This lesson will help students learn the core coding concept of sequencing.

They will learn that computers follow instructions in a specific order and that a single mistake (a "bug") can change the entire outcome.

This is a hands-on, unplugged activity where students become the "robots" and you are the "programmer."

Materials Needed:

• Worksheet: A simple grid with squares (Downloadable from this step).

• Coloured Pencils/Markers: A small set of three coloured pencils/markers.

Begin the lesson by gathering students and having a quick discussion about robots to establish a foundation for the activity.

Explain simply that a robot is a machine that follows instructions (or "bossy words"). A robot doesn't have a brain for guessing; it can only follow clear commands.

Ask your students: "Have you ever seen a real-life robot? What does it do?"

Guide the discussion toward common, familiar examples they might have seen at home or in the garden:

• Robot Vacuum Cleaners: "What instructions does the vacuum robot need? (Go forward, turn, stop at the wall)."
• Robot Lawn Mowers: "It needs commands like, 'Go straight,' and 'Turn around when you hit the fence.' "
• Automatic Doors: "While simple, they follow an "if/then" command: IF a sensor sees a person, THEN open the door."

Invite one student to the front of the class and explain that they are now to act like a robot and follow your commands exactly.

Read a short list of instructions aloud such as step forward, step backward, clap, jump. (Check the teacher notes for this step for a list of ideas of commands).

Ask the class to watch and see if the robot follows the order exactly.

To assess the children's understanding of the importance of clear instructions, give the robot student an unclear command such as "sit".  This command is not indicating whether the robot should sit on the ground, table or chair, and therefore, unclear. 

When the student robot has completed the command, ask the class if the command 'sit' could have been interpreted differently by the robot. Explain how this can be considered an unclear command and how it should have been phrased more clearly.

You can repeat this step for multiple students in the class. Including further examples of unclear instructions such as directional movements/destinations within the room. 

Explain to the class that today they are going to turn into Robot Artists!

Their task is to precisely copy a sequence of colours.

Remind students that they must follow the sequence exactly! Precision is the key to all coding! 

Open the Colour Coding Challenge below to generate a 5-square pattern using the colours red, blue and white. Inform students that this is a “target code” and this means that we must attempt to replicate this pattern ourselves using the buttons beneath the game.

Before any attempts are made to replicate the code, the children should be invited to follow the pattern from left to right: point to square 1, say the colour, then move to the next square.

Ask a volunteer to read the pattern, replicate it and run the sequence (e.g., “Red; Blue, White, etc…”).

You can solve as many sequences as a class as you wish before inviting students up to solve themselves!