Unplugged: What is Computational Thinking?

Students will:

• Be able to define computer programming.
• Be able to act as a computer programmer and give coding input.
• Be able to act like a computer and create coding output.  

Vocabulary Words:

1. Programming: Computer programming is the process of developing a set of instructions and inputting those instructions into a coding language so that a computer can accomplish a certain task.

2. Computer programmer:  A Computer Programmer is someone who can write the code necessary for a computer to accomplish a task.

To prepare for this lesson:

• This is an activity to teach computer programming by experiencing what it’s like to be a programmer and what it’s like to be a computer.

• Unplugged activities are a good way to start so students can apply the knowledge of what they are learning when they go into the computer lab and begin coding. 

• Set-up the classroom so that students will be able to sit back-to-back.

• Print out some simple line drawings like those found here. 

See Accommodations Page and Charts on the 21things4students.net site in the Teacher Resources. 

Directions for this activity:

1. The teacher says “Today, we are going to learn about computer programming by experiencing what it’s like to be a programmer and what it’s like to be a computer.”

2. The teacher pairs the students in groups of two.

3. The teacher has the students identify as Partner A and Partner B.

4. The teacher explains that both students will have the opportunity to play the role of the computer programmer and the role of the computer.

5. The teacher has the students sit back-to-back.

6. The teacher gives each Partner A a simple line drawing like those found at the communication drawing twins website.

7. Have Partner A “Code” Partner B to draw the given drawing by using their voice alone.

8. Then, have the Partners switch roles by having Partner B give the instructions and Partner A creates the drawing.  Be sure to give a different drawing to Partner B.

9. Have a whole-class discussion to debrief the success and struggles of completing the activity.  

10. The teacher discusses with students how this is similar to the instructions that we give computers through coding. We have to tell it what to do, where to do it, how large to do it, and how many times. This is the purpose of computer programming. Furthermore, we must use a language that the computer understands.

Different options for assessing the students:

• Observations
• Check for understanding
• Check out the drawings that the students have created and the students discuss what they heard from their partner as they created the drawing.