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Day 5: Help Desk Demos + H&L IT Support Favorites

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Demonstrate the micro:bit help desk tool to the class; explain the troubleshooting logic; favorite 2 IT Support careers in H&L
TEKS d(1)(C), d(4)(B)
Deliverable 3-minute team demo + 2 IT Support careers favorited in Climber Profile
Materials micro:bit devices, Chromebooks, H&L accounts, projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: After 4 weeks in the IT cluster, rank these IT pathways from most to least interesting to YOU: Programming, Web Development, Networking Systems, Tech Support, Cybersecurity (next week!). Write your ranking.

Quick share. This is informal data, listen for which pathways are catching on. Bridge: "Today you demo your help desk tool. Then we make sure your favorites are saved before we hit cybersecurity next week."

Activity 1: Team Demos (25 min)

Each team has 3 minutes to demo their micro:bit help desk tool. Project the team's MakeCode workspace on the screen if possible (so the class sees the code AND the device).

Demo structure (project on screen):

  1. The Scenario: What IT problem did you program for? (15 seconds)
  2. The Steps: Walk through your troubleshooting steps in order. Show what the micro:bit displays for each. (1 minute)
  3. Why this order?: Justify why you put the steps in this specific order. (30 seconds)
  4. The Career: Name one IT support career that would actually use a tool like this. Why? (30 seconds)
  5. The Powerskill: Which Powerskill (communication, problem-solving, patience, attention to detail) was the most important when you built this? (30 seconds)

After each demo, class gives ONE compliment + ONE question. Track team scores informally on the board so students can see all the demos.

Facilitation Tip

For larger classes (30+), split demos into 2 stations running simultaneously. Half the class demos at Station 1, half at Station 2. After 12 minutes, swap. This keeps demos under 25 minutes total.

DOK 4: Based on watching all the demos, what conclusions can you draw about how a real help desk team would use a tool like this in their daily work? What would they need that your tool doesn't have yet?

Activity 2: H&L IT Support Favorites + Reflection (15 min)

[H&L PLATFORM] Direct students to the H&L Climber Profile. They favorite at least 2 IT Support careers from the Information Technology Support and Services pathway using the Hat Finder. The workbook's Hat Research template (Ch 12, p. 199) can be used here. Students may complete it for one IT support career before favoriting in the app. Favorites accumulate across all 4 IT weeks (Wks 2-5): students should have 4-6 IT careers favorited by end of Wk5.

Sentence stems for the favorites reflection (in workbook margin):

  • "I favorited _ because the education path is and the salary is __."
  • "This career fits my _ personality type because ___."
  • "The Irving ISD pathway that connects to this career is _ at ___ High School."

Walk the room and check that every student has at least 2 IT support careers favorited before they leave.

Climber Profile Check (5 min): Students open their Climber Profile and look at the cumulative picture. They should see:

  • Building Blocks from Wk0 (3+)
  • Manufacturing favorites from Wk1 (2)
  • Programming favorites from Wk2 (2)
  • Networking/Web favorites from Wk3 (optional)
  • IT Support favorites from Wk4 (2)

Tell students: "Look at this. Five weeks ago this profile was empty. Now it has data about who you are AS a future career explorer."

Exit Ticket (5 min)

EXIT TICKET (Concept Map / Connection Diagram) · Printable PDF:

An IT Support career I favorited this week: _____

Connect this career to THREE things:

1. The Singley Academy pathway that connects to it (Technology Support Services leads to Computer Repair Technology - Job Ready)

Does the Singley pathway fit this career? Circle: YES / NO. In one sentence, why or why not:

2. One transferable skill I practiced this week (problem-solving, patient communication, step-by-step thinking, attention to detail, etc.)

My skill: _____. Where else in my life do I already use this skill? One sentence:

3. One other IT pathway I explored this six-weeks (Programming, Web Development, Networking, or — next week — Cybersecurity)

My other pathway: _____. Does my IT Support pick fit BETTER or WORSE than the other pathway? Circle: BETTER / WORSE. One sentence why:

(d(1)(C), d(4)(B))

Differentiation

  • Support: Allow students who are uncomfortable demoing to present in pairs (one talks, one operates the micro:bit). Or allow a pre-recorded video of the demo to be played on the projector.
  • Extension: Students who finish demos early help refine other teams' programs as a "consultant." They give targeted improvement suggestions.
  • ELL: Provide bilingual demo sentence stems: "Our scenario is _ (Nuestro escenario es ). Step 1 is __ (El paso 1 es _____)."