Creative CAT Projects Inspired by Checkers Mini Shop Stickies
Ruval Gouws
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Creative CAT Projects Inspired by Checkers Mini Shop Stickies

Turning Checkers Mini Shop Mania into Meaningful CAT Lessons

It all started rather innocently. My wife and I began collecting the Checkers Mini Shop Stickies for our nine-month-old son — and before we knew it, we were completely hooked. Each new mini sparked a bit of excitement (and maybe a touch of competition). Out of curiosity, I mentioned it to my Grade 11 learners, and to my surprise, they admitted that the obsession had spread to their households too!

That’s when the idea struck me — why not turn this shared craze into something educational? What if we could use these beloved mini stickies to teach real-world Computer Applications Technology (CAT) skills in a fun and creative way?

Here’s how that brainstorming session turned into a set of hands-on, engaging CAT projects that combine creativity, technology, and just a touch of nostalgia.

Teacher Tip 🧠

Let your learners bring their own Mini Shop collections to class. Use them as the starting point for each project — it instantly makes the work feel personal, relevant, and fun.

Project 1

🛒 Simulated Online Shop

Screenshot of simulated online shop

Imagine a digital shop that looks and feels like a real e-commerce site – but without processing actual payments.

Project concept

Learners create a mock-up online shop where users browse items, add them to a cart, and “check out”. The site doesn’t process payments; instead, it simulates the experience of shopping.

CAT skills applied

  • Web design: Build webpages using HTML and CSS.
  • Database concepts: Simulate inventory and product details.
  • Forms and interactivity: Add form elements to mimic a checkout process.
  • Understand how online shopping systems flow in a safe, offline environment.

Project 2

🎮 Interactive Game or App

Virtual stickies game

For a more advanced challenge, learners can transform their mini shop experience into a digital game or application.

Project concept

Using platforms like Scratch or Python, learners create a simple game where players collect or trade virtual stickies.

CAT skills applied

  • Coding: Programme game logic – for example, a function that “adds” a sticky to a virtual collection.
  • User interface design: Create interactive buttons, scoreboards, and menus.
  • Problem-solving: Debug and refine their code as the project develops.

This type of project makes coding tangible, engaging, and rewarding.

Project 3

📊 Spreadsheet-Based Data Analysis

Screenshot of Teams submission of sticky challenge spreadsheet

For those who love working with data, the mini stickies provide a perfect dataset.

Project concept

Learners catalogue their collection in a spreadsheet and use formulas to analyse and visualise their data.

CAT skills applied

  • Formulas and functions: Use COUNTIF to track duplicates or VLOOKUP to find specific brands.
  • Data validation: Add dropdown lists to standardise categories.
  • Charts and graphs: Create pie charts or bar graphs to show brand or category distribution.

It’s a great way to teach data literacy in a context learners genuinely enjoy.

Project 4

📱 Marketing and Social Media Campaign

Finally, learners can channel their inner influencer and take on a digital marketing project.

Project concept

Learners design a social media campaign promoting the mini stickies, mimicking real-world Checkers advertising strategies.

CAT skills applied

  • Content creation: Design graphics and edit short videos.
  • Social media planning: Develop a posting schedule, research hashtags, and plan a content calendar.
  • Video production: Record and edit clips — for example, a “mini haul”, “collection tour”, or “trade tips” video.

This project allows learners to see how brands use digital media to engage audiences — and how they can do it too.

🚀 How to Get Started

To get these projects rolling, you’ll need:

  • A collection of Checkers Mini Shop Stickies
  • Software tools such as Microsoft Office, a web browser, and a simple coding editor
  • A camera or scanner to digitise the stickies
  • A teacher or mentor with knowledge of the CAT curriculum
Learner ready to start Mini Shop CAT project

 

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Assessments That Don’t Suck: Creative PAT Ideas That Still Meet the IEB Standards
Ruval Gouws
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Blog, ruvalblog
Assessments That Don’t Suck: Creative PAT Ideas That Still Meet the IEB Standards
Let’s be honest—by the time we reach Term 2 and learners hear “PAT,” half the class has already mentally checked out. For many learners, the Practical Assessment Task (PAT) feels like a never-ending mountain of Word reports, Excel sheets, and Access databases that somehow manage to drain the joy out of CAT. But what if I told you the PAT doesn’t have to suck?

As a CAT teacher, I’ve learned that the secret to a successful PAT lies in relevance, creativity, and learner agency. Yes, we still need to stick to the IEB guidelines (and we do!), but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun along the way.

Step 1: Make the Topic Matter

Step 1 illustration Pick a topic that means something to your learners. Instead of another dry survey on “transport methods” or “favourite foods,” challenge your learners to create a solution to a real-world problem.

Here are a few themes:

  • School Improvement Projects – e.g., “How can we reduce waste at our school?” or “Should we switch to a 4-day school week?”
  • Local Impact Studies – e.g., “How load shedding affects small businesses in Mbombela”
  • Tech Trends – e.g., “Are learners using AI responsibly in their schoolwork?”

Give learners a voice in choosing the topic. A simple class vote can do wonders for buy-in.

Step 2: Gamify the Data

Step 2 illustration Data collection shouldn’t feel like a chore. Teach learners to create engaging surveys using Google Forms or Microsoft Forms, and show them how to use branching logic to make questions interactive.

Bonus: It helps them analyse data with purpose later in Excel.

Want to take it further? Turn the PAT into a class competition:

  • Best survey design
  • Most creative chart
  • Most insightful conclusion

Step 3: Guide, Don’t Dictate

Step 3 illustration Learners often get stuck in the report-writing phase. Provide them with scaffolding:

  1. Templates for Word reports
  2. A checklist for sections (Introduction, Methodology, Data Analysis, Conclusion, etc.)
  3. Examples of previous high-scoring PATs (anonymised, of course)

I create a shared Google Drive folder with everything learners might need, and set up weekly milestones with small submission deadlines. It helps prevent the last-minute panic.

Step 4: Bring It to Life

Step 4 illustration The PAT shouldn’t end as a static report on your desktop. Ask learners to present their findings—whether through a poster, a quick video summary, or a mock Shark Tank pitch where they “sell” their research.

This reinforces:

  • Presentation skills (hello, LO & Life Skills crossover!)
  • Digital literacy
  • A sense of purpose

You could even invite other teachers to the presentations—learners love showing off.

Step 5: Keep the Standards, Lose the Boredom

Step 5 illustration We’re not reinventing the wheel. The IEB PAT has clear outcomes: data collection, data analysis, Word processing, referencing, etc. All of that can still be done creatively. What changes is how we frame the task—and how much ownership we allow learners to take.

Final Thought: The PAT can be more than just a tick-box exercise. It can be the moment learners realise how powerful digital tools can be—and how they can use them to tell stories, solve problems, and change their world.

Let’s make PATs matter. And let’s make them memorable.

– Ruval Gouws | CAT Teacher, Creative Educator, PAT Enthusiast
“We don’t just teach tech. We teach how to think with tech.”

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