OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

This lesson uses the familiar nursery rhyme and song ‘There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly’ to introduce primary students to the concepts of sequencing and looping in algorithms. It can also be used with older students as an example that leads them to writing their own unique code that includes loops.

Meta description

• Subject Area: Computer Science, Reading/Language Arts, Pre-literacy phonemic awareness
• Grade Level : K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
• Computer Science Domains:
  • Algorithms and Programming
• Computer Science Principles:
  • Developing and Using Abstractions
• Materials:
  • Sing along video of the song or a decent singing voice and probably a robot geared toward primary students like Beebot or Ozbot
• Considerations:
  • This activity would be best with codable manipulatives like Ozbots or Beebots. The author of this lesson plan has no experience with them, but hopes to gain some soon.

Lesson Plan

Overview

This lesson uses the familiar nursery rhyme and song ‘There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly’ to introduce primary students to the concepts of sequencing and looping in algorithms. It can also be used with older students as an example that leads them to writing their own unique code that includes loops.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

What words repeat and stack in the song? What words rhyme in the song?

OBJECTIVES

1. Repeat the rhyme/song back in the correct order.
2. Define loop, sequence, chain tale.
3. Construct their own unique and logical loop, complete with rhyming words, if age appropriate.

CATCH/HOOK

Borrowed from Dr. Jean Feldman, I have constructed an ‘Old Lady’ apron, which has a clear ziploc bag sewn into the tummy area so that the kids can see what the old lady (me!) is swallowing when I wear it. I have done this with all ages of kids, and they all seem fascinated.

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

After singing the song with the apron on, students will examine how the song is an example of a chain tale and a sequence and loop in coding.

Supplements

Any items in this section are the property & under the license of their respective owners.

REVIEW

This lesson could be as simple or complex as the age of the students and the knowledge of the teacher warrant.

STANDARDS