This resource was designed by The Economist Educational Foundation to support PA’s Raspberry Pi competition 2020. However, it can also be used by schools that are...

This resource consists of a ten page student workbook and some associated resources. The workbook is designed to be used with Key Stage 3 students over a number of lessons, to introduce them to the concept of algorithms, to make them used to following instructions given as an algorithm and to start producing their...

This activity introduces the idea of remote sensing and some of the difficulties of obtaining images from orbit by asking students to match photographs taken from the ground with early astronaut photographs.

Made up of two complementary activities, these resources from the CS4FN team go deeper into theory about search algorithms.

The first activity involves the teacher leading a magic trick using some normal playing cards. In the subsequent explanation of the trick, students are asked to consider the pseudocode...

This longer-duration activity involves prototyping a low-power lighting system. It could be used in an off-timetable workshop or across a series of lessons.

Students are challenged to work through the whole design process, and to place a micro-controller (in this case a BBC micro:bit) at the centre of the...

This is a resource aimed at students aged 11-14. It is one of a series that support the use of the BBC micro:bit in the classroom. The pack contains several lesson plans, presentations and student handouts. The first ‘unplugged’ lesson introduces students to how programmable systems work, the second they are walked...

This activity, suitable for a multi-lesson sequence or a single extended session, challenges students to design and prototype a simple motion-sensing alarm. The device is intended to prevent theft or the accidental picking-up of a bag.

Motion is sensed using the accelerometer built-in to the BBC micro:bit,...

This unplugged activity, from the CS4FN team at Queen Mary University of London, helps learners to understand variable assignment and operations. They use the idea of variables as boxes as the basis of a group activity, developing their use of logical thinking to trace variables through programs.

The...

This unplugged activity from Peter McOwan and Paul Curzon mingles computer science with biology. A group activity is used that mimics the firing of neurons within the brain. These trigger other neurons to fire – these can be compared to AND gates in logic circuits.

The ‘brain in a bag’ kits used in the...

This is one of a series of resources to support the use of the BBC micro:bit. This resource focusses on pupils designing, programming and using a BBC micro:bit to find other micro:bits in a class treasure hunt.

In this activity pupils will make use of the BBC micro:bit to design and create a programmable...

An unplugged activity to convert binary numbers into coordinates that enable students to recreate an image using values given in binary. The resource also includes a spreadsheet which can be used to make more complex images for use with students at a more advanced level. The presentation is more of a discussion of...

The activity allows the students to explore social, ethical, economic and health issues relating to the use of Nintendo Wii compared to doing real sports and present their findings in a persuasive, coherent and focused argument. Students identify arguments for and...

This activity, suitable for a cross-STEM project day or series of lessons, focuses on how information can be provided to travellers on the London Underground. Students are asked to consider user needs – what information would they need to see, and how might their requirements be communicated? A deep understanding...

This presentation is a step by step guide to AppShed.  AppShed is a free online tool, that allows students to create mobile apps for iOS and Android. This PowerPoint scaffolds the production of a film information app, but could easily be adapted for another project. The resource is aimed at students aged between 11...

Using a spreadsheet as a grid of 'pixels', this computing activity teachers how 1's and 0's can store image data. The classroom exercises use images with increasing pixel resolution, looking at how this affects the clarity of the image. Moving from black-and-white images, the students then use grids of colour...