Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

50 minutes – Find Out: Introduction to Coding
55 minutes – Take Action: Coding with Purpose
15 minutes – Reflection

Find Out: Introduction to Coding

Step 1.

Ensure that the Learning Intentions and Success Criteria are displayed or written on the board and read them aloud to students.

Students will...

... know that block coding is a type of computer programming.
... be able to apply block coding techniques to give simple sequences of instructions.

Students can...

... follow simple block coding sequences.
... write simple block code sequences.

Step 2.

Show the following clip:

BBC Learning - What Is Coding (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMZFUnAgOqs)

Reinforce that coding is the language used to give instructions to computerised devices.

Step 3.

Explain that in today’s lesson, everyone will have a chance to be a dancing robot, but as robots can only follow instructions, their dance steps are going to be decided by their coder. Each coder will be given a series of coding signs that they can use to instruct their robot.

Show the Robot Code Command Summary, either printed A3 or projected for the class to view. Discuss each command and what it means, and what the robot will have to do when they see it. Demonstrate each movement to the class and then invite students to practise each command together.

Step 4.

Explain that in the first activity, everyone will be working in groups of three. One person will be the coder (creating a dance and giving instructions to the robot), another person will be the robot (following instructions) and the third person will be observing the robot to see that they follow the commands correctly.

Emphasise that the coder needs to look through the Robot Command Cards and decide what movements the robot will do before they begin, making sure they have put them all in order. Once they are ready they can then hold up the cards to the robot, moving the front card to the back one at a time as they go.

Demonstrate the activity to the class by inviting a student to be the robot and using the Robot Command Cards to give a sequence of instructions to the robot. Emphasise to the class that they are trying to instruct the robot to do a creative dance.

Note: Students will require enough space for each ‘robot’ to dance safely while completing the task. If there is not a sufficient amount of open space in your classroom, you may need to move outside or to another area for the next stage of the lesson.

Step 5.

Support students to form groups of three and ensure that each group has a set of command cards. Provide students with 15 minutes to complete the activity in their groups. At each 5 minute interval, prompt students to rotate through their roles by sounding a buzzer, ringing a bell or blowing a whistle.

During this time roam between the groups to ensure that students understand the task and are working cooperatively. Provide support to students as needed.

Step 6.

Return to the classroom to reflect on and discuss the activity.

Using a Think-Pair-Share approach, invite students to respond to the following questions:

How did you feel about the activity?
What went well in your group?
What was challenging?

Think Pair Share
Think pair share is a collaborative learning strategy in which students work together to solve a problem or answer a question.
Think - students independently think about an issue or question and record their thoughts.
Pair - students work in pairs to discuss their ideas and record new thoughts.
Share - students share their thoughts with the whole group or with other pairs to reach consensus.

Take Action: Coding with Purpose

Step 1.

Hand out the Coding Commands Factsheet. Show students one of the peg boards and pegs, explaining that in the first activity, students gave commands to a robot so that it would perform a dance. They are now going to use codes to create simple pictures on a peg board. Read through the Coding Commands Factsheets explaining how each symbol relates to an action.

Now, project the I Can Code Step by Step Instructions to the class. Explain that students will soon get their own code sheet and peg board to create an image, but first you will be practicing how to follow a code sheet as a class. Show students how the first step of the code shows that we should start in the top left corner and place a red peg. Direct students to the photo on the right showing this process. Continue this process by scrolling through the factsheet to complete the shape. Allow students to ask questions as needed while you conduct this demonstration.

Step 2.

Provide students with Follow Code Cards, peg boards and pegs and allow time to complete the activities.

Note: The Follow Code Cards are colour coded into different levels of difficulty. Blue cards have the simplest designs, followed by red, with the yellow/orange being the most complex. Each colour includes variations of the same basic shapes.

Provision for Learning Support: Students who find the task challenging can complete only the blue cards to practice following the commands in a simpler context.

Extension - Students confident with the task can complete the yellow/orange cards, which require them to be attentive to continuous changes in colour as well as following the direction.

Step 3.

After students have had the opportunity to complete a number of code cards, provide them with the opportunity to create their own shape and write the code for it.

As well as the resources they are already using, students will need:

The Create Code Cards.
Black, red, blue, green and yellow markers or crayons.

Students who found it difficult to follow demands may continue practising with Follow Code Cards instead of creating their own.

Step 4.

Prompt students to find a partner to follow their commands and test them for accuracy. Any students who did not create their own code can test one for another student or continue to practice following commands using the Follow Code Cards. Allow time for students to make adjustments to their codes if necessary.

Reflection

Form a circle for students to share their reflective thoughts.

For each of the following sentence starters, provide time for each student to respond:

How do you feel about coding?
Would you like to do more coding activities in the future? Why? Why not?

Differentiated Learning

Provision for Learning Support: Students who find the task challenging can complete only the blue cards to practise following the commands in a simpler context. They also may continue to practise following the commands rather than creating their own, when others move on to writing their own codes.

Extension: Students confident with the task can complete the yellow/orange cards, which require them to be attentive to continuous changes in colour as well as following the direction.

Code kits can be used to extend on what they have learned in this lesson, introducing simple electronics into students coding.

STEAM - I Can Code

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Summary

Learning intentions:

Students will...

Success criteria:

Students can...

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Curriculum Mapping

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