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Programmer's Paradise

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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.

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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.
Small Basic Programming lesson bundle
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Small Basic Programming lesson bundle

3 Resources
Three separate lessons, covering variables, selection and iteration in Small Basic. Included are PowerPoints, programming tasks with full code, and links to bespoke Kahoot quizzes as well. Presentations include theory as well as code challenges. Help sheets and code snippets are also included to help students who might struggle with the programming tasks. 20% saving on price of all three lessons separately.
Microbit Selection Lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Microbit Selection Lesson

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This resource is a PowerPoint used to teach a lesson on Selection statements using the Microbit. The lesson revolves around the students creating a 'Magic 8 Ball' game, using If...Then...Else blocks of code.
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.
Microbit Introduction Lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Microbit Introduction Lesson

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Included in this resource is the PowerPoint used to introduce the microbit to a class, and some simple coding tasks to get the students using the microbits early on in the unit. Another PowerPoint is included for the final task, which is a selection of programming challenges for students to attempt.
GCSE Battleships programming project
MrHawes8MrHawes8

GCSE Battleships programming project

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This is a programming project that I have used over 3 lessons with my mixed ability Year 10 class. Included is a PowerPoint with the main programming challenges, and the full code for demonstrating the game before the students make it (Visual Basic). Each challenge should be discussed before the students choose either the code (easier) or pseudocode (harder) images to help them with the programming. Images have been used to avoid copy and pasting. The pseudocode will need to be translated into code and the code images contain key words blanked out to avoid pure copying.
KS3 Scratch Breakout Programming Project
MrHawes8MrHawes8

KS3 Scratch Breakout Programming Project

(0)
A Breakout programming task for Year 7, 8 or 9. Includes a short powerpoint showing how to open the instructions, the instructions themselves (a step by step guide to creating the game), and a link to the finished game which can be used as a starter to get them engaged from the beginning of the lesson. The instructions include hints with very small code snippets which are linked to specific steps in the programming process. With some high ability Year 8 students this has taken at least two lessons, so could be used as a project with mixed ability or younger classes.
GCSE Bubble Sort Programming Lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

GCSE Bubble Sort Programming Lesson

(0)
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.
Programming Malware GCSE Lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Programming Malware GCSE Lesson

(0)
GCSE lesson based around making the malware/cyber security topic related to programming. Looked online but couldn't find anything useful so created a 'virus' program to teach the students without giving them information on how to do anything illegal. Code works in Visual Basic, and is a good way to get the students hooked. Also worth mentioning that the 'virus' they create doesn't actually do anything malicious, it just appears that way, and gives them a chance to practice their programming techniques. Then they have instructions on the worksheet that they follow through until they have a working program. Powerpoint is also included.
GCSE Hangman Coding Project
MrHawes8MrHawes8

GCSE Hangman Coding Project

(0)
Included is a booklet containing a series of tasks (16 in total) with hints for some of the trickier tasks. There are also code snippets which can be used alongside the tasks or as an extra aid for students who are struggling. Also included is a checklist which can be displayed during the project, so that students can update their progress through the tasks. I have used this with a year 10 class who found it enjoyable as well as getting good programming practice. The program makes use of variables, selection, definite and indefinite iteration, arrays, boolean variables and a linear search.
KS3 Operating Systems (OS) lesson plan  and powerpoint - 60 minute lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

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

(0)
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.
Small Basic Selection Programming lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Small Basic Selection Programming lesson

(0)
Included is a presentation on selection 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.
Small Basic Variables Lesson
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Small Basic Variables Lesson

(0)
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.
GCSE Programming Four in a row 2D arrays project
MrHawes8MrHawes8

GCSE Programming Four in a row 2D arrays project

(0)
Included is a programming project to recreate a well known game that I have used with a mixed ability Year 10 class. The project took 3-4 lessons and includes the powerpoint highlighting the main challenges in creating the game, the full code (Visual Basic), pseudocode for the whole program and images of code/pseudocode for each challenge that the programmers face. Images were used for this to prevent students copy and pasting the code. To differentiate, after talking through solving each challenge as a class, the students were able to load up the image of either the code or pseudocode, and type the code required into their program. The pseudocode is more challenging as it needs translating into code, and the code has key words missing so it is not just about copying the code into their program. I have also included teaching notes on how to discuss the different challenges, and a help sheet on 2-dimensional arrays.
AQA Pseudocode Series of Lessons
MrHawes8MrHawes8

AQA Pseudocode Series of Lessons

8 Resources
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)
Exam Style Python Programming Questions (GCSE AQA)
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Exam Style Python Programming Questions (GCSE AQA)

(0)
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)
Exam Style VB.NET Programming Questions (GCSE AQA)
MrHawes8MrHawes8

Exam Style VB.NET Programming Questions (GCSE AQA)

(0)
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)
AQA GCSE Python Series of lessons - exam style questions, mark schemes and powerpoints
MrHawes8MrHawes8

AQA GCSE Python Series of lessons - exam style questions, mark schemes and powerpoints

8 Resources
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
GCSE AQA Exam style Python Question 1
MrHawes8MrHawes8

GCSE AQA Exam style Python Question 1

(0)
This is the first in 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.
GCSE AQA Exam style Python Question 2
MrHawes8MrHawes8

GCSE AQA Exam style Python Question 2

(0)
This is the second in 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.
GCSE AQA Exam style Python Question 7
MrHawes8MrHawes8

GCSE AQA Exam style Python Question 7

(0)
This is the seventh in 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.