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Unplugged coding task cards: 20 printable cards v0.1.0

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Coding cards, page 1 of 51STEPS IN ORDERRobot walkOne of you is the robot. Theother gives three steps(forward, turn left, turnright) to walk the robot toa chair. The robot doesexactly what is said,nothing more.You need: A chairAsk: Did the robot get there? Which step would you change?We did itWe fixed a bug2STEPS IN ORDERDraw by the stepsWrite five steps for drawinga smiley face. Swap with apartner. They draw only whatyour steps say, even if itlooks odd.You need: Paper, pencilsAsk: Which step was missing?We did itWe fixed a bug3STEPS IN ORDERGetting readyWrite six steps for gettingready for school, each onits own strip. Mix thestrips up. A partner putsthem back in the rightorder.You need: Paper strips, pencilAsk: What happens if two steps swap places?We did itWe fixed a bug4STEPS IN ORDERFloor gridMake a four-by-four grid onthe floor with tape. Put atoy on one square. Guide apartner to it using onlyarrows: forward, left,right.You need: Tape, a toyAsk: How many arrows did you need?We did itWe fixed a bugUnplugged coding cards · page 1 of 5 · cut along the dashesFree at teach.peabody.kids
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Coding cards, page 2 of 55STEPS IN ORDERArrow codeDraw a five-by-five grid.Mark a start and a star.Draw arrows that move apencil tip from the start tothe star, one square at atime.You need: Grid paper, pencilAsk: Is there a shorter way?We did itWe fixed a bug6REPEATDance loopMake a dance of three moves,like clap, stomp, spin.Write it as repeat fourtimes: clap, stomp, spin.Then do it.You need: Paper, pencil, space to moveAsk: How many moves did the repeat save you writing?We did itWe fixed a bug7REPEATShorter codeThe robot goes: forward,forward, forward, forward,forward, forward. Write thesame thing in as few wordsas you can, using repeat.You need: Paper, pencilAsk: What number goes after repeat?We did itWe fixed a bug8REPEATBead patternDraw a bead pattern withcolored circles. Find thepart that repeats. Write thepattern as a repeat, likerepeat three times: red,blue, blue.You need: Crayons, paperAsk: Where does the pattern start again?We did itWe fixed a bugUnplugged coding cards · page 2 of 5 · cut along the dashesFree at teach.peabody.kids
Cards, page 2 of 5 ·
Coding cards, page 3 of 59REPEATClimb the stairsA robot climbs five stairs.Each stair is: step up, stepforward. Write the wholeclimb using one repeat, thenclimb stairs or books tocheck it.You need: Paper, pencil, a few booksAsk: What is inside the repeat?We did itWe fixed a bug10FIND THE BUGHidden bugWrite four arrow steps toget a pencil to a star on agrid, but put in one mistakeon purpose. Swap. Yourpartner follows the steps,finds the bug and fixes it.You need: Grid paper, pencilAsk: Which step was the bug?We did itWe fixed a bug11FIND THE BUGToast bugHere are the steps fortoast: get bread, push thelever down, put the bread inthe toaster. Something iswrong. Find the bug andwrite the steps correctly.You need: Paper, pencilAsk: How did you know it was wrong?We did itWe fixed a bug12FIND THE BUGWrong turnThe code says: forward,forward, turn left, forward.It was meant to end at astar two squares right andone down. Draw where itreally goes, then fix oneblock.You need: Grid paper, pencilAsk: Which block did you change?We did itWe fixed a bugUnplugged coding cards · page 3 of 5 · cut along the dashesFree at teach.peabody.kids
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Coding cards, page 4 of 513FIND THE BUGTest it firstBefore your partner followsyour steps, trace themyourself with a finger onthe paper grid. Then letyour partner try. Did youboth end in the same place?You need: Grid paper, pencilAsk: What did tracing it first catch?We did itWe fixed a bug14IF, THENRobot dog rulesWrite three if-then rulesfor a robot dog, like if youhear a bell, then sit. Yourpartner is the dog andfollows your rules when youact them out.You need: Paper, pencilAsk: What did the dog do when no rule fit?We did itWe fixed a bug15IF, THENTraffic lightHold up red, yellow andgreen papers. The rule: ifgreen, walk. If red, freeze.If yellow, tiptoe. Play itin a group, then add a ruleof your own.You need: Red, yellow, green paperAsk: What does your new rule do?We did itWe fixed a bug16IF, THENSort itWrite a rule: if an objectis round, put it on theleft, if not, put it on theright. Test it on tenobjects. Then write a betterrule.You need: Ten small objectsAsk: Did any object break your rule?We did itWe fixed a bugUnplugged coding cards · page 4 of 5 · cut along the dashesFree at teach.peabody.kids
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Coding cards, page 5 of 517SAY IT EXACTLYExact wordsWrite exactly how to move apencil from the desk into acup. Your partner followsyour words literally. If aword is unclear, they do thewrong thing on purpose.You need: A pencil, a cupAsk: Which word needed to be more exact?We did itWe fixed a bug18SAY IT EXACTLYBiggest numberWrite steps that find thebiggest of five numbercards. Another pair followsyour steps with cards theyhave never seen. Do thesteps always work?You need: Five number cardsAsk: What if two cards are the same?We did itWe fixed a bug19SAY IT EXACTLYAlien wordsAn alien only knows fourwords: up, down, left,right. Draw a small maze.Write the alien's way outusing only those four words.You need: Paper, pencilAsk: How many words was your path?We did itWe fixed a bug20SAY IT EXACTLYYour own puzzleDesign a robot puzzle on agrid: a start, a star andsome rocks. Write asolution. Trade with apartner and see if theirsmatches yours. Then playMove the robot online.You need: Grid paper, pencilAsk: Did you find two different solutions?We did itWe fixed a bugUnplugged coding cards · page 5 of 5 · cut along the dashesFree at teach.peabody.kids
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Teacher notes for the coding cardsUsing the coding cardsThese cards teach what coding is, with no screen. Give each pairor small group one card and some paper.Say the rule out loud: do exactly what the steps say, nothingmore. A step that is unclear is the bug.Steps in order: A program is a list of steps, done in order.Repeat: A loop says a pattern once and repeats it.Find the bug: A bug is a mistake in the steps. Debugging isfinding and fixing it.If, then: A rule runs only when something is true.Say it exactly: A computer does exactly what it is told, so thewords must be exact.Ask the question at the bottom of the card when a pair finishes.Tick the boxes together.Want it on a screen? The free game “Move the robot” atpeabody.kids/coding-for-kids/robot uses the same ideas.Unplugged coding cards · teacher notesFree at teach.peabody.kids
Teacher notes ·

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20 cards. Print, cut along the dashes and set them out.

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Twenty cards for coding without a screen: give steps to a robot partner, spot the bug, write a repeat, make an if-then rule. Print 4 or 8 to a page, cut along the dashes, and set them out.

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How to use it

  1. Pick all twenty cards or one idea (steps, repeat, bugs, if-then, exact words), and 4 or 8 cards to a page.
  2. Press Print. The last page is a short note for the teacher. Cut the cards apart along the dashes.
  3. Give each pair one card and paper. Say the one rule: do exactly what the steps say, nothing more.

Ideas for class

  • Center rotation: lay out five cards, one for each idea, and let pairs rotate every ten minutes.
  • Robot partner: one student is the robot and only does exactly what is said. It gets quiet and funny fast.
  • Bug of the day: pick a bug card for the morning meeting and fix it together.
  • Early finishers: keep a stack of repeat cards for the table at the back.
  • Follow up on a screen with Move the robot, the free block game at peabody.kids/coding-for-kids/robot.
  • Send a card home and ask a family member to be the robot.

Related

Questions

Do students need computers?

No. Every card uses paper, a pencil or the floor. That is the point: coding is about steps and rules, not the screen.

What ages are the cards for?

Kindergarten to grade 5. The first cards need three steps; the last ones ask students to design a puzzle for a partner.

Is anything sent to you?

No. Nothing students do is typed or saved. The page remembers your paper size and card choices in this browser only.

Nothing is typed into this tool and nothing is sent to us. Your paper size and card choices stay in this browser. No sign-in, no ads, no AI. What each tool stores