Year 5

Data and information – Flat-file databases

This unit looks at how a flat-file database can be used to organise data in records. Pupils use tools within a database to order and answer questions about data. They create graphs and charts from their data to help solve problems. They use a real-life database to answer a question, and present their work to others.

Lesson 1

In this lesson, learners will create a paper version of a record card database. Using a card template, they will create a data set, with each learner creating eight to ten cards linked to a theme, e.g. animals. They will complete records for each of the animals in their database and then they will physically sort the cards to answer questions about the data.

Learning objectives: To use a form to record information

I can create a database using cards
I can explain how information can be recorded
I can order, sort, and group my data cards

In this lesson, me and my classmates each received a record card database to record information . We each got a data set with cards linked to the theme (animals) and organised them into groups to find answers to questions about the animal. We then finished the lesson by sorting the animals into alphabetical order.

Fatima, Buzzard Class

Lesson 2

In this lesson, learners will use a computer-based database to examine how data can be recorded and viewed. They will learn that a database consists of ‘records’, and that each record contains ‘fields’. In addition, they will order records in different ways and compare this database to the paper database they created in Lesson 1.

Learning objectives: To compare paper and computer-based databases

I can explain what a field and a record is in a database
I can navigate a flat-file database to compare different views of information
I can choose which field to sort data by to answer a given question

When we were looking at this database about mini beasts we clicked on the different records to see more of the record. These records are stored in a table.

In this database we looked at countries fields and records. As you can see in the image, we studied and looked at how this database was displayed compared to the other one.

In this part of the lesson, me and my classmates labelled different parts of an online database. We learnt that the part which told you the categories of the record was called the field. However, the record tells you the information of the subject. For example, in the image there is a field next to the record, which tells you the categories of the record, which tells you the information of the subject the field is. After labelling the field and record (which are incredibly important) we added an imaginary category to the field which might be useful to people looking at the database.

Livie, Buzzard Class

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