Session 1

Objectives

• To introduce the Rapid Router environment in preparation for starting to look at Python

Key words

• Loop

• Repetition

• Counted loops: repeat-n-times

Introduction (5 mins)

• Explain that this course will introduce participants to writing programs using Python

• We will use the block-based Rapid Router to start with but then we will start to look at converting this code into Python

• Use slides 1 - 5

The Rapid Router Game (10 mins)

• Use slides 6 - 12

• Show Rapid Router and introduce participants to the environment

• Do levels 8 and 17 for practice.

• Slide 7: What can you see? Asking pupils to observe what they see will encourage investigation and they are likely to engage with it better and remember what is there. The next slide highlights important areas of the Code for Life interface.

• Slide 9: Levels 8 and 17 As you are trying these slides, consider what pupils might struggle with and how you can help them. E.g. is a left turn just a turn or a turn and move? Will they get mixed up with left and right?

• Slide 11: Did you get anything different? If anyone had a different solution, was it as efficient? Why does this matter?

Repeating yourself (10 mins)

• Slide 12: Show the Repeating yourself video which introduces repeat loops in Rapid Router.

• Slide 13: Consider how you will introduce loops. Think about shortened ways we use in English, e.g. skip for five minutes, do twenty lunges…. What do these actually mean?

Consider how you will support pupils who get stuck on these levels. It is best to avoid giving solutions. Ask leading questions or scaffold the task they need to solve. E.g. How many times did your code repeat? How can you change that? Can you do the code without the repeat first and then find a pattern?

• Do levels 23 - 28

Create a level (15 mins)

• If there is time, you can encourage pupils to create their own level. You might like to give them some direction, e.g. Can you make a wiggly route? Can you make a route with a repeating pattern in it?

It can be helpful to wrap up a session with a reflection on what was learned, what was difficult, how you solved your challenges etc. Consider what pupils might have found hard.