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Unit 5: Programming: What is a Program?

Learning Objective

In Computing this term we continue to explore programming.  We will know that a program is a sequence of instructions that a computer will be able to follow.

End Point Knowledge

Pupils recognise the computers don't have a brain and they can explain that we control computers by giving them instructions. Pupils will be able to create a simple program such as controlling a beebot or a sprite.  They can create a simple algorithm. 

Key Vocabulary

Program, to program, algorithm, computer, sequence, instruction, commands, debug, to debug, sprite, 
Forwards, Backwards, Quarter Turn, Left, Right

Lesson sequence:

26th April 2024

Lesson 1:  Exploring Algorithms

Children could mostly all remember what an algorithm was and this was reinforced with instructional games. 
They understood that an algorithm was a set of instructions but a program controlled a digital device. 
The explored different ways they could control a computer using programs. 
Most children  played Bee-Bot games although some chose to take pictures or use the iPad in different ways. 
The children using the Bee-Bot could explain that they were programming the Bee-Bot. 

Lesson 2

Testing Beebot Programs

Children all knew that computers couldn’t think for themselves and they had to follow computer programs. 
we talked again about how to control a Bee-Bot and most of the child understood the quarter turn rather than the sidestep. 
We went through a video about learning left and right to ensure we could program our Bee-Bot effectively. 
Finally we followed the “programs” on the paper so track where our Bee-Bots would go, whilst we looked for errors in the algorithm. Whilst following these routes it’s was noticeable that some of the children couldn’t plot a quarter turn with the Bee-Bots so we will go over this in lesson 3. 
 

Lesson 3

Programming a Beebot to follow a set of instructions

Lesson 4

Introduction to Scratch: Discovery of programming tools

Lesson 5:

Scratch Jr: Control a sprite

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