The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project
Unplugged Coding with Cards
Unplugged Coding with Cards: Card Coding Adventure
A K-2 Grade STEM Lesson
Liana Gillespie
7/23/23
Notes for Teachers
Start by putting a tape grid on the floor. I have used a large board with tape on it to put away and use when needed. I found a cute grid carpet at the local Dollar General store. There is a picture in the slide show.
List of Materials
Standards
Objective(s):
Students will learn the basics of coding concepts such as sequencing, algorithms, and conditional statements, while also reinforcing math skills related to counting and addition.
Agenda
Activity 1: Card Instructions (15 minutes)
Divide the students into small groups of 3-4 and give each group a deck of cards.
Explain that each card will represent a specific action or movement:
Have the groups take turns drawing cards and following the instructions on the cards to move around the classroom.
Activity 2: Create a Human Robot (20 minutes)
Set up a grid on the floor using tape or large grid paper.
Assign each group a starting point on the grid.
Using colored markers or sticky notes, have the groups take turns creating a sequence of instructions for their "human robot" to follow on the grid. For example, they could place a red sticky note for moving forward, a blue sticky note for moving backward, a green sticky note for turning left, and a yellow sticky note for turning right.
Once the sequence is ready, have one student from each group act as the "robot" and follow the instructions while the rest of the group guides them through the sequence.
Agenda (lesson time)
Activity 3: Sequence Challenge (15 minutes)
Explain to the students that coding requires putting instructions in the right order, just like making a recipe.
Hand out index cards or small pieces of paper to each group.
Ask the groups to create a challenge for another group to solve. They should write down a sequence of instructions using the cards and mix them up, making it a jumbled code.
Have the groups exchange their challenges and see if the other group can correctly rearrange the cards to complete the challenge.
Conclusion (5 minutes)
Gather the students together and recap what they have learned about coding and sequencing.
Emphasize the importance of giving clear and organized instructions when coding.
Thank the students for their participation and enthusiasm in learning unplugged coding.
Intro/Driving Question/Opening
How do you think a robot moves?
Hands-on Activity Instructions
Assessment
Observe the students' engagement and participation throughout the activities. Encourage students to explain their thought processes while completing the challenges to assess their understanding of basic coding concepts.
Differentiation
Remember, the key is to keep the activities age-appropriate, engaging, and enjoyable. Use props, colorful cards, and encourage imaginative thinking to enhance the learning experience. Additionally, be prepared to adapt the level of complexity based on the age and abilities of the students.
Remediation
Extension/Enrichment
For older or more advanced students, you can introduce more complex instructions or use a larger grid to create more challenging sequences.
Additionally, you can transition to using actual coding blocks or visual coding tools once the students are familiar with the basic concepts.
Use Code and Go Mouse as a tech extension.
Storytelling Coding:
Add a storytelling element by incorporating characters or animals into the coding activity.
Create a narrative where each card represents an action taken by the character, and the students need to arrange the cards to advance the story.
Debugging Game:
Introduce the concept of debugging (finding and fixing errors in code).
Purposefully add some "bugs" to the card sequences and have students identify and correct the mistakes.