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.
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.
This resource consists of a PowerPoint presentation giving information about the CPU. It also has links to youtube and revision games to play at the end.
This is the fourth lesson in the 'How a Computer Works' topic.
This resource includes a PowerPoint presentation that teaches about logic gates, with a worksheet designed to be used on the computers, and an online link to practically find out about logic gates. It also includes a double sided homework sheet.
This is the seventh lesson in the 'How a Computer Works' topic.
This is a series of eight Python 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.
The programming content for each lesson is as follows:
Input/Output
Selection
Multiple Selection statements
Indefinite Iteration
Substrings and functions
Functions
Arrays
2D Arrays
This is the first in a series of pseudocode lessons (based on AQA pseudocode) that have helped my GCSE classes improve their long answer pseudocode technique. The lessons built up towards working with 2D arrays etc 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 pseudocode question. The powerpoint includes information about pseudocode as well as some warm up pseudocode questions.
Included is also a link to a Kahoot quiz, and a pseudocode guide (VB.NET specific but can be altered fairly easily)
Included in this resource is a PowerPoint, information sheet for students to answer questions about computer systems, and another PowerPoint mix and match activity which the students can use on their computers.
This is the first lesson in the How a Computer Works topic.
This resource includes a finished Space Invaders-style game made with Scratch, as well as a starter code version of the game and a tutorial/help sheet. This is intended for one lesson to help teach variables and subroutines.
The finished version can be shown as a demonstration of how the game should work, then the students can be shown the starter code. This version does not work, and they will need to complete the tasks on the tutorial to get it working correctly. The tutorial includes screenshots of code snippets and explanations of how any why they work to get the game functioning correctly.
These questions are used to help students practice longer VB.NET coding questions that they will encounter in GCSE exams. The pseudocode style where included 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 programming 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 programming 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 - Substrings and functions
6 - Sports Day (function)
7 - Linear Search Array
8 - Inverting Image (2D array)
This is 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.
The programming content for each lesson is as follows:
Input/Output
Selection
Multiple Selection statements
Indefinite Iteration
Substrings and functions
Functions
Arrays
2D Arrays
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.
Included is a presentation reviewing the Bubble Sort method, and an interactive Excel activity that can is self-marking and can give students immediate feedback.
There is also a help sheet for anyone who has missed the Bubble Sort theory or needs help with the activities, and differentiated instructions for writing a Bubble Sort program (I used Visual Basic but the code hints could be adapted to another language quickly).
I have also included the lesson plan that I used for a lesson observation. There are notes on AfL and differentiation included in the plan.
This assessment is similar but more advanced than the introductory Scratch unit assessment in my shop, and includes questions on subroutines and variables as well as algorithms, sequencing, selection and iteration. This is aimed at students who have completed two units of Scratch.
Included is an assessment for the end of a microbit programming unit. Topics included variables, selection, definite and indefinite iteration. The test also includes specific practical knowledge of programming using microbit blocks.
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.
This bundle contains 8 exam-style pseudocode questions and mark schemes linked to AQA’s pseudocode guide.
Each question is an example of the type of longer written pseudocode questions found in GCSE exams, and also contains a Powerpoint which helps to build up towards answering the longer question towards the end of the lesson.
The Powerpoint contains information about the pseudocode related to the question, and some contain theory as well (e.g. arrays or string handling)
These questions are used to help students practice longer Python coding questions that they will encounter in GCSE exams. The pseudocode style where included 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 programming 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 programming 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 - Substrings and functions
6 - Sports Day (function)
7 - Linear Search Array
8 - Inverting Image (2D array)
This 10-lesson unit consists of the following lessons:
Computer Systems
Hardware Components
Input and Output devices
CPU
Software
Operating Systems
Logic Gates
Storage x2
Revision
This Unit of Work includes 10 lessons worth of Microbit programming skills and knowledge.
Each lesson has a PowerPoint presentation to go with it, with all other resources also included as Word documents. All resources including PowerPoints are numbered to make it easier to follow the unit, and there is also a teacher’s guide included. The Unit begins with an introduction to Microbits, and concludes with revision, end of unit test and DIRT reflection lesson.
Topics included are Variables, Selection, Iteration, and various programming challenges in the form of games that the students can create. It also includes the Microbit Board Game project that takes 2 lessons, which is also available from the Programmer’s Paradise shop on TES Resources.
A homework is also included, where the students can create a program using printed code blocks, cut and stick them onto the other half of the paper. This can be used after the first couple of lessons, or later if they are less familiar with the concepts.
This resource is an information sheet useful for an introduction to logic gates, revision or for absent students to help them catch up. Double side of A4.
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.
A powerpoint introduction to arrays (GCSE) including why they are used, and a programming task at the end.
Also included in this resource is the full code (Visual Basic) for all four tasks at the end of the presentation.