Cover Lessons
Cover lesson ideas linking to the DCF, for a range of subjects, both offline and digital.
Break-even for an E-Bike Hire Business
DCF: Data and computational thinking → Problem-solving and modelling
GCSE Business Unit 1: Introduction to the Business World, section 1.7 Revenue, costs and break-even. Pupils sort ten real-looking bills for an invented Cynon Valley e-bike hire business into fixed and variable costs, then build the business's spreadsheet on paper: inputs in their own cells and formulas with cell references for contribution, break-even, total revenue, total costs and profit. They change input cells to compare a £30 and a £25 price, test two what-ifs (dearer electricity, higher rent) and write a recommendation that uses the model's figures and names its weakness.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Break-even for an E-Bike Hire Business
- Stimulus: Olwyn E-Bikes costs pack (bills, prices and market research)
- Stimulus: Olwyn E-Bikes costs (CSV)
- Worked example and answer key: sorted costs, completed model, Option B, what-ifs and recommendation
Tools required
- Pen and paper
- Calculator
- Computer/Laptop (optional)
Software / weblinks
Calculating File Sizes for a Digital Archive
DCF: Interacting and collaborating → Storing and sharing
GCSE Computer Science Unit 1: Understanding Computer Science, Section 1.2.1 Data types, including representation, storage and compression. Pupils advise an invented Cynon Valley heritage group that is digitising old photographs and recorded interviews into a 15 GB cloud account. They calculate the storage requirements of scanned images from dimensions and colour depth and of sound from sample rate, bit depth and length, convert between bits, bytes, KB, MB and GB using base 2 units, work out compression ratios and the reduction in file size for lossless and lossy formats, then write a storage plan that uses compression, a second copy and a file naming pattern.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Calculating File Sizes for a Digital Archive
- Stimulus: Lleisiau'r Cwm digital archive brief (items to digitise, formulas, storage units and compression results)
- Worked example and answer key: every file size, compression ratio and the storage plan
- Calculators, one per pupil
Tools required
- Pen and paper
- Calculator
Software / weblinks
Logic Gates in Real Life
DCF: Data and computational thinking → Problem-solving and modelling
Pupils express five real devices - a car interior light, a microwave interlock, a fire alarm with a silence button, a two-way landing light and a three-input greenhouse fan - as Boolean expressions and complete a full truth table for each. They then use a truth table to prove that a wrongly wired alarm fails.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Logic Gates in Real Life
- Rulers, for the circuit diagram
Tools required
- Pen and paper
Software / weblinks
Describing Festival Visitor Figures in Welsh
DCF: Data and computational thinking → Data and information literacy
Mae disgyblion yn darllen taflen ysgogi am ŵyl werin ddychmygol yn Llanfeirion: graff llinell o nifer yr ymwelwyr rhwng 2021 a 2026, siart cylch o ble daeth yr ymwelwyr ac erthygl newyddion. Maen nhw'n darllen y raddfa, yn cyfrifu newid canrannol ac yn profi honiadau'r erthygl. Numeracy practice for GCSE Core Cymraeg, where Unit 2 stimulus sheets may include a graph, chart or statistics (Unit 2 overview) and Unit 3 reading includes non-continuous texts such as tables and graphs (3.1.2 Reading). Pupils work out the scale of a line graph, calculate percentage changes (a 20% fall and rises of 50%, 33.3% and 100%), turn fractions such as dwy ran o bump and tri chwarter into percentages and numbers, find the one claim in the article that the data does not support, write 80 to 110 words in Welsh backed by figures, and practise a short paired discussion in Welsh (practice only, not NEA work).
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Describing Festival Visitor Figures in Welsh
- Stimulus: Gŵyl Werin Llanfeirion, an invented festival sheet with a line graph, a pie chart, the organisers' facts and a news article, with an English translation
- Stimulus: Llanfeirion festival figures (CSV)
- Worked example: answer key with percentage change working, a model 102-word paragraph and a model paired discussion, with English translations
- Calculators, one per pupil or pair
Tools required
- Pen and paper
- Calculator
- Computer/Laptop (optional)
Software / weblinks
Talking About a Youth Survey in Welsh
DCF: Data and computational thinking → Data and information literacy
Mae disgyblion yn darllen taflen ysgogi am amser hamdden yng Nghwm Cynon: graff 2023 a 2025, tabl o ddymuniadau a barn tri pherson ifanc. Maen nhw'n cyfrifu canrannau, yn disgrifio newid gyda 'wedi codi' a 'wedi gostwng', ac yn profi pennawd sy'n honni bod pobl ifanc yn troi cefn ar chwaraeon. Practice for GCSE Core Cymraeg Unit 2: Responding to Various Sources (2.1.3 Analysing sources) and Unit 3 reading of tables and graphs, on the theme of Cynefin. Pupils find that the percentage doing sport fell while the number stayed at 60, say who the survey leaves out, write 80 to 110 words in Welsh backed by figures, and practise a paired discussion in Welsh with a partner checklist.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Talking About a Youth Survey in Welsh
- Stimulus: Amser hamdden yng Nghwm Cynon, an invented youth forum survey with a chart, a table, three quotes and a headline, with an English translation
- Stimulus: Cynon youth survey figures (CSV)
- Worked example: answer key, a model 101-word paragraph and a model paired discussion, with English translations
Tools required
- Pen and paper
- Calculator
- Computer/Laptop (optional)
Software / weblinks
Proofreading a Machine-Translated Press Release
DCF: Producing → Evaluating and improving digital content
Mae disgyblion yn prawfddarllen datganiad i'r wasg am Gaffi Trwsio ysgol ddychmygol a gafodd ei gyfieithu o'r Saesneg gan beiriant. Maen nhw'n dod o hyd i o leiaf 15 o'r 29 gwall, yn eu dosbarthu (treiglad, ystyr, idiom, cystrawen, cywair) ac yn esbonio pam mae'r offeryn yn eu gwneud. Exam practice for GCSE Cymraeg Language and Literature Unit 4a / 4b: Linguistic Connections (4.1.3, proofreading and correcting, press release and news bulletin forms, and the text editing task at word, sentence and text level). Pupils rewrite the quotations with Welsh idioms, turn the story into a 100 to 130 word radio news bulletin, and write evidence-based rules for using translation tools.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Proofreading a Machine-Translated Press Release
- Stimulus: an invented school press release in English and its machine translation into Welsh
- Worked example: all 29 errors with corrections, the corrected release, a model radio bulletin and model advice, with English translations
Tools required
- Pen and paper
- Highlighters
Software / weblinks
Motif Development as an Algorithm
DCF: Data and computational thinking → Problem-solving and modelling
GCSE Dance Unit 1: Choreography, content 1.1.2: developing movement material with choreographic and structural devices (repetition, retrograde, change of tempo, motif development, unison, canon), using the definitions in Appendix A, which Unit 3 content 3.1.3 also analyses. Pupils treat an invented 8-count motif as an algorithm: they trace a written dance score to find its counts and facing, use accumulation and REPEAT loops, debug another pupil's duet score that overruns the music and ends facing the wrong way, then write and peer-check their own 32-count trio score. Desk-based, no dancing needed. Practice only, not NEA work.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Motif Development as an Algorithm
- Stimulus: Y Wennol motif and dance score cards (motif, facing plan, score language and Cai's duet)
- Worked example and answer key: traced scores, debugged duet and model trio score
Tools required
- Pen and paper
Software / weblinks
Creating a Video Pitch
DCF: Producing → Creating digital content
Pupils script and storyboard a 90-second funding pitch for their packaging design, with shot framing, dialogue and durations that must total exactly 90 seconds at 2.5 words a second. They film it on a school device, keeping the file inside the class folder.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Creating a Video Pitch
- School tablet or camera (one between three) - never pupils' own phones
- Something to prop the device on, and the packaging design to film
Tools required
- Tablet or Smartphone
Software / weblinks
- The device's built-in camera app - no editing software needed
- Canva - for the on-screen text cards
- BFI - film-making and storyboarding resources
Designing Sustainable Packaging
DCF: Producing → Creating digital content
Pupils size a carton around six Welsh cakes, draw the net to scale and prove it closes by checking the four side faces against the perimeter. They then choose materials from a datasheet, stating the honest drawback of each, and cost the board for 120 boxes.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Designing Sustainable Packaging
- Stimulus: packaging material datasheet
- Ruler, sharp pencil and calculator
Tools required
- Computer/Laptop
Software / weblinks
Sending CAD Files to CAM
DCF: Interacting and collaborating → Storing and sharing
Practises GCSE Design and Technology Unit 1, 1.1.1 New and emerging technologies: the advantages and disadvantages of computer aided manufacture (laser cutting and 3D printing) in batch production. From a printed dossier of a team's messy shared CAM folder, pupils choose the right DXF, SVG and STL file for each part of a batch of 20 laser-cut desk tidies, use version history to restore a drawing that lost its finger joints, fix a link broken by permissions and a moved folder, design a naming pattern and folder structure, then calculate time and cost by laser and by hand to write a 6-mark exam-style answer.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Sending CAD Files to CAM
- Stimulus: The desk tidy batch, CAM job folder dossier (file list, version history, team chat, time and cost data)
- Worked example and answer key: file audit, version history, naming system, calculations and model exam answer
Tools required
- Pen and paper
- Calculator
Software / weblinks
One News Story Across Six Platforms
DCF: Producing → Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
Practises GCSE Digital Media and Film Unit 1: Exploring key concepts and issues, Section 1.3.1 Online news. Pupils follow one invented evening in a flooded valley town through six pieces of content: a citizen journalist's video, a viral false claim that the dam has cracked, a community group, a local news website, a TV bulletin and a fact-check. They score each source for reliability with a reason, use reach figures to show how misinformation outran the corrections, compare how two platforms represented the same event, and write a calm correction with a referenced source list.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: One News Story Across Six Platforms
- Stimulus: Cwmderwen, one night of news on six platforms (items A to F and reach figures)
- Worked example and answer key: reliability grid, reach calculations, model paragraph and referenced correction
- Two highlighter colours per pair
Tools required
- Pen and paper
- Highlighters
- Calculator
Software / weblinks
Judging the Reliability of Online Sources
DCF: Producing → Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
GCSE Digital Technology Unit 1: The Digital World, Section 1.3.2 Reliability of online sources. Pupils test a viral claim that a mountain footpath is being closed for ever against nine invented online sources about a wind farm: a council decision notice, a company press release, a local newspaper, a campaign blog, a social media post with a reused photo, a fact-check, an old forum post, an advert-filled content site and a peer-reviewed article. They score each source on author credentials, date, citations, reputation, bias and domain, cross-reference the claim, explain misinformation, disinformation and echo chambers with examples, and write a short referenced answer for the school newsletter.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Judging the Reliability of Online Sources
- Stimulus: Garth-wen wind farm, nine online source cards and key words
- Worked example and answer key: reliability grid, cross-referencing, newsletter answer and reference list
- Highlighters, three colours per pair
Tools required
- Pen and paper
- Highlighters
Software / weblinks
Using Survey Statistics to Plan a Website
DCF: Data and computational thinking → Data and information literacy
A numeracy lesson in GCSE Digital Technology on Unit 2, Section 2.1.2: using descriptive statistics to find patterns and audience needs. Practice only with an invented client, not NEA work. Pupils summarise 20 invented visitor survey answers for a Welsh outdoor adventure centre: they turn counts into percentages, find the mean, median, mode and range of booking times, spot an outlier and explain why the median is the better average, and compare mean ratings and booking times for phone, tablet and laptop users. They write three website design decisions that are each backed by a statistic and explain two limitations of a small survey.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Using Survey Statistics to Plan a Website
- Stimulus: Canolfan Antur Cwm Nant visitor survey (the client, 20 survey answers and a statistics reminder)
- Stimulus dataset: Cwm Nant visitor survey (CSV)
- Worked example and answer key: percentages, averages, the outlier, device comparison and design decisions
Tools required
- Pen and paper
- Calculator
- Computer/Laptop (optional)
Software / weblinks
- WJEC: GCSE Digital Technology (Made for Wales, teaching from 2026)
- Government Analysis Function: data visualisation, charts
- Hwb: Literacy and Numeracy Framework
- Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets (optional, to check answers with the CSV)
Collaborative Drama Script
DCF: Interacting and collaborating → Collaboration
Groups of three write one two-page scene to a fixed commission, rotating through the roles of Writer, Editor and Continuity. They hand in the scene in standard script layout together with a change log naming who changed what and why.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Collaborative Drama Script
- One script sheet per group of three if there are no computers
Tools required
- Computer/Laptop
Software / weblinks
- Microsoft Word Online or Google Docs with comments turned on
- BBC Writers - script library of produced scripts
- BBC Bitesize - GCSE Drama
Debugging a Lighting Cue Sheet
DCF: Data and computational thinking → Problem-solving and modelling
GCSE Drama Unit 3: Interpreting Theatre, content 3.1.2, how a designer communicates meaning through lighting, using the lighting terms in the WJEC glossary. Pupils read a short invented scene on a harbour wall on the Llŷn peninsula, with its rig and ground plan, and treat a Year 10 designer's cue sheet as an algorithm: they identify the input, process and output of two cues, find and fix 5 errors in order, timing, tracked channels and GO points, and replace 8 repeated lighthouse cues with one REPEAT UNTIL loop. They then write new point cues from a director's note and an 80 to 100 word exam-style answer on the lighting of a memory speech.
Resources required
- Pupil worksheet: Debugging a Lighting Cue Sheet
- Stimulus: Golau'r Harbwr lighting pack (scene with timings, ground plan, channel list, cue sheet rules and glossary)
- Worked example and answer key: parts of a cue, the 5 errors, corrected cue sheet and model exam answer
Tools required
- Pen and paper