Author: Amanda McGarrigle

Computing Term 1
We are treasure hunters

Background Information
In this unit, the children will program a toy to move around a map to find buried treasure. They will start by thinking of algorithms for their routes, then input these as stored programs for the robot. They predict how the robot will move and will debug their programs.

In this unit the children will…
Follow a treasure map—following simple directions.
Recording an algorithm.
Introducing the robot—working with a programmable toy.
Programming a toy.
Programming the robot to follow a treasure map.
Debugging—modifying and talking about changes needed.

By the end of this unit….
All children can:
Follow instructions to move around a large space
Record a set of instructions for a toy
Program a toy to move by giving one instruction at a time Program a toy to move by giving a set of
instructions
Most children can:
Give one another instructions to move around a large space
Understand input, program and output in the context of a robotic toy
Create a program to move a toy to a particular location
Debug a program
Some children will be able to:
Predict where a set of instructions will take a pupil moving in a large space
Predict where a toy will end up from a set of instructions
Understand input, program and output in more general contexts
Look for ways in which a program could be made more efficient

Key Vocabulary
Algorithm, Beebot, robot, programme, debug, treasure map, directions.