THE PREMIER ACADEMY
KS1 COMPUTING
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KS1 Coding & Programmable Toys
I make algorithms!
This unplugged teacher-led activity, for children aged 3-5, uses classic nursery rhymes to introduce the concept of algorithms, sequence and repetition. By identifying the steps and patterns in popular rhymes, children begin to understand that algorithms are all around us.
Dance Time!
Code is a sequence of instructions written in a language that the computer understands. Computers need instructions that are precise, in the right order, and cover everything the user might try to do with it. We’ll practice these three things by writing a code for dancing!
Computer Science Fundamentals Unplugged (from Code.org)
Here some unplugged lessons for you to use in your classroom. Now you can teach the fundamentals of computer science, whether you have computers in your classroom or not!
We refer to lessons in which students are not working on a computer as “unplugged.” Students will often work with pencil and paper or physical manipulatives. These are intentionally placed kinesthetic opportunities that help students digest complicated concepts in ways that relate to their own lives.
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1.- Lesson Plan "Happy Maps" --> Sequencing --> VIDEO LESSON PLAN
2.- Lesson Plan "Happy Loops" --> Loops --> LESSON PLAN
3.- Lesson Plan "The Big Event Jr." --> Events --> VIDEO LESSON PLAN
Complete 2Code Activities 1.
Log into Purple Mash and click on 2Code, and then "Fun with fish". Tools--> 2Code--> Fun with fish
​Complete the fist two challenges with the students moving the tuna right and moving the crab left. Demonstrate how to drag commands into the programming window. Explain to students that they need to work through as many of these activities as they can.
Students will complete the "Fun with Fish" activities. They can then move onto other activities, including "Bubbles" and "Air Traffic Control"
Programmable toys
Program virtual Bee-Bots
In this lesson, students will program virtual Bee-Bots. Demonstrate how to access the Bee-Bot program on the computer and how to display different views. Bring up one of the maps, and ask a volunteer to come forward to program the Bee-Bot to move around the map. Explain that the instructions we give to the Bee-Bot have a special name called "algorithms". Children will complete the different challenges and practise programming the virtual Bee-Bots to navigate the on-screen map.
We can ask for volunteers to come up to present what they have learnt. Does anyone remember the name we give to the instructions?.
Another good option is to use Turtle in J2E --> ​https://www.j2e.com/jit5#turtle
j2Code
Bee-Bots
We have some Bee-Bots at TPA, make sure they have batteries before your lesson. Watch this video
if you never used Bee-Bots before see this video:
To introduce Bee-Bots to the children sit them in a circle, and show them a physical Bee-Bot. Look toguether at the different buttons on the Bee-bot, revising how these represent different commands than we can use.
Using a whiteboard, demonstrate using the symbols to draw the commands in order for the Bee-Bot to move in a straight line. Now, ask the students to draw out the commands necessary for the Bee-Bot to move in the shape of a square. Ask for a volunteer to use the commands he or she has written to program the Bee-Bot, checking to see if it will move in the shape of a square. Children will experiment with Bee-Bots in the floor.​
As extension, we can ask students to write algorithms to instruct (see Program Virtual Bee-Bots) the Bee-Bots to move in the shapes of different numbers.
Using Bee-Bots for Literacy .
Using Bee-Bots for Numeracy.
2Go on Purple Mash
2Go gives children the opportunity to control an object on a screen using a range of instructions. It can be used as an introduction to programming. We can use 2Go as a follow on from using a floor robot (see also Program Virtual Bee-Bots (above). ​​
There is an in-built bank of turtle images and matching backgrounds to allow 2Go to be adapted to a variety of purposes from exploration of mathematical concepts such as angles and shapes, to coordinate mapping using maps to History and Geography topic themed exercises.
Aims
Year 1
- To understand what BLOCKS are in coding.
- To begin to create a simple program.
- To make a CHARACTER move and save the code.
- To move an object WHEN CLICKED. To stop an object from moving when the background is clicked.
- To use COLLISION DETECTION in a program. To play sounds when objects collide.
Year 2
- To understand what an algorithm is.
- To create a computer program using simple algorithms.
- To understand the following terms when used in computer programming: Command, Repeat, Input, Output, Event, Collision Detection and Timer.
- To create a computer program using this new vocabulary.
- To know what debugging means in computing.
- To intentionally break a program and then debug it.
- To create programs using different kinds of objects whose behaviours are limited to specific actions.
- To predict what the objects will do in other programs based on their knowledge of what the object is limited to.
- To understand how algorithms are implemented as programs on physical/digital devices, and that programs execute by following precise and unambigous instructions.
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Resources from Bitesize KS1 Computing.