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.
Standards
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 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
- CS Fundamentals Main Activity Tips - Lesson Recommendations
For the students
- Feeling Faces Emotion Image - Resource
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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