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SC Introduction To Algorithms Lesson Plan

This lesson plan introduces students to algorithms through hands-on activities using Scratch. Students first discuss algorithms in daily life like brushing teeth. They then draw pictures based on vague vs. specific step-by-step instructions to experience how important specificity is. Next, students write their own algorithms in Scratch to program a sprite, demonstrating how clear instructions allow computers to complete tasks. The lesson concludes with students testing each other's Scratch games and providing feedback.

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Ritchie Tunggara
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113 views3 pages

SC Introduction To Algorithms Lesson Plan

This lesson plan introduces students to algorithms through hands-on activities using Scratch. Students first discuss algorithms in daily life like brushing teeth. They then draw pictures based on vague vs. specific step-by-step instructions to experience how important specificity is. Next, students write their own algorithms in Scratch to program a sprite, demonstrating how clear instructions allow computers to complete tasks. The lesson concludes with students testing each other's Scratch games and providing feedback.

Uploaded by

Ritchie Tunggara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lesson Plan - Scratch

Introduction to
Algorithms
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Introduction to algorithms lesson plan

Learning objectives Main activity


• *I can explain what an algorithm is and Ask the children to put their hand up if they brushed their teeth this morning. How do they know how to
how they relate to real life and computer brush their teeth? A parent or another adult probably showed them how to do it when they were younger.
programmes. I can create an algorithm in
Scratch” Computer programmes are the same. They only know how to do something if we tell them exactly how to
do it.
• Pupils should be taught to design, write
and debug programs that accomplish Hand each child a piece of paper and tell them they are going to be the computer. You will be the computer
specific goals, including controlling or programme with an algorithm designed to get the computer to draw a very specific picture.
simulating physical systems; solve
problems by decomposing them into Read out a set of instructions to the children to help them draw the picture in the guidance notes. The
smaller parts children shouldn’t know what the final picture looks like and shouldn’t share their drawing with the rest of
the class until the end.

Resources Purposely keep the instructions quite vague – the idea is that the children should all end up with a very
different outcome because our algorithm wasn’t specific enough.
• Pencil and paper
Repeat the activity with more specific instructions which will allow the children to draw the correct picture –
• Laptops or desktop computers
it is possible for a computer to ‘misunderstand’ an algorithm if we aren’t specific enough and we might end
• https://scratch.mit.edu up with a different result than we were expecting. Think about what would happen if you tried to tell an
alien to ‘go through that door’? Is the algorithm specific enough?

The children should now write an algorithm in Scratch to programme their Sprite. They can write any
algorithm they wish, as technically any sequence of code that translates into an output on the stage is an
algorithm. The children should be able to demonstrate and explain to their peers how they created specific
instructions in order to complete the task.

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Introduction to algorithms lesson plan

Differentiation Plenary
Lower Ability/ASN Have the children try each other’s’ games and give feedback. What went
well and what could we do to improve?
Code your sprite to give a sequence of instructions for one of the
examples used in the lesson (e.g how to brush your teeth) by using the
‘say’ blocks.
Assessment Questions
Higher Ability/Extension What is an algorithm?
Use a combination of blocks to create a more complex algorithm, i.e.
‘motion’, ‘looks’ and ‘control’ blocks. Think of an algorithm we use in real life?
Create more than one algorithm in your programme to solve different
problems. What do we need to remember when creating algorithms in computer
programming?

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