ECT Lesson Plan: Algorithmic Thinking
Lesson plan at a glance... In this lesson plan…
Core subject(s) Computer Science, Mathematics ● Lesson Overview
Subject area(s) Algorithms and Complexity ● Materials and Equipment
Suggested age 11 to 18 years old ● Preparation Tasks
Prerequisites None ● The Lesson
Time Preparation: 10 to 20 minutes ● Learning Objectives and Standards
Instruction: 35 minutes
● Additional Information and Resources
Standards Core Subject: CCSS Math
CS: CSTA, UK, Australia
Lesson Overview
Students will explore algorithm design by creating oral algorithms, giving instructions for other students to follow to
duplicate a model supplied by the teacher. Student-student interaction will foster community and help them analyze the
effectiveness of their algorithms.
Materials and Equipment
◻ For the teacher:
○ Required: plastic interlocking bricks (ex: LEGO®), cards, or tangrams
Preparation Tasks
Before students come to class: Using bricks, cards, tangrams or anything that can be 10 to 20 minutes
arranged, create simple models to copy using the items; one for every four students.
The Lesson
Warm-up Activity: Journaling toward algorithmic thinking 10 minutes
Activity 1: Algorithmic thinking 20 minutes
Wrap-up Activity: Discussing algorithmic thinking 5 minutes
ECT: Algorithmic Thinking 1 of 4
Warm-up Activity: Journaling toward algorithmic thinking (10 minutes)
Activity Overview: In this activity, students will identify the key concepts in algorithm design.
Activity:
Discussion: Students respond to the following prompt in small or large groups:
Think about brushing your teeth. What steps do you go through each time you brush? How would you give
step-by-step instructions to someone about how to brush their teeth?
Activity 1: Algorithmic thinking (20 minutes)
Activity Overview: In this activity, students will use algorithm design to create an ordered series of instructions for
solving a problem, and other students will follow the algorithm. Student-student interactions help them build peer-support
networks and that foster a student-centered learning community.
Notes to the Teacher:
Refer to the the previously built models for this activity.
Activity:
1. Divide students into groups of four and give each group a bag of bricks.
a. Person 1 may look at everything but may only give directions.
a. Person 2 and 3 may not look at the model but will build based upon instructions from person 1.
b. Person 4 will count how many instructions are given until the model is complete and will write down
instructions that were helpful or not helpful to the group.
2. Hand the model to person 1 of each group and set the timer for no more than 5 minutes. Instruct students to
copy the given model as accurately as possible.
3. After the time is up, have students show their completed model, then share with the whole class.
4. Have person 4 state the number of instructions given (even if the model wasn’t finished).
5. If you have time and another model, have the students go through a second round.
Q1: What type of instructions worked best?
Q2: Why is this type of activity representative of humans working with computers?
Assessment:
A1: Simple, step-by-step, specific instructions.
A2: Computers can only understand the exact instructions they have been given, even if the instructions are flawed.
Wrap-up Activity: Discussing algorithmic thinking (5 minutes)
Activity Overview: In this activity, students will discuss the outcomes of the previous activities.
ECT: Algorithmic Thinking 2 of 4
Activity:
Start by introducing the term “algorithm” and giving the definition (see Lesson Vocabulary below).
Discussion: Encourage your students to have a discussion about the previous activities.
How does the term “algorithm” fit into the equation?
Learning Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives Standards
LO1: Students will be able to write a series of Common Core
instructions for creating a model. [Link].MP4: Model with mathematics.
Computer Science
AUSTRALIA 8.11 (Collaborating and managing): Plan and
manage projects, including tasks, time and other resources
required, considering safety and sustainability.
CSTA L1:[Link].5: Construct a program as a set of step-by-step
instructions to be acted out (e.g., make peanut butter and jelly
sandwich activity).
CSTA [Link].3: Collaborate with peers, experts and others using
collaborative practices such as pair programming, working in
project teams and participating in-group active learning activities.
UK 2.1: CS design, write and debug programs that accomplish
specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical
systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts.
LO2: Students will be able to articulate some Common Core
important strategies and possible pitfalls in writing [Link].MP3: Construct viable arguments and
algorithms. critique the reasoning of others.
[Link].MP2: Reason abstractly and
quantitatively.
Computer Science
CSTA [Link].7: Represent data in a variety of ways including text,
sounds, pictures and numbers.
UK 3.6: Understand how instructions are stored and executed
within a computer system; understand how data of various types
(including text, sounds and pictures) can be represented and
manipulated digitally, in the form of binary digits.
ECT: Algorithmic Thinking 3 of 4
Additional Information and Resources
Lesson Vocabulary
Term Definition For Additional Information
Algorithm A series of instructions that can be repeated over and [Link]
over with the same result for a given input (e.g. recipe,
computer software, sheet of music notes)
Computational Thinking Concepts
Concept Definition
Algorithm Design Creating an ordered series of instructions for solving similar problems
Administrative Details
Contact info For more info about Exploring Computational Thinking (ECT), visit the ECT website
([Link]/exploringCT)
Credits Developed by the Exploring Computational Thinking team at Google and reviewed by K-12
educators from around the world.
Last updated on 07/02/2015
Copyright info Except as otherwise noted, the content of this document is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License, and code samples are licensed under the Apache 2.0 License.
ECT: Algorithmic Thinking 4 of 4
