Welcome to the lesson! Today, we're going to focus on a fundamental skill that every computer programmer needs: giving and following clear instructions.

Explain to your students that computers can only do what we tell them to do, so it's vital that we learn how to be clear, precise, and logical. If we mix up the steps or aren't specific enough, the computer won't know what to do! By practising how to both follow a command exactly and how to write a perfect set of instructions, we are developing the exact skills needed to build and run amazing computer programs.

Let's get started on becoming masters of instruction!

Explain to the students that you're going to play a game to warm up your brains and practice following instructions exactly. The game is called Simon Says.

Remind them of the key rule: you should only follow a command if it starts with the phrase, "Simon says." This is the special condition that must be met for the instruction to be valid. You can decide whether to play for fun or as a knockout game.

Play a few rounds, starting with simple commands to get everyone listening carefully:

• "Simon says, touch your nose."

• "Simon says, jump up high."

• "Clap your hands." (See who gets caught!)

• "Simon says, stand on one foot."

Observe how well students listen and ensure they understand the importance of following the condition and the instruction precisely. This helps them learn the value of specific, clear steps, a core idea in coding.

Now, tell your students they are going to become the programmers! Introduce the Grid Game, which involves guiding a character around a grid on the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB).

Display the grid with colored squares on the whiteboard. Choose a starting point for the character and point out a specific colored square that is the target destination.

Have the students take turns giving clear, step-by-step instructions to move the character to the target. Emphasize that the instructions must be precise!

Examples of Instructions:

• "Move forward two steps."

• "Turn left and move one step."

• "Turn right."

Guide the students to see that the character only understands one command at a time, and the sequence of those commands is what determines if they reach the goal. This activity is a perfect demonstration of coding an algorithm.

Now it's time for students to work independently. Download and distribute the 'Giving Directions' Worksheet. Explain to the class that their goal is to act as the programmer and write a clear set of instructions to guide the bird to the fruit on the grid.

The students must create a perfect sequence of commands to guide the bird without making any mistakes!

Offer your students these two options for completing their code:

1. Cut and Stick: They can cut out the arrow pieces provided on the worksheet and stick them onto the grid in the correct sequence. This is a great hands-on way to build the sequence.

2. Draw and Write: They can draw or write the directional arrows directly onto the grid to map out the exact path the bird should take.

Allow students time to work on their algorithms carefully. Their success depends entirely on the precision and order of their instructions!