• Italian Language version

Computer programs are sequences of instructions that the computer must follow. There are hundreds of computer languages, but all involve giving clear and unambiguous instructions to a devices that doesn't understand meanings.

This activity demonstrates some of the issues that arise when we try to give precise instructions to achieve a desired outcome.

Other Resources

• Wikipedia: Programming
• Alice v2.0. The focus of the Alice project is now to provide the best possible first exposure to programming for students ranging from middle schoolers to college students. Drag and drop IDE.
• Hiccup: an IDE for kids.
• Algorithms and Ice Cream for All
• Binary Numbers
• Count the Dots-Binary
• Binary Information: Bits and Bytes. Error Detection and Correction.
• A Usual Day at an Unusual School: a Boolean puzzle
• Boolean Logic
• Logo: the classic educational programming environment
• Robocode: IDE activities, code, and forum.
• Jeroo: IDE activities and teacher notes.
• Karel J. Robot: A Gentle Introduction to the Art of Object-Oriented Programming using Java. Simulator, Java classes, and sample textbook chapters.
• Squeak. IDE and activities for kids.

Curriculum Links

This activity links visual and verbal skills, encouraging students to describe in words the mechanical process of creating an image.

New Zealand Curriculum Achievement Objectives

• Mathematics Level 1: Position and orientation
  • Give and follow instructions for movement that involve distances, directions, and half or quarter turns.
Mathematics Level 1: Shape
• Identify and describe the plane shapes found in objects.
• Mathematics Level 3: Probability
  • Investigate simple situations that involve elements of chance by comparing experimental results with expectations from models of all the outcomes, acknowledging that samples vary.
• Technology Level 2: Planning for practice
  • Develop a plan that identifies the key stages and the resources required to complete an outcome.
• Technology Level 3: Technological systems
  • Understand that technological systems are represented by symbolic language tools and understand the role played by the “black box” in technological systems.
• English Level 1: Speaking, writing and presenting
  • Recognise how to shape texts for a purpose and an audience.

ACM K12 Model Curriculum

• Level I (Grades 6-8) Topic 9: Demonstrate an understanding of concepts underlying hardware, software, algorithms, and their practical applications..

Great Principles of Computer Science

• Automation