Coding is part of the curriculum which is relatively new and often a part which teachers struggle with. I have created a presentation to show how I taught coding with my Year 3 students this year and I have provided some work samples. Tasks can be adapted or modified for other year levels. I have also provided additional lesson ideas which I have not tried myself.

1. Year 3-4 Coding Lessons
By Joanne
Villis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKIu9yen5nc

2. Australian Curriculum
• Digital Technologies
Define simple problems, and describe
and follow a sequence of steps and
decisions (algorithms) needed to solve
them (ACTDIP010)
Implement simple digital solutions as
visual programs with algorithms
involving branching (decisions) and
user input (ACTDIP011)

3. Glossary
Algorithm : A description of the steps and
decisions required to solve a problem
Branching: Occurs when an algorithm makes
a choice to do one of two or more actions
depending on sets of conditions and the data
provided
Digital solution: The result (or output) of
transforming data into information using
digital systems, skills, techniques and
processes to meet a need or opportunity

4. Lesson 1
An Algorithm is a set of steps and decisions required to
solve a problem. Computers read and store data
(information) in order to solve problems when people
click the mouse or touch the screen. The individual sets
of steps are called codes. Computers use code which
consists of 0 and 1. However, we are going to have a
look at codes which consist of black and white squares,
arranged in a particular order to represent a letter of the
alphabet.
To begin the lesson use grid paper with an object on the
page. I used an Angry Bird and on the second grid a
Bee Bot. Ask students to draw a path and then
represent the path movements using arrows.

5. Student work sample

6. Lesson 2 - 4
For the following activities I divided the
class into groups and rotated groups
through the activities. This enabled me
to work using limited resources.
Explain each activity to the class at the
start of the lesson and provide task
cards at each of the activities. This
helps clarification of tasks for students.

7. Lesson 2 - 4
Task 1: Binary Coder
Download this document created by
code.og (I can’t find the original link) and
print of pages 7-9 for students. Page
10 can be used as an extension. Invite
students to colour the codes (sequence
of squares) in order to represent a letter
of the alphabet. Can students colour
the codes to represent their name?
Students find this task rather easy.

8. Student work sample

9. Lesson 2 - 4
Task 2: Graph Paper Coding
Download this document
(http://learn.code.org/s/1/level/23 ) and watch the
video introduction:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e3fi_ls8CA .
In this activity, students use the grid paper and
arrows to show the sequence of coding (steps)
required in order to draw the images. I modified
this lesson. I asked students to draw their own
path on a blank grid, record the code and then
have a go at recording the code for the paths
provided on the worksheet.

10. Student work sample

11. Lesson 2 - 4
Task 3: Kodable
This task requires access to iPads ad the
free app Kodable. Students open the
app, draw the Kodable path in their book
and record the algorithm (code) for the
Kodable to get to the end destination.
Once students have recorded their path
and code invite them to test their
prediction on the iPad.

12. Student work sample

13. Lesson 2-4
Task 4: Stacking cups
For this activity you will need to watch the
video
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaW3PAz
HxCU) and have a supply of plastic cups.
I asked students to create sculpture using 6
to 8 cups. I then asked them put an additional
stack of cups to the left, pick up one cup and
move it in the correct place to replicate the
sculpture. Then record the moves.

14. Student work sample

15. Lesson 2-4
Task 5: Bee Bots
For this activity you will need access
to Bee Bots. Ask students to write a
Bee Bot code (movement), program
their Bee Bot and watch the
movements.

16. Lesson 5 & 6
Part 1: Nutbush City Limits
At the start of the lesson I showed
students a video of the Nutbush City
Limits Madison dance
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoP9
qrAYZsk ). We learnt the dance as a
class. Then I invited students to think
how might they write a code for the
dance using symbols. How might they
show repetition of a set of instructions?

17. Student work sample

18. Lesson 5 & 6
Part 2: The Maze
This activity
requires students to
have access to a
computer. Students
play The Maze
online
(http://learn.code.or
g/s/1/level/2 ).

19. Lesson 7-11
Scratch is software which enables users
to create animations or games. You can
download the software for free, here is
the link to use Scratch online and here
is the link to download the software.
Alternatively, Scratch Junior may be
more suitable for your class. You can
download the software for free, here is
the link and here is a link to free
teaching ideas.

20. Student work sample

21. Lesson 12-15
For these lessons you will need access
to Bee Bots. Bee Bots are simple robots.
You can program them to move forwards,
backwards, right or left. These are basic
algorithms. Students put the data in
(input) and the Bee Bot provides the out
put (series of programmed moves). They
can be programmed to perform up to 40
moves and the angle they turn is 90
degrees.

22. Lesson 12-15
Give groups of students the following
design brief:
Design a maze for a Bee Bot. Your
Bee Bot must stay within the path and
you need to program it to get from the
start of the maze to the end of the
maze.
This design process took my Year 3
students 2 lessons to complete.

23. Student work samples

24. Lesson 12-15
Then I asked each group to record the
algorithm (series of moves) for their
Bee Bot to move from the start to the
finish. Students then turned their
algorithm over so that other groups
couldn’t see. I then rotated groups so
that they could predict the Bee Bot
movements of other groups’ mazes,
record, test and check their codes.

25. Student work sample

26. Assessment
Throughout the unit I made observational
assessments. At the end of the unit I asked
students to play The Maze again and I gave them
a 20 minute time limit. At the end of the 20
minutes I recoded the level of which they were up
to. I gave level 16-20 a high, level 9-16 a medium
and below level 9 a developing. In terms of A-E
grading, our school uses high, medium and
developing for each reportable outcome and then
the A-E grade for each subject is determined by
how many high, mediums or lows a student
receives for each curriculum area.

27. Additional Ideas
Hopscotch for iPad
This lesson was designed By iPad4Schools (Posted in
Coding, How To, iPad, Specific Apps). You will need to
download Hopscotch which is a free iPad app and view
the instructional video before teaching the lesson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x5BtHlEAlQ

28. Additional Ideas
Ideas by Michael Karlin:
Michael has designed a range of lesson ideas
using Cargo-bot, Daisy the Dinosaur and Move the
Turtle. Here is the link for the PDF download.

29. Additional Ideas
More apps:
Light-bot is available for iPad and
Android. Robozzle is free for iPad and
Android.

30. Additional Ideas
Bee Bot Dancing:
Students create their own Bee Bot dance or they
complete this task in pairs. I recommend that
students choose one sound track and dances are
limited to 30 seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmlokmEtpMg
Something to aspire to: A collaborative dance Bee
Bot algorithm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ75y48UU8E

31. Additional Ideas
Yana and Bo
Yana costs $59 (AUS) and Bo costs $169 (AUS). I
like the fact that they are both programmable with
SCRATCH and Blockly.
Web Link: Bo and Yana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSRekzTPVE0

32. More resources and copyright
RESOURCES:
You can find additional resources on a website that I am working on
called http://technologiesjvillis.weebly.com/ . You can also follow me
on Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/joannevillis/
COPYRIGHT:
I give permission for the following:
Adaptations and sharing of this resources for educational purpose
only. I do not give permission for commercial use of this work. When
sharing or adapting this work I ask that you give credit to the original
creator, Joanne Villis at http://intertecheducation.edublogs.org/ .
Some of the resources were noted and created by http://code.org/
and they expect the same (share, adapt, acknowledge for non
commercial purposes).
ENJOY!
.