Computing Unit Planner: Year 5 Unit 1 Quiz and Game National Curriculum Computing Content design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs understand computer networks, including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the World Wide Web, and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration Vocabulary and concepts Vocabulary: Selection For examples of selection in the real world check Phil Bagge s resource Variables Variables are programming structures that can change or be changed. A simple adventure game may have hit-points as a variable, as the game progresses the number of hit-points can be adapted by the program depending on the users choices. Variables can contain numbers or text. The programming language keeps a record or what is currently assigned within a variable at all times. So a score variable can be reported to the user at any time whilst the program is being run. When talking about variables with students the box analogy may work best. The programmer creates a box called score and the user adds, takes things away, or looks in the box. Using a physical box and counters helps students to comprehend what is happening as the program progresses. More on variables here. Check the word association game to learn new vocabulary by Mark Dorling, The Digital Schoolhouse Input and Outputs For examples of inputs and outputs see pages 19&20 of the Introduction to Computing Science by Jeremy Scott of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Barefoot Computing resources: Inputs & Outputs. General https://slp.somerset.gov.uk/cypd/elim/somersetict/computing_curriculum_primary/developing_computing_thinking/computational%20language%20scratch.pdf Concepts: Programming Logic Repetition Selection Variables Debugging Inputs Outputs
Lesson Preparation/Resources Lesson 1- No computers required PE session marker pens, scoreboard Lesson 2 Remind pupils that we should love or favourite projects to show our appreciation. Pupils can create own account Letter to parents prior to this lesson is recommended. You can get one sample in the elim Somerset website in the Use Scratch Online to teach children about e-safety section. Lesson 3 Check Phil Bagge s Maths Quiz project here Lesson 4 Check Phil Bagge s Maths Quiz project here and here for score keeping Lesson 5 Check Phill Bagge s KS2 Programming skills in scratch This is an open-ended task to design and write their own game. It is important to emphasise that this is a project in which you as teacher may be learning alongside your pupils and that the important thing is to think logically, support and collaborate with each other when developing code and solving problems. Use of the class community and scratch online community should be part of the learning for the last set of lessons. You may find these helpful: page 4 onwards General resources: Introduction to scratch resources and videos These 12 cards are a quick way of learning new code video tutorials to learn scratch step by step Task Cards and video support from ScratchEd http://scratch.mit.edu/studios/208596/ (week 1 series) http://scratch.mit.edu/studios/216538/ (week 2 series) Debug it activities to practice finding and fixing errors in code - You can use Barefoot Computing activities as alternatives and / or extension activities. KS2 Maths Quiz followed by KS2 Maths Quiz Extension KS2 Investigating input devices in Scratch KS2 Investigating output devices with Lego WeDo and Scratch KS2 Classroom sound monitor in Scratch KS2 Solar Simulation Activity Learning Objectives Success Criteria Lesson Sequence To understand a variable in an algorithm or program and begin to understand why it is needed I can explain what a variable is and why it is useful in games Lesson 1 Place a football in the middle of the football pitch. What game could you play? (football) How might you make the game interesting? How would you know if you were doing well in the game? - What do you need to make a game successful? Teacher to model when a goal is scored a point gets added to the score board (the score is the variable and the board which is
To create a variable in an algorithm or program and begin to understand how it is used To understand how the Scratch website offers opportunities for communication, learning and collaboration I can create and use a variable to keep a simple score as part of an existing program I can use logical reasoning to explain how a set of instructions, blocks of code work and what their intended effect is (logic, programming). displaying the score is the output) A cardboard (variable) box can be used to add a paper point every time a goal is scored, to illustrate the box analogy (see vocabulary above). Explain and show how a variable is like a box which can contain anything. To know what is in it you need to count the paper points. Add further variables to make the game more interesting and challenging. - Yellow and red card Ball has to be passed to every member of the team before scoring to receive 10 points What is the variable? What does it add to the game? What other variables could be introduced? Emphasise the idea that variables are changeable and are updated as the game progresses. Lesson 2 Tools: - Variables/Data: make a variable - Control: when Green Flag clicked forever, forever if, stop all - Motion: go to, move, turn, if on edge bounce - Sensing: touching?, touching colour? - Operators: pick random - Sound: play Remind pupils of what a variable is. On the IWB play the game Pong starter Discuss what might be added to keep the score. Collect ideas and make a list of all the possible variables that could be used. Share and Look inside the project for a Pong remix with a simple score variable Let pupils play with the Pong Starter and add some of the suggested improvements including a simple variable. Show them how to create a variable by going to variable category (or Data
To plan and begin to create a simple maths quiz program To begin to understand the concept of selection and the use of variables To understand what are inputs I can create and use a variable to store answers to the quiz (user inputs) I can begin to use selection to allow the program to go down different paths depending on the answer of the user I can use logical reasoning to explain how a set of instructions, blocks of code work and what their intended effect is (logic, programming). Alternative Barefoot Computing activities: KS2 Maths Quiz Selection Activity followed by KS2 Maths Quiz Extension Variables Activity on the online version) and making a variable called Score. Encourage pupils to compare the two games, the starter version and the remix with the variable. Share different pupils remixes of the Pong game, allowing pupils to explain how the variables work. Look for pupils who have created a decreasing variable which discounts points for hitting the ground. Lesson 3 Tools: - Control: if else (selection), green flag start - Looks: say for _secs - Sensing: ask and wait, answer variable - Operators: _=_ Show some maths quizzes Scratch- e.g. http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/12115110/ Or http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/11262294/ Explain that they are going to create a maths quiz. Get pupils to come up with 5 to 10 simple maths questions (this can also be linked to any other topic) Follow Phil Bagge s project and introduce the sensing (light blue blocks) ask and the operators block to store the answer. Use the selection resource (in vocabulary section above) to explain the concept and to handle the choices within the quiz. Let pupils carry n creating their questions using the blocks introduced in the lesson. Encourage pupils to test debug and improve as they add new blocks.
To design, write and debug a maths quiz To understand what are inputs and outputs I can use variables to keep scores I can use logical reasoning to explain how a set of instructions, blocks of code work and what their intended effect is (logic, programming). I can use the keyboard inputs as part of my program I can create a range of outputs (audio, visual) to improve my program Alternative Barefoot Computing activities: KS2 Investigating input devices in Scratch, KS2 Investigating output devices with Lego WeDo and Scratch, KS2 Classroom sound monitor in Scratch Share some of the work. Encouraging pupils to support each other to debug any errors in their code. What is missing from all these quizzes? They should be able to say the score. Discuss how they might create a scoreboard for the game. Jot down any ideas in relation to blocks which could be used or how they should be added into the existing code. Explain that adding a score variable is their task for the next lesson. Lesson 4 Tools: - Control: if else (selection), green flag start - Looks: say for _secs - Sensing: ask and wait, answer variable - Operators: _=_, join - Variables: score, set score to, change score by Remind pupils about the discussion about variables and score in the previous lesson. Explain that their task will be to add the score and improve the quiz experience by adding other audio and visual outputs. Explain that variables are like boxes that the computer stores data in. This data, numbers or text, can be changed by the program which is why it is variable/changeable. http://code-it.co.uk/year4/scratchprogression2.htm If the user gets the answer right their score will be increased by one. Else the score inside the variable will remain zero. To check the score they only have to refer back to what is inside the variable.
To design, write and debug a game I can design and write game using all or some programming skills such as: o repetition o variables, o user inputs, selection, o broadcasting/receiving Where would they add the sound effects? Could you make something flash on the screen when they are correct? How would you achieve this? (broadcast/receive) Share quizzes and collectively help debug programs. Test each other s programs and provide feedback. Lesson 5 Tools: all Share with pupils the 21Things Final Game in Scratch website. http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/2732112/ Let pupils play with the games and explore possible code. Explain that the aim is to design and write their own game. Some of the games in this animation/game may inspire them! Begin to plan a game. Share games. Test and help each other debug if necessary. Provide feedback for improving. Using Scratch online community as a source of help. Extension tasks: - Space invaders game by Rob Easton - http://www.eastonhome.co.uk/scratch/invaders/index.htm
- Helicopter game by Rob Easton http://www.eastonhome.co.uk/scratch/helicopter/index.htm potential to be adpted by adding variables - Crab Maze game by Phil Bagge (easier) - http://code-it.co.uk/scratch/crabmaze/scratchcrabmaze.pdf - potential to be adpted by adding variables - Counting Machine by Phil Bagge (maths link) - http://code-it.co.uk/scratch/countingmachine/countingmachineplanning.pdf - Racing Game by Rob Easton and David Philips - http://www.teach-ict.com/programming/scratch/scratch_home.htm - KS2 Solar Simulation Activity - http://barefootcas.org.uk/programme-of-study/simulate-physical-systems/ks2-solar-system-simulation-activity/ Sources Used: Phil Bagge, Ian Addison, Darrel Branson Blog (ICT Guy),Simon Houghton Blog, elim Sommerset, The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Rob Easton, David J Malan from Harvard University, ScratchEd Team, Barefoot Computing.