This course provides a sequence of inspiring activities that can be used to help children develop the skills needed to find computational solutions to messy real world problems. As they work through creating computer programs for human like behaviour such as smiling, blinking or telling a story they are able to adopt and develop core competencies associated with computer programming including the understanding and use of logical reasoning, the adoption of an iterative approach and the need for perseverance. They are also introduced to core programming concepts including sequencing instructions, repetition, conditionals and variables.
 
The course consists of 4 sequences of 6 lessons that may be used flexibly for example taught as a single block or split up and taught over a term a year over four years. Each lesson takes around an hour and is devised to be delivered by a teacher working with a class of children. 

Minimum resources needed

• One Ohbot
• A site licence for the Ohbot graphical programming software 
• Windows 7, 8 or 10 computers with the Ohbot graphical programming application installed 
• Headphones or speakers for the computers​
  
  

Note the software features a simulation of Ohbot that children can use to allow a larger number of children to program and debug their programs at the same time.

Stage 1 (Year 3)

Lesson 1 Shaky Sequences
I can program a robot to carry out a sequence of movements
lesson plan | display slides

​​Lesson 2 Key Moves
I can program a robot to move when keys are pressed
lesson plan | display slides

Lesson 3 Over and over again
I can refine a program by using a repeat instruction
lesson plan | display slides

Lesson 4 Robot Multitasking
I can program a robot to carry out two sequences of movements at once
lesson plan | display slides

Lesson 5 Hello Human
I can program a robot to speak
lesson plan | display slides

Lesson 6 Debugging (optional)
I can test and debug a program
lesson plan | display slides