Using LDRs and sparkles, the student learns how to code a nightlight coming on only once it gets dark. Digital switches can also be incorporated into this.

This short unplugged activity, away from computers, introduces pattern recognition using familiar objects. Children are asked to analyse groups of objects (cats, cars and so on) to identify features common to all of them. Exceptions to the 'rules' are discussed, and parallels with writing computer programs are...

Robots are really useful in space as they can do lots of different jobs, some of which are too difficult or dangerous for humans. This activity looks at the different uses of robots in space exploration, with children...

Ideal for a Halloween-themed coding lesson! Using sparkles to mirror a candle in a pumpkin – can you make it flicker or only come on once it’s dark?

Ideal for a Halloween-themed coding lesson! Using sparkles to imitate eyes in a portrait – but can be made harder using LDRs or making the lights fade in and out.

An ASE SYCD: Science Year Primary resource which provides almost everything you need to help you run an exciting and successful science fair in your school. Themes include Living It Up, Magic Materials, Fabulous Forces, Superb Sound, Lovely Light and Excellent Electricity. Lots of advice on how to plan and organise...

A ten-lesson sequence progressing from the basics of Scratch through to creating simple games. It includes:

• drawing shapes and using repeats
• accepting keyboard input to control the movement of sprites
• planning algorithms using flow diagrams and executing them in Scratch
• ...

This Barefoot Computing resource builds on the ‘Maths quiz with selection’ learning activities which should be undertaken first.

It involves improving an existing Scratch maths quiz and adding score-keeping using...

This interactive online self-driving challenge from Siemens can supplement robotics education in computing. It enables pupils to programme a car to drive around a circuit without a driver, the circuits getting more complex as the challenge progresses.

Self-...

In this activity, children work in pairs to learn and set each other challenges using the Rapid Router software.

The challenges include the use of Loop, If and Repeat Until commands, asking children to consider how they can automate a process and create efficient code. The activities focus on driving a...

In this, the final activity of a sequence of eight, children are asked to use their knowledge to create a challenge using Rapid Router, solvable using Python. It will ask their partner to use procedures, increment variables and apply different methods of control flow.

The resource includes an overview of...

Lesson 8 in a series of lessons using Rapid Router, the game-like environment for learning programming. This session takes loops and repetition further, and includes reusing statements and nested loops.

The resource includes wall displays, worksheets, model answers and assessment sheets.

The 5th lesson in the Rapid Router series adds complexity to algorithms, raising the level of challenge and building on familiar contexts from earlier activities.

Also included are wall displays, teacher and peer assessment sheets, worksheets and model solutions.

This extension activity features in the upper-primary Blockly course, by the Rapid Router team at Code for Life. It explores the limits of generalised solutions, introducing children to the idea of algorithm testing and debugging. Children are asked to apply logical thinking to different problems, and analyse what...

This activity makes the leap from Blockly to Python programming. The 'grocery van driving challenge' is reduced from previous lessons to allow students to concentrate on syntax and correct coding using a limited set of instructions. Matching of Blockly and Python code is encouraged to assist the transition.