Computing Lesson

Lesson One Plan

By Kerry, Sam, Megan and James

LESSON OVERVIEW

During this lesson the children will be learning the basics behind programming a robot. We will
introduce this to the children by having them programme us, the four teachers, to all get to one
square in the gym. The final aim of this lesson is for the children to have worked thoroughly
with ChickBot to gauge an understanding of how to use them.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM

● Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling
or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
● Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and
correct errors in algorithms and programs

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. To programme a sequence of logical instructions to perform a task.

2. To improve our understanding of the MicroBit and ChickBot

OUTCOMES

● A set of instructions (or an algorithm) to navigate through ChickBot’s Journey

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RESOURCES NEEDED

● Small Map/Maze (4)

● Laptop’s/iPad’s (4/8)
● MicroBit’s (4)
● ChickBot’s (4)
● Masking Tape (1)
● Spare AA Batteries (8)
● Trophy (1)
● Medals (20)

ASSESSMENT

1. We will pre assess with a Plickers Quiz

2. During the lesson we will assess the children by questioning;
a. Why hasn’t this code worked?
b. How will you debug your algorithm?
c.

ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY 1 / STARTER

We will start the session with a plickers quiz, this will work as an AFL task to assess the
children’s prior knowledge and elicit any misconceptions.

ACTIVITY 2

This activity will be where the children lead the four teachers to a designated box in the hall,
this will introduce them to using algorithms and how simple they can be. The teachers will all
start in a different place and their respective groups will lead them to the box, the teachers
ensuring that the children are giving clear instructions by following them to the letter.

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ACTIVITY 3

We will give the children their ChickBot’s Journey Book to work through. This book will
introduce them the MicroBit functions and what they will be doing next lesson. They will work
in pairs to programme their MicroBit’s to perform the specified tasks. The group leaders
(Teachers will be in the groups to help).

EXTENSION

The children who complete the booklet will then write their own instructions on how to get
ChickBot back to the start. This will be unaided and performed through trial and error - this will
enhance the children’s debugging skills.

ACTIVITY 4 / PLENARY

We will ask all of the children to, in pairs, to make their ChickBot do something fun. We will
then perform a gallery walk where the children will present their new algorithm to the class,
explaining what it will do and how they did it. We will ask AFL questions to lead engagement
and encourage computational language.