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Programmer's Paradise

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(based on 22 reviews)

Computer Science resources for KS3-4, with a focus on programming. Programming resources include Scratch, Microbit, Small Basic and Visual Basic for now, with other languages potentially in the future, such as C#. I have worked with the AQA specification throughout my teaching career and so these resources will be suitable for anyone teaching the new AQA spec. Please review any resources, suggestions are welcome for improvements etc.

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Computer Science resources for KS3-4, with a focus on programming. Programming resources include Scratch, Microbit, Small Basic and Visual Basic for now, with other languages potentially in the future, such as C#. I have worked with the AQA specification throughout my teaching career and so these resources will be suitable for anyone teaching the new AQA spec. Please review any resources, suggestions are welcome for improvements etc.
KS3 Operating Systems (OS) lesson plan  and powerpoint - 60 minute lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

KS3 Operating Systems (OS) lesson plan and powerpoint - 60 minute lesson

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A 60 minute lesson delivered for Year 8 in an observed lesson. All tasks are on the lesson plan/powerpoint notes, there are more than enough so I have not delivered this lesson using every task. Worth running through the memory game slide to see how the animation works before using it. This is the sixth lesson in the 'How a Computer Works' topic.
AQA GCSE Exam Style VB.NET Question and Powerpoint 1
MrHawes8MrHawes8

AQA GCSE Exam Style VB.NET Question and Powerpoint 1

(0)
This is the first in a series of eight VB.NET programming lessons/revision (based on AQA specification) that have helped my GCSE classes improve their long answer programming question technique. The lessons built up towards working with 2D arrays and functions in time for the exams. Included is the exam-style question, mark scheme and the powerpoint used to help deliver a lesson building up towards answering the longer code question. The powerpoint includes information about the specific code features as well as some warm up code questions. Some of the powerpoints include theory as well, for example arrays or string handling if necessary to answer the longer code question.
Exam style pseudocode questions (AQA)
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Exam style pseudocode questions (AQA)

(0)
These questions are used to help students practice longer pseudocode questions that they will encounter in GCSE exams. The pseudocode style is based on AQA, and each question comes with a mark scheme showing where marks are scored. Again, this is based around AQA’s mark schemes (i.e. awarding marks for including selection, for example). This set contains 8 pseudocode questions and mark schemes for each. In separate uploads I have the powerpoint used in lessons to help deliver specific lessons which build up towards answering the longer pseudocode questions in this set. The order I used them (with the intent of increasing difficulty as we went along): 1 - Phone Bill Calculator 2 - Note Changer 3 - Swimming Pool 4 - Guessing Game 5 - Substring 6 - Sports Day 7 - Linear Search Array 8 - Inverting Image (2D array)
Exam Style VB.NET Questions (AQA GCSE)
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Exam Style VB.NET Questions (AQA GCSE)

(0)
These questions are used to help students practice longer coding questions that they will encounter in GCSE exams. Where pseudocode is used, the style is based on AQA, and each question comes with a mark scheme showing where marks are scored. This set contains 8 pseudocode questions and mark schemes for each. In separate uploads I have the powerpoint used in lessons to help deliver specific lessons which build up towards answering the longer pseudocode questions in this set. The order I used them (with the intent of increasing difficulty as we went along): 1 - Phone Bill Calculator 2 - Note Changer 3 - Swimming Pool 4 - Guessing Game 5 - Substring and Functions 6 - Sports Day Function 7 - Linear Search Array 8 - Inverting Image (2D array)
Storage Lesson 2 KS3
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Storage Lesson 2 KS3

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This lesson is the ninth in the 'How a Computer Works' topic. It includes a PowerPoint presentation for the teacher to talk through each type of storage, which can build on the main task in the previous lesson. Towards the end the students can create a table to fill in information about each type of storage. There is also a template for this included for weaker students.
KS2 / KS3 Scratch chatbot lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

KS2 / KS3 Scratch chatbot lesson

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This resource is for students who have already completed an introductory unit of Scratch, or are older students who might be more familiar with programming. They will create a program on Scratch using sequencing and selection.
KS2/KS3 Scratch Flowcharts / algorithms lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

KS2/KS3 Scratch Flowcharts / algorithms lesson

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This Powerpoint is designed for students who have completed a unit of Scratch before, and this would be the start of the second unit. The lesson introduces flowcharts and the students create a flowchart based on an algorithm given to them. This can be done on the computers, either using office or online. This could also be completed on paper if preferred.
KS2 / KS3 Scratch Scrolling Maze Tutorial
MrHawes8MrHawes8

KS2 / KS3 Scratch Scrolling Maze Tutorial

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This resource is for students who have completed an introductory unit of Scratch or who are older and more experienced in programming. The lesson is based around creating a scrolling maze, which is more advanced than a normal maze game, and introduces variables. It includes a tutorial, Powerpoint to introduce variables, the full game code and starter code for the students to begin programming with.
KS2 Introduction to Scratch and algorithms
MrHawes8MrHawes8

KS2 Introduction to Scratch and algorithms

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Included in this resource is a PowerPoint presentation on Scratch, with an accompanying worksheet (can be used on the computers or printed). The lesson focuses on using Scratch and ends with introducing algorithms which is a key word that can be used going forward.
Microbit DIRT Reflection lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Microbit DIRT Reflection lesson

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Included is a DIRT lesson following a microbit unit of work. Includes a fake Kahoot leaderboard to display top scores, and questions used to reinforce knowledge of the topic.
GCSE Brute Force Malware Programming Lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

GCSE Brute Force Malware Programming Lesson

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A programming lesson designed to help the students improve their programming skills, as well as learning about brute force attacks. The lesson begins with a research task and ends with a step-by-step activity to create a program that will guess a password that the user has entered. Included is the PowerPoint presentation, programming instructions for students, and the final code in a text file for the teacher.
GCSE Bitmap Image File Size Calculator Programming Lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

GCSE Bitmap Image File Size Calculator Programming Lesson

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This lesson is based around programming skills and knowledge, as the students work through the worksheet (on the computers is best a they can copy and paste code snippets into the other document). Once they have answered the questions on the worksheet they should also have the Bitmap Calculator Code document containing the code snippets required to create the program. Then they can go onto Visual Basic to write the program, and test it to see if it is working correctly. There are also a couple of extension tasks at the bottom of the worksheet. I have also included the final code that I used to demonstrate the program working at the start of the lesson, and the PowerPoint which I used to outline the task and give them instructions on how to complete the tasks.
Storage KS3 Lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Storage KS3 Lesson

(0)
This resource contains a PowerPoint presentation to introduce different types of storage, another containing questions for the main activity (each will need to be printed for each team), and information sheets for the students to research the answers to the questions. It is best to keep these on the computer, rather than print them for each student. For the main activity, students team up in 3s, and take the first question from the teacher. They use the information sheets to find out the answer, write it down and then bring it up to check with the teacher. If correct, they hand back the first question and take the second. If incorrect, they go back to find the correct answer. The winning team is the first to answer all 10 questions. Questions and answers are also included in a text file for easy access for the teacher. This is the eighth lesson in the topic 'How a Computer Works'.
Hardware Components Lesson KS3
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Hardware Components Lesson KS3

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This PowerPoint can be used to show students the components that go inside a computer. I used a laptop disassembly to go along with this, but have left in slides including images of the different components so it can be used without. Following this the students go online to look at important features of each component, and how they work to make the computer as a whole work. This is the second lesson in the 'How a Computer Works' topic.
Microbit Click Wars Lesson - flowchart included
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Microbit Click Wars Lesson - flowchart included

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This lesson includes the PowerPoint needed to have the students create a game called Click Wars, and the flowchart card sort activity alongside it. Also included is the instruction sheet for the students to work from, and a Word document containing the coded solutions.
Small Basic Variables Lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Small Basic Variables Lesson

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Included is a presentation on variables using Small Basic. Includes some theory and programming tasks, including all of the code required, instruction sheets and code snippets useful for helping students who might otherwise struggle with programming. I have used this with multiple mixed ability Year 8 classes, who have all managed some success with programming. Also included at the end of the presentation is a link to a Kahoot quiz written specifically for this lesson.
Microbit Board Game Project
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Microbit Board Game Project

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This resource was used for Year 7 Computing following a unit involving learning about variables, selection, iteration and random number generation using the Microbit. They loved playing the game, especially as they helped to create it! The idea is to have them use the Microbit as part of the board game. They will program in a dice function for shaking the Microbit, and other features for when they press Button A or B. The game works similarly to Snakes and Ladders. Button A moves the player either forwards or backwards, 6, 4, or 2 spaces (picked randomly by the program), and Button B moves the player up or down by flashing up to 3 up or down arrows (again randomly). Instructions were given via a worksheet, where the first page (two of the tasks) were given in the first lesson and the final one was given at the start of the second. When they had finished their program they could then download it to the Microbit and play their game. My students ended up with between 10-25 minutes playing time depending on how quickly they programmed their game. They can provide their own playing pieces from pencil cases etc. and the board is provided (A4 printout is fine). The code is in the screenshots in the PowerPoint slides and can be made up quickly.
Microbit Offline Programming Homework
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Microbit Offline Programming Homework

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This homework is intended for students to complete without having to use a computer (useful if they don't have one at home). The instructions are given on the left hand side of the sheet, and they can cut and stick the code blocks onto the right hand side. If students wish to complete on the computer then they can, and this also allows them to test their code to see if it works. Answers also included in the form of an image.
KS2-KS3 Scale Enlargement activity
MrHawes8MrHawes8

KS2-KS3 Scale Enlargement activity

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This worksheet is for students who have been working on scale enlargement. I have used this as a homework for high ability Year 6 students, who have worked on scale factors and centre of enlargement during lesson time. The PDF contains two pages - the final shape (Answers) is on the second page.