Lesson Plan
Code.org

The Need for Algorithms

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pairs work through two scenarios that require them to generate an algorithm. The first activity requires pairs to define a common language to use; the second comes with the language. The pairs then must determine how to code the...
Activity
Beauty and Joy of Computing

Algorithms

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Introduces the class to the idea of searching a list by building a script. Learners modify a guessing game script that will find a number in a list. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solving a Simple Maze

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
It is a-maze-ing how lost one can get. Teams reconstruct a simple maze and solve it. Participants create an algorithm that a robot would follow in order to solve the maze as well. The activity includes an extension directing pupils to...
Lesson Plan
Code.org

Algorithms Detour - Minimum Spanning Tree

For Teachers 9th - 12th
This optional lesson introduces the class to the idea of a minimum spanning tree. The activity focuses on determining an algorithm that will find the most efficient path in a network to transfer data. 
Lesson Plan
TryEngineering

Sorting Socks is Algorithm Complexity

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Use hosiery to teach computer science. Scholars use socks to develop a set of algorithms. They find ways to find a particular sock from a set and ways to sort socks. Finally, they use their algorithms to consider time complexity.
Lesson Plan
Code.org

Creativity in Algorithms

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Groups work with the program they built in the previous lesson to make it more creative. The resource challenges pupils to add functionality to their existing programs by adding a new command.
Activity
Computer Science Unplugged

Battleships—Searching Algorithms

For Teachers 4th - 12th
How does a computer perform a search in order to find data? The lesson begins with a demonstration on finding one number out of 15. Pairs then play three games of Battleship by using different search techniques. The lesson...
Activity
Computer Science Unplugged

Drawing Lines with Pixels

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
How do the computers keep it straight? Using the provided algorithms, class members draw a line and a circle using pixels. They then check the drawings using a straight edge and compass to determine the accuracy of their...
Activity
Computer Science Unplugged

Lightest and Heaviest—Sorting Algorithms

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
How do computers sort data lists? Using eight unknown weights and a balance scale, groups determine the order of the weights from lightest to heaviest. A second worksheet provides the groups with other methods to order the weights. The...
Lesson Plan
Teaching Tolerance

Understanding Online Searches

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Discover what's behind an online search. Scholars read a handout and engage in discussions to learn how to critically evaluate online search results. Then, working in small groups, they create posters listing their demands for search...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Integers: Addition and Subtraction

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Young mathematicians construct their own understanding of integers with an inquiry-based math activity. Using colored chips to represent positive and negative numbers, children model a series of addition and subtraction problems as...
Lesson Plan
TryEngineering

Solving a Simple Maze

For Students 5th - 10th
Solve a maze ... from a robot's point of view. In the lesson, your scholars build a small, simple maze from cardboard and then find a route from the start point to the finish point. They write an algorithmic process that a robot could...
Lesson Plan
Code.org

The Need for Programming Languages

For Teachers 9th - 12th
LEGO see if you can recreate my design. Individuals build an arrangement from LEGO blocks and write directions for someone else to follow in order to recreate the arrangement. Pairs then swap directions and try to...
Lesson Plan
TryEngineering

Search Engines

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Introduce search engines with an activity that models how search engines work and the different algorithms they employ. Working in groups, class members then build search queries to demonstrate the knowledge learned.
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Describing the Center of a Distribution Using the Mean

For Teachers 6th Standards
Everyone does their fair share. The sixth segment in a 22-part unit presents the mean as a fair share. Groups build a conceptual understanding of the mean of a data set, rather than simply learn an algorithm. Learners use the...
Interactive
PHET

Area Model Decimals

For Students 5th Standards
Area works with decimals too. Pupils use the interactive to model multiplication of two decimals using an area model. They see how the decomposed components of the factors obtain partial products and then the complete product. Using area...
Activity
Computer Science Unplugged

Tourist Town—Dominating Sets

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
As an introduction to using a network to determine the fewest number of nodes that meet a given condition, small groups work together to determine the fewest number of ice cream vans, and their locations, to be able to serve the people...
Lesson Plan
Code.org

Text Compression

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The second lesson in a unit of 15 introduces pupils to text compression. The class begins with discussing how they already use text compression when sending text messages. Pairs learn more about the subject as they work to compress a...
Lesson Plan
Code.org

Using Simple Commands

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Turtles might be slow, but class will zoom by when your pupils build a program in which reptiles draw a grid. Using App Lab and JavaScript, class members build a program to find the most efficient way to draw an image of a...
Activity
Beauty and Joy of Computing

Search Engines

For Students 9th - 12th
Which search engine is best? The last lab in a unit of five leads the class to investigate search engines. Working in groups, individuals read and discuss articles related to searching the Internet. Pupils develop suggestions that...
Activity
Computer Science Unplugged

The Poor Cartographer—Graph Coloring

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Color the town red. Demonstrate the concept of graph theory with a task that involves determining the least number of colors needed to color a map so that neighboring countries are not represented by the same color. Pupils...
Lesson Plan
Code.org

Sending Binary Messages with the Internet Simulator

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Show your class how to develop a protocol to solve a problem. Pupils then continue with working with binary messages but refine a protocol to assist with the distinction of individual bits by including a bit rate. Finally, the pairs...
Lesson Plan
Code.org

Encoding and Sending Formatted Text

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Introduce your class to encoding text. Pairs work together to create a protocol to send text prior to learning ASCII encoding. Groups then collaborate to send and translate ASCII codes creating a formatted text message. 
Lesson Plan
Code.org

Creating Functions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Quit repeating yourself ... you can make this simpler! Rather than repeating the same set of code over and over, class members learn to build and call functions in a series of challenges in App Lab. In the end, they combine...

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