Ten programming challenges to help students practice their problem-solving and Python skills and prepare for their Computer Science GCSE.
Students use their existing programming knowledge to plan each challenge in the booklet before testing it on their computer. This “writing-before-typing” approach helps to develop the crucial skills needed to gain maximum marks in the algorithm section of their exam.
The booklet is supplied ready to be printed and stapled to make a 16-page booklet (uses four duplex-printed A4 sheets), and as single pages for individual printing or uploading to your VLE.
A full set of example code is provided for teachers, written in a way which is appropriate for the GCSE students to fully understand.
This is a great way for students to practice their coding skills. Download today.
Challenge your higher-ability students to complete these difficult Python programming tasks. Example solutions are included, written using skills which students will be familiar with and no need to install any additional libraries.
Music Quiz
Create and store music titles and artists in a CSV file, choose one at random, remove most of the characters, and ask the player to enter the correct title and artist.
Play Your Cards Right
Based on the classic game show. A card is randomly chosen and the player must guess whether the next card has a higher or lower value. You get nothing for a pair!
Word Clock
Output the current time as a sentence. E.g., 22:53 is “Seven minutes to eleven”.
Binary Converter
Ask the user to enter a denary integer and convert it to binary.
Book Maker
Download a free book and write a program which counts the number of characters; calculates the number of words and pages; adds page numbers; and a search function. And you get a free classic book!
Download the binary bingo card, then use the free bingo-caller website* to randomly generate numbers to call out.
How to use: each student choses four numbers between 0 and 15 and writes them onto the bingo card. The teacher loads the website onto a screen or SMART Board. A random binary number is chosen and displayed. Students convert the binary number into denary. The first student to get all four numbers shouts "BINGO!" and wins.
Called numbers are listed at the bottom of the screen, and can be clicked for conversion to denary.
A great plenary activity for KS3 and KS4 students which reinforces binary to denary conversion. Have fun :)
* The website URL is stated at the bottom of the downloadable PDF.
Design and code a Python game with 10 step-by-step worksheets. Use Pygame and Pygame Zero to create a cheese-collecting, cat-avoiding, fast-paced game!
Introduces students to:
Python graphics
Sprites
Tile maps
Keyboard events
Gameplay ideas
This is an ideal project for extra-curricular clubs. All images, sample code, and teacher support information is included.
I hope your students have as much fun making this game as mine did.
Introduce Python 3 to your students using Turtle and Edublocks 4 (a free online drag-and-drop Python editor). Students program Turtle to draw a Christmas card. Their code can be downloaded and opened using IDLE or any other Python IDE.
Includes:
PowerPoint to get students started
Printable worksheet with step-by-step instructions to complete the project and challenge activities
Completed file which can be imported into Edublocks
Python files which can be opened using IDLE
Teachers’ instruction sheet
This is an ideal end-of-term standalone lesson ready for Christmas. I hope you and your students enjoy it.
** For use with the end of module tests in my J277 OCR 1.1 - 1.6 SoW Bundle **
If you do not have the bundle, or any of the individual units of work, please download it from my TES Shop.
Save hours of analysing test data with this complete question-by-question analysis pack.
Easy to set up
Enter student marks into the spreadsheet
Percentages and approximate grade are automatically calculated
Colour-coded columns allow at-a-glance analysis of which questions students performed well on
A Word mail-merge generates a “What went well” and “Even better if” list for each student which can then be used to provide individual feedback and help to fill knowledge gaps
Personalised reports can be printed or emailed directly to students
Step-by-step instructions included.
** For use with the end of module tests in my J277 OCR 2.1 - 2.5 SoW Bundle **
If you do not have the bundle or any of the individual units of work, please download them from my TES Shop.
Save hours of analysing test data with this complete question-by-question analysis pack.
Easy to set up
Enter student marks into the spreadsheet
Percentages and approximate grades are automatically calculated
Colour-coded columns allow at-a-glance analysis of which questions students performed well on
A Word mail-merge generates a “What went well” and “Even better if” list for each student which can then be used to provide individual feedback and help to fill knowledge gaps
Personalised reports can be printed or emailed directly to students
Step-by-step instructions included.
** For use with the end of module tests in my J808 LO1 - LO7 SoW Bundle **
If you do not have the bundle, download it from my TES Shop.
Save hours of analysing test data with this complete question-by-question analysis pack.
Easy to set up
Enter student marks into the spreadsheet
Percentages and approximate grade are automatically calculated
Colour-coded columns allow at-a-glance analysis of which questions students performed well on
A Word mail-merge generates a “What went well” and “Even better if” list for each student which can then be used to provide individual feedback and help to fill knowledge gaps
Personalised reports can be printed or emailed directly to students
Step-by-step instructions included.
April 2021 update: Grade boundaries have been updated. Grades are now stored in a single table rather than multiple nested IF statements. This will make it easier for you to verify and edit grade boundaries and apply them to all test data.
Create quiz questions and answers in a spreadsheet, export to a CSV file, and write a Python program to use the CSV files for a multiple-choice quiz. Printable student instructions; stretch / challenge tasks; and example files for teachers, this makes a great revision or end-of-unit activity! Students can re-visit the CSV file and add more questions as the year progresses.
Teaches:
CSV (comma-separated value) files
Python file-handling; two-dimensional lists; variables; iteration
Stretch / challenge activities:
Add a scoring system
Accept upper and lower case inputs
Fix a ‘bug’ where the same question may appear multiple times
Add a graphic interface
Files included:
Printable PDF worksheet (copy and paste is restricted so students must type their code
Sample CSV file with six questions and answers
Python file of the completed activity
Python file containing stretch / challenge solutions (except the GUI)
This is a great one or two lesson activity – ideal for a spare lesson at the end of term. Download for free.
Introduce your students to HTML using a drag and drop interface. Designed to be intuitive and colourful, students drag Lego-like ‘tag’ blocks onto the board to build up their page. Works on both mouse-based computers and touch-screen tablets.
This resource includes “Tutorial 1” and “Teacher’s Notes”, both as printable PDFs.
Tutorial 1 is an introduction to the Weggo! interface and a quick “Hello world” lesson. The Teacher’s Notes provide an overview of Weggo’s usage, system compatibility, limitations and pointers for each of the five tutorials.
Please be aware that Weggo! is ‘beta’ software, and some bugs will be present.
Weggo! is a free-to-use website with no adverts or logins.
I hope you and your students enjoy using Weggo!
Introduce Adobe Illustrator CC to your KS4 iMedia and KS3 Computing students. Easy-to-deliver, with all example files included too. Introduces:
An overview of bitmap vs vector graphics
Benefits of vector graphics
Creating simple shapes
Creating bezier curvers
Adding text to a path
Included files:
PowerPoint lesson
9 x Example Adobe Illustrator files
To improve support for schools running older versions of Adobe software, supplied example files are compatible with Adobe Illustrator CS6 and all versions of Illustrator CC.
Use the IMG tag to add images to your Weggo! HTML page. Images can be hot linked from other online resources, or a small amount of clipart images are supplied. Support for ALT text is included to promote accessibility and search engine-friendly authoring.
Please be aware that Weggo! is ‘beta’ software, and some bugs will be present.
Weggo! is a free-to-use website with no adverts or logins.
I hope you and your students enjoy using Weggo!
The second tutorial for the Weggo! HTML Editor introduces more text tags such as headlines and paragraphs, which students use to begin adding more content to their web page.
Please be aware that Weggo! is ‘beta’ software, and some bugs will be present.
Weggo! is a free-to-use website with no adverts or logins.
I hope you and your students enjoy using Weggo!
Add links to other web pages using the <a> tag. Links can be added to headline, paragraph, and list item tags.
Please be aware that Weggo! is ‘beta’ software, and some bugs will be present.
Weggo! is a free-to-use website with no adverts or logins.
I hope you and your students enjoy using Weggo!
Create HTML ordered (numbered) and unordered (bullet-point) lists using Weggo’s unique drag-and-drop editor.
The printable PDF shows step-by-step instructions of how to create simple lists.
Please be aware that Weggo! is ‘beta’ software, and some bugs will be present.
Weggo! is a free-to-use website with no adverts or logins.
I hope you and your students enjoy using Weggo!
Ten string manipulation programming challenges to help students practice their Python and problem-solving skills and prepare for their Computer Science GCSE.
Students use their existing programming knowledge to plan each challenge in the booklet before testing it on their computer. This “writing-before-typing” approach helps to develop the crucial skills needed to gain maximum marks in the algorithms section of their exam.
The booklet is supplied ready to be printed and stapled to make a 16-page booklet (uses four duplex-printed A4 sheets), and as single pages for individual printing or uploading to your VLE.
A full set of example code is provided for teachers, written in a way which is appropriate for the GCSE students to fully understand.
This is a great way for students to practice their coding skills. Download today.
Ten list programming challenges to help students practice their Python and problem-solving skills and prepare for their Computer Science GCSE.
Students use their existing programming knowledge to plan each challenge in the booklet before testing it on their computer. This “writing-before-typing” approach helps to develop the crucial skills needed to gain maximum marks in the algorithms section of their exam.
The booklet is supplied ready to be printed and stapled to make a 16-page booklet (uses four duplex-printed A4 sheets), and as single pages for individual printing or uploading to your VLE.
A full set of example code is provided for teachers, written in a way which is appropriate for GCSE students to fully understand.
This is a great way for students to practice their coding skills. Download today.
Mouse Maze is a fun introduction to decomposition, algorithms and iteration (loops). It works well as an extended starter.
Print out the simple maze, or distribute the PowerPoint file to students (the mouse icon can be dragged and rotated). They must list the steps required for Mousey to reach the cheese.
Decomposition: breaking the problem into smaller steps (i.e. solving the maze)
Algorithms: listing the steps to guide Mousey through the maze
Iteration: making the algorithm more efficient by repeating parts of it (challenge / extension activity)
The download includes:
A full set of teacher’s instructions
PowerPoint maze for students which can be used electronically or printed out
PowerPoint 6 slides showing the task, solution, sections which are repeated, and a more efficient solution. The final slide has definitions of ‘algorithm’ and ‘decomposition’, plus a note to tell students that they have already achieved both during the lesson.
Pupils enjoy the activity and it is a great way to introduce the concepts for the first time. I hope you and your pupils enjoy it :)
Introduce your students to databases and SQL / SQLite and build their knowledge through to a mini-project which uses their existing knowledge of Python and Tkinter.
1.3.2a - Database Concepts
Flat file databases
Entity identifiers
Indexing
Primary, Secondary, and Foreign keys
Relational databases
1.3.2b - Database Normalisation
Relational DB design
Relationships and ERD
Referential integrity
Linking DB tables / Link tables
Normalisation - reasons and 1NF, 2NF, 3NF
1.3.2c Transaction Processing
Capturing Information
ACID
Record locking
Redundancy
1.3.2d SQL
SELECT FROM WHERE
Conditions
Sorting
Dot notation
JOIN
Data types
ALTER / UPDATE / DELETE / DROP
SQL Worksheets
Customer database: Import provided flat-file database and query it
James Bond movies: Import provided flat-file database and query it. Note: this resource is available separately from my TES store
High Scores: Import provided relational database and query it
Marvel Cinematic Universe: examine provided SQL to create a new database
Mini-project: plan and create a relational database and use Python and Tkinter to build an interface. Note: this project expects students to have a basic knowledge of Tkinter and independently research how to implement SQLite 3 in Python. No support files are provided for this activity.
Complete scheme of work for J808 Cambridge National Level 1/2 in Information Technologies. This is a full set of lessons, homeworks, and an end-of-module test. All lessons are fully explained and ready-to-teach.
Database lessons use Microsoft Access.
5.1.1a Spreadsheet Functions Lesson PLUS worksheet and example files
5.1.1b VLOOKUP Lesson PLUS worksheet and example files
5.1.2 Cell Referencing and Importing Lesson PLUS example and solution files
5.1.3 Charts and Tables Lesson PLUS worksheet
5.1.4 What-If Analysis Lesson PLUS worksheet, answer and example files
5.1.5 Macros Lesson PLUS worksheet
5.2.1 Relational database Lesson
5.2.2 Import data from other sources Lesson PLUS worksheet, sample and example files
5.2.3 Data validation Lesson PLUS worksheet, sample and example files
5.2.4 Input Forms Lesson PLUS worksheet, sample and example files
5.2.5 Queries Lesson PLUS worksheet, sample and example files
5.2.6-8 Reports, Security, Exporting Data Lesson plus database file
5.2.x Bringing It All Together – recap lesson incorporating all database learning
5.2.x Mini-project – Mini project Lesson to consolidate learning. WAGOLL included.
2 x Homework sheets with marking scheme
1 x End-of-module test question paper with marking scheme
1 x Module self-assessment learning checklist for students
All lessons are tried-and-tested. Save yourself hours of work by downloading now.