New
New
Year 5

Conditions in selection statements

I can explain how selection is used in computer programs.

New
New
Year 5

Conditions in selection statements

I can explain how selection is used in computer programs.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Conditions are events that can only be evaluated as True/False or yes/no.
  2. A condition being met can be used to start an action.
  3. Conditions are used in selection.

Keywords

  • Condition - a statement that can be either True or False

  • Selection - part of a program where, if a condition is met, then a set of commands is run

Common misconception

A condition only needs to be checked once.

Conditions need to be constantly checked to make sure the program reacts when the rule is met.


To help you plan your year 5 computing lesson on: Conditions in selection statements, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Emphasise that conditions are used in programming to control which actions are followed, and highlight that in this lesson, only one outcome will run depending on whether the condition is met.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Pupils will need access to a device with block-based programming software. Examples in this lesson use Scratch https://oak.link/scratch

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What do you call a character or object you can program in Scratch?

Correct Answer: sprite

Q2.
Match the block to its function:

Correct Answer:move,changes position

changes position

Correct Answer:repeat,runs code a set number of times

runs code a set number of times

Correct Answer:forever,endless repetition

endless repetition

Correct Answer:if on edge, bounce,reverses direction at the stage edge

reverses direction at the stage edge

Q3.
Which block creates a loop that never ends?

repeat
Correct answer: forever
move
if on edge, bounce

Q4.
Which of these is not a type of loop in Scratch?

forever
repeat
Correct answer: if on edge, bounce
repeat until

Q5.
Put these steps in order to make a sprite move and bounce off the edge:

1 - go to starting position
2 - forever loop
3 - move steps
4 - if on edge, bounce

Q6.
Match the key words and definitions.

Correct Answer:algorithm,a precise sequence of steps that can be followed to do a task

a precise sequence of steps that can be followed to do a task

Correct Answer:repetition,a program where one or more commands are run multiple times in a loop

a program where one or more commands are run multiple times in a loop

Correct Answer:debug,finding and fixing errors in a program

finding and fixing errors in a program

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a condition in a computer program?

a list of instructions
a type of sprite
a sound effect
Correct answer: a statement that can be True or False

Q2.
Why are conditions important in selection?

They make the sprite move faster.
Correct answer: They decide which actions to run.
They change the background.
They create new blocks.

Q3.
What does selection allow a program to do?

Correct answer: choose actions based on a condition
repeat actions forever
change the sprite’s colour
play a sound

Q4.
Arrange the steps to use selection in a Scratch program:

1 - decide what condition to check
2 - place an "if" block in the code
3 - add actions inside the "if" block
4 - run the program

Q5.
What would happen if a program only checked a condition once?

It would always respond correctly.
Correct answer: It might miss changes that happen later.
The program would run faster.
The sprite would stop moving.

Q6.
Match the keyword to its meaning:

Correct Answer:condition,a statement that can be yes or no

a statement that can be yes or no

Correct Answer:selection,part of a program that chooses actions

part of a program that chooses actions

Correct Answer:True,the condition has been met

the condition has been met

Correct Answer:False,the condition has not been met

the condition has not been met