Topic 1 - What is an algorithm?
Lesson Plan
Activator Slide - Common algorithms (5mins)
● What things do the algorithms have in common?
● What things are different?
Introduction video - What is an algorithm? (7mins)
Watch the video with the class and then ask questions, such as:
● What is an algorithm?
● What algorithms do we use?
● What algorithms do computers use?
● What are the pros/cons of algorithms?
Starter - Draw the picture
Get one pupil to come up to the front of the class and look at a picture (needs to be simple) then then
have to give instructions to the rest of the class to copy the image without seeing it. Give them 5
minutes and then compare the images
● How close were the images to each other?
● What problems were there with the instructions?
● What could the pupil have done better?
Activity 1 - Make a cup of tea algorithm (20 mins)
Split into pairs / groups. Get them to write instructions for making a cup of tea.
Show pupils the angry mum slide - what went wrong? Discuss.
Activity 2 - act out making the cup of tea using each group's instructions. Try to find as many funny ways in
which to misinterpret vague/ambiguous instructions.
Get the groups to improve their algorithms based on feedback.
Activity 2 - Learning log (15mins)
Pupils should fill in topic one of their learning logs.