Free 2nd Grade Computational Thinking Lesson Plan (Computational Thinking)

Topic: computational thinking

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will understand how automation works and how it can be used to create automated solutions.
• Students will be able to use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions.

Materials

• Scissors
• Colored paper
• Glue
• Markers or crayons
• Computer with a text editor (such as Notepad or TextEdit) or a programming language environment (such as Python or Scratch)
• Access to a scanner or a camera

Warm-Up

• Begin by asking students if they have ever seen a machine or device that can do a task for them without any help.
• Give examples such as a vending machine that can provide a snack without anyone having to push the buttons, a washing machine that can wash clothes without anyone having to hang them up or put them in the machine, or a robot that can clean a room without anyone having to do the work.
• Ask students to share any other examples they can think of.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the concept of "automation," or the use of machines and devices to do tasks for us without any help.
• Explain that the purpose of automation is to make our lives easier and free us up to do other things.
• Discuss the importance of algorithms in creating and using automated solutions.
• Define "algorithm" as a set of steps or a process for solving a problem or completing a task.
• Use examples to demonstrate how algorithms can be used to create automated solutions. For example, an algorithm for cleaning a room could be:
• Step 1: Vacuum the floor
• Step 2: Mop the floor
• Step 3: Dust the furniture
• Step 4: Clean the windows
• Ask students to think about other tasks that could be completed using an algorithm.

Guided Practice

• Give students a real-world problem or task that could be solved using automation.
• Have them work in pairs to brainstorm and create an algorithm for solving the problem.
• Have them test their algorithm by actually creating a prototype solution using materials such as cardboard, string, and a battery.

Independent Practice

• Give students a challenge that requires them to use multiple steps to solve a problem.
• Have them work independently to come up with an algorithm for solving the challenge.
• Have them work individually or in pairs to create a prototype solution using materials such as cardboard, string, and a battery.

Closure

• Have students share their solutions with the class and explain their algorithms.
• Discuss the importance of automation in solving problems and how computational thinking can be used to design automated solutions.

Assessment

• Observe students during the guided and independent practice activities to assess their understanding of the concept of automation and their ability to use algorithmic thinking to design automated solutions.
• Collect and review the solutions created during the independent practice activity to assess students' ability to create and test an automated solution.