Designing an animated program
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can design an algorithm and follow it to create a program.
Key learning points
- Planning a programming project involves making a design to record ideas.
- When creating a design for a program, algorithms are written to describe the steps the program will need to carry out.
- Programs that people use are created from the algorithms that are designed.
- The speed of a sprite controls how quickly it moves across the screen.
Keywords
Design - a plan for what you want your program to do
Appropriate - a choice that fits the design
Algorithm - a precise set of ordered steps which can be followed by a human or a computer to do a task
Speed - how fast or slow a sprite moves
Common misconception
Planning on paper is a waste of time and will slow a project down because extra work needs to be completed.
Planning on paper will make a project better because ideas can be made clear and possible problems later can be avoided.
Teacher tip
Use real-life examples of how a project in school might have been planned before being completed (gym equipment in the playground or a new pathway, for example). Get pupils to identify the issues that may have been caused if these projects had been completed without any prior planning.
Equipment
Pupils will need access to a device with block-based programming software. Examples in this lesson use ScratchJr https://oak.link/scratch-jr
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What can you do with grow and shrink blocks?
Q2.What happens when you delete a sprite?
Q3.Where do you go to add a new sprite?
Q4.What do you call a set of clear instructions that can be followed by a human?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Why is it important to have a design before starting your programming project?
Q2.What happens when you change the speed of a sprite?
Q3.In ScratchJr, where do you create your program?
Q4.How does a design help you when you create a program?
To help you plan your 1 computing lesson on: Designing an animated program, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 1 computing lesson on: Designing an animated program, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 1 computing lessons from the Creating animations in programs unit, dive into the full primary computing curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.