is gathered to solve a case. In modern policing, a trail of digital evidence can lead to the criminal.
You can also link data to other real-life contexts familiar to pupils — for example:
- How is data used to learn more about athletes?
- Have you ever noticed data collection during a football match?
- How do analysts interpret this type of data, and what does it tell us about players’ performance?
Present the live data from the secret sensor to the whole class on the board. Ask pupils to hover over certain times of day on the graph and predict where they think the sensor is — based on what the data shows.
Show data from sensors in locations the pupils are already familiar with (e.g. their own classroom) to compare patterns and spot correlations.
Prompting questions:
- What time did the lights turn on?
- What times are showing the most and least movement?
- When is the CO₂ highest/lowest?
- What does this tell us about who was in the room, and when?
- When are people in and out of different rooms in our school?
Note: If you only have one sensor, go over the data from the secret sensor without giving the location away — ask what learners notice about the patterns.
Learners work in pairs or threes to examine and explore the data, note findings, and build a case. They come to a group consensus on where they think the sensor is, using specific evidence from the data to support their argument.
No fixed time frame — this project can run over several lessons. Some groups may take longer than others.
Presentation options:
- Digital presentations (Sway, Google Slides, PowerPoint)
- Annotated screenshots of live data highlighting specific evidence
- Written reports
Giving learners a copy of the school timetable or RCCT timetable can help them correlate their findings — checking times when certain classes are empty, for example.
🔑 Questions to pose during investigation
- Examine our school timetable — do any patterns match the data?
- Where do you predict there is a lot of movement at this time?
- Can you imagine a place in our school that matches these data patterns?
- What evidence from the data supports your prediction?
🎯 Learning intention
Predict, critique and question data sets.
✅ Success criteria
- I can predict and discuss what data might be collected
- I can work well in a pair
- I can use persuasive writing to present my case
- I can make links between our environment and data
- I can demonstrate my creativity skills
Pose the following questions for whole-class discussion — use these to build the success criteria together:
🔑 Discussion questions
- Where would be an excellent place to hide the sensor?
- Think about the data it will collect — what will you need to consider?
- What previous learning can you draw on?
- How will you make it a good challenge for others?
Pairs devise their plan and write down their reasons for choosing their hiding place. They must then submit their proposal to the teacher — by email or sealed letter — using persuasive language to explain why their location is the best choice, what data they predict will be collected, and why this spot would be a good challenge.
- I can ask questions about the data
- I can question what is missing from the data
- I can link the data sets to my environment
- I can create investigative methods to manipulate the data
- I can record and present my findings
Pupils build on their investigative skills from Activity 1 to analyse the live data over a prolonged period — around a week or more. They track changes in the data, prompt discussions, and link directly to their environment.
Some pupils may want to study RCCT timetables further, or ask other staff/pupils investigative questions to correlate the data with times when spaces might be empty. This encourages triangulation — linking live data to environmental knowledge.
Pupils can even plan experiments to manipulate the data — for example, walking past certain areas to track movement changes. However, it should be stressed that learners should only use the data to find the sensor. It should not be physically looked for.
This is a good opportunity to recap the PPDAC model — the problem is that they need to locate the sensor.
- I can predict data sets
- I can link data collection to my environment
- I can work well in a team
- I can create investigative methods to manipulate the data
- I can record and present my findings and share them
As a challenge, continue placing secret sensors in interesting locations — around the community, at home, in unusual school spaces. One sensor is already placed in a reptile enclosure at Five Sisters Zoo in West Lothian — this can be used as a whole-class extension activity, with pupils researching animal habitats to justify their predictions.
Plenary idea — share with another class: Pupils collate their Secret Sensor journey and share it with another class, encouraging them to get involved. They could receive and review applications for the sensor’s next location — taking on the role of the teacher from Activity 1. This makes the project genuinely collaborative and school-wide.
The series of lessons is cyclical and can continue throughout the year, with different groups hiding the sensor in increasingly creative and challenging locations.
Published 15 July 2025 | Contact us | IOT@ed.ac.uk