This is a teaching resource to help you guide pupils on how to approach the 2019 pre-release for the CIE IGCSE Computer Science. It accompanies the YouTube video: https://youtu.be/k2xnNwpFzRo so you may want to watch my explanation on there, and then use and adapt this powerpoint in your own lessons. The focus here is on pseudocode, following the CIE style as far as possible including some comparisons with how the solution could be coded in Python 3. I have also added my version the tasks in Python 3. Please bear in mind this is only one way to attempt the tasks and there are many ways of going about each task. I have commented throughout the code, but it should be easy to follow as it relates directly to the powerpoint and video, with most variables, arrays etc names in the same way. (It has been pointed out to me by a colleague that my pseudocode for Task 3 doesn’t include any validation, so it would be good to discuss this with your classes and get them to decide what validation is appropriate.)

A colour diagram activity sheet and separate worksheet to facilitate teaching of the function of the CPU and main memory using the Von Neumann architecture. These resources are designed to teach 1.1 Systems architecture from the OCR GCSE (9-1) specification (or equivalent sections for other exam boards). The aim is to make a more 'hands-on' way of delivering a topic that can be quite abstract and hard for pupils to visualise. The activity sheet should ideally be laminated and then pupils can use whiteboard pens to add simple commands (in assembly language, or a simplified version) into the memory address spaces. You can then 'run' the program by transferring values into the correct registers, and then developing pupil understanding of the Fetch (Decode) Execute cycle. The accompanying worksheet includes a smaller version of the same diagram and spaces for pupils to complete a description of the function/purpose of each of the key components and registers (including PC, MAR, MDR, ACC, and Control Unit, ALU and cache). This could be used in various ways differentiated to the needs of your class - simply dictating definitions to pupils, asking them to complete it at the end of a lesson to consolidate learning, or as a homework to check pupil understanding. Editable Publisher files and PDFs are both included, along with Teacher notes including an example 'assembly language' program to run.

A lesson with resources for Small Basic programming, introducing the concepts of For loops and variables. This worksheet introduces simple programming concepts in a fun and visual way by using the 'Turtle' to draw shapes. I have used these lessons with Year 5, 7 and 8, and they were very popular with pupils as well as colleagues who used them in their own lessons. I think the key to success is encouraging pupils to be creative and experiment with the commands they learn in these lessons. Before you know it they will be making all sorts of shapes and discoveries of what else can be done. This could follow on from use of 'Bee-Bots' or other similar tools pupils will be familiar with from KS1, or could be used independently to get pupils interested in the use of a text-based programming language. Small Basic is a good choice of programming language for KS2 or KS3 as there are very few commands to learn, yet quite advanced programmes can be designed. Further lessons will be available that follow the style of this lesson but introduce more programming concepts including subroutines (like 'teaching' the language a new command, e.g. to make it draw a square whenever you type 'square'), and even how to interact with the mouse (e.g. draw a square wherever the mouse is clicked). I have included a PDF and Word version as you may wish to edit parts of it, and a zip file containing an example solutions to the challenges.

A lesson with resources for Small Basic programming, introducing the concepts of Subroutines (procedures). This worksheet introduces simple programming concepts in a fun and visual way by using the 'Turtle' to draw shapes. I have used these lessons with Year 5, 7 and 8, and they were very popular with pupils as well as colleagues who used them in their own lessons. I think the key to success is encouraging pupils to be creative and experiment with the commands they learn in these lessons. Before you know it they will be making all sorts of shapes and discoveries of what else can be done. This could follow on from use of 'Bee-Bots' or other similar tools pupils will be familiar with from KS1, or could be used independently to get pupils interested in the use of a text-based programming language. Small Basic is a good choice of programming language for KS2 or KS3 as there are very few commands to learn, yet quite advanced programmes can be designed. Further lessons are available that follow the style of this lesson but introduce more programming concepts including For loops, variables, and even how to interact with the mouse (e.g. draw a square wherever the mouse is clicked). I have included a PDF and Word version as you may wish to edit parts of it, and a zip file containing an example solutions to the challenges. NOTE: the final challenge uses a Small Basic game that is freely available from http://smallbasic.com/program/?QRQ360 or can be imported from within Small Basic just using the code QRQ360 . You may need to download this before the lesson to make it accessible to pupils on your shared drive. I did not make this game and take no responsibility for it. By publishing it online the author is happy for it to be used and adapted as in this lesson.

A lesson with resources for Small Basic programming, introducing the way shapes can be drawn on the screen and animated. I have used these lessons with 7 and 8, and they were very popular with pupils as well as colleagues who used them in their own lessons. I think the key to success is encouraging pupils to be creative and experiment with the commands they learn in these lessons. Before you know it they will be making all sorts of shapes and discoveries of what else can be done. This could follow on from use of 'Bee-Bots' or other similar tools pupils will be familiar with from KS1, or could be used independently to get pupils interested in the use of a text-based programming language. Small Basic is a good choice of programming language for KS2 or KS3 as there are very few commands to learn, yet quite advanced programmes can be designed. Further lessons are available that follow the style of this lesson but introduce more programming concepts including For loops, variables, and even how to interact with the mouse (e.g. draw a square wherever the mouse is clicked). I have included a PDF and Word version as you may wish to edit parts of it, and a zip file containing an example solutions to the challenges.

A free introductory lesson (part of a series) on Small Basic programming. This worksheet introduces simple programming concepts in a fun and visual way by using the 'Turtle' to draw shapes. I used these lessons with Year 7 and 8, and they were very popular with pupils as well as colleagues who used them in their own lessons. Now that primary pupils are being introduced to computing principles much earlier on, I think these lessons would also be suitable for KS2 pupils. I think the key to success is encouraging pupils to be creative and experiment with the commands they learn in these lessons. Before you know it they will be making all sorts of shapes and discoveries of what else can be done. This could follow on from use of 'Bee-Bots' or other similar tools pupils will be familiar with from KS1, or could be used independently to get pupils interested in the use of a text-based programming language. Small Basic is a good choice of programming language for KS2 or KS3 as there are very few commands to learn, yet quite advanced programmes can be designed. Further lessons will be available for a small cost that follow the style of this lesson but introduce programming concepts including loops to repeat commands , subroutines (like 'teaching' the language a new command, e.g. to make it draw a square whenever you type 'square'), and even how to interact with the mouse (e.g. draw a square wherever the mouse is clicked). I have included a PDF and Word version as you may need to edit the first paragraph about how to open Small Basic (depending where it is located on your school computers), and a zip file containing an example of a solution to an extension 'challenge task'.