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