< Course B (2021)

Lesson 8: Loops with Laurel

45 minutes

Overview

In this skill-building lesson, students continue learning the concept of loops. Here, Laurel the Adventurer uses loops to collect treasure in open cave spaces.

Purpose

This lesson gives students more practice with loops and encourages them to put multiple blocks inside of a repeat as they try to collect as much treasure as possible.

CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
    • 1A-AP-09 - Model the way programs store and manipulate data by using numbers or other symbols to represent information.
    • 1A-AP-10 - Develop programs with sequences and simple loops, to express ideas or address a problem.
    • 1A-AP-11 - Decompose (break down) the steps needed to solve a problem into a precise sequence of instructions.
    • 1A-AP-14 - Debug (identify and fix) errors in an algorithm or program that includes sequences and simple loops.

Agenda

Objectives

Students will be able to:
  • Break down a long sequence of instructions into the smallest repeatable sequence possible.
  • Identify the benefits of using a loop structure instead of manual repetition.

Preparation

  • Play through the puzzles to find any potential problem areas for your class.
  • (Optional) Pick a couple of puzzles to do as a group with your class.
  • Review *CS Fundamentals Main Activity Tips - Lesson Recommendations
  • Make sure each student has a reflection journal.

Links

Heads Up! Please make a copy of any documents you plan to share with students.

For the teachers
For the students

Vocabulary

  • Loop - The action of doing something over and over again.
  • Repeat - To do something again.

Teaching Guide

Warm Up (10 minutes)

Introduction

Quickly review the definition of a loop, the action of doing something over and over again.

  • What are loops?
  • Why do we use them?

Online Foundation: Preview Loops in Collector

To introduce Laurel the Collector, preview an online puzzle (or two) as a class.

Model: Reveal an entire online puzzle from the progression to come. We recommend Puzzle 8. Do students see any similarities to the last set of exercises that they did? What are the big differences? When should the get treasure block be used?

Work with your class to drag code into the workspace in such a way that Laurel (eventually) collects all of the treasure.

Transition: Students should now be ready to transition to computers to complete online puzzles on their own.

Main Activity (30 minutes)

Teacher Demonstration

We've included a multiple choice prediction level that could be difficult for non-readers. These levels are optional for you to review with your class to help prepare for the puzzles to come. Alternatively, these could be used after finishing the stage as a review for the class.

Prediction Level:

As students work through the puzzles, see if they can figure out how many blocks they use with a loop vs. without a loop.

Wrap Up (5 minutes)

Reflection

Prompts:

  • What was today’s lesson about?
  • Draw a face that shows how you felt about today's lesson in the corner of your journal page.
  • Draw a line of treasure that Laurel could collect.
  • Draw something that uses loops.

Cross-Curricular Opportunity

Treasure Tracker (45-60 minutes)

Computer Science + English Language Arts + Math

Treasure Tracker is an optional activity aligned to Common Core ELA and Math standards, written by our teacher community. Students will help Laurel track her treasure as she counts and categorizes her loot!

Standards Addressed:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.5.A: Sort words into categories (e.g., colors, clothing) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.

  • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.A.1: Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

  • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.A.2: Solve word problems that call for addition of three whole numbers whose sum is less than or equal to 20, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

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