Algorithms vs a jam sandwich

9th October 2025Ruth Shields

We have moved on to our next computing unit which is understanding an algorithm. An algorithm is a clear set of instructions that we give to a computer to fulfil a task that we need it to do. Unfortunately, if the instructions aren’t clear then the computer will become confused. To help with their understanding, the children had to help Miss Shields make a jam sandwich but unfortunately this didn’t go to plan. The instructions Miss Shields received resulted in questionable jam sandwiches.

First, she was told to spread the butter on the bread then spread the jam on the bread. So children were quite surprised when this happened.

Another set of instructions was to get out the bread, get out the butter and get out the jam but children weren’t happy when I plopped these on the table and not the actual bread.

After a couple of failed attempts, children refined their instructions, however, they forgot to tell Miss Shields to use a knife so they were quite surprised when she spread the butter and jam with her hand. They then remembered to tell me that I needed to use a knife.

By following the unclear instructions, children were able to start understanding that an algorithm has to be clear instructions so that a computer knows exactly what to do and doesn’t get confused.

Making an animation

7th October 2025Ruth Shields

In computing, Year 3 have continued to explore scratch by creating an animation. Children used a variety of blocks to make their sprite move, spin or make a noise. Some children even started to add some dialogue to it. This lesson will support children ahead of the next lesson which will be where they start telling a story using code. Before we finished the lesson, some children shared their animation to the board and what their idea was.

Crew Invention

7th October 2025Ruth Shields

Building on from our last computing lesson, Crew Barber created an invention all together. We discussed the type of invention that we’d like and how we could modify it to suit everyone. We worked through and discussed the shapes we could use and how we would like the machine to work.

Our invention was a food and drinks machine at would allow you to order anything you wanted. You would type in what you wanted and the machine would make it automatically. The crew decided that this invention would be best suited in their bedroom so they could have food whenever they wanted. The winning requests were chicken nuggets, cupcakes or chips.

Independent timetable game

7th October 2025Ruth Shields

In computing today, children were able to build on their learning from last week by building the code for a timetable game independently. This allowed them to apply their skills from this unit of computing and demonstrate their understanding for coding.

Inventions

2nd October 2025Ruth Shields

After a quick recap of last weeks lesson, Crew Ramsay have been designing their own inventions. Miss Shields modelled her own invention before children were able to work independently on their own. We had cupcake machines, a machine that built castles, a machine that dropped balloons from the ceiling or made birthday cakes on demand.

Computers of the past

2nd October 2025Ruth Shields

Year 6, started the lesson with a game of bingo to help us recap key vocabulary that had been covered in previous lessons. Children then had an opportunity to play a computer game that would have been found in arcades in 1981. As you can imagine, they didn’t give it raving reviews considering it was considerably slower than the games they play. The graphics were quite simple and the music was very basic. This allowed us to start thinking about computers from the past and how they’ve evolved. We briefly discussed some of the first computers and historical figures from the computer world before they started to set up their slides in preparation for creating a presentation of their chosen area. This will continue into next week and then children will present their research to the rest of the crew.

Variables

30th September 2025Ruth Shields

Year 4 has continued their knowledge of variables today by starting to make a timetables quiz. Our session today was a guided session as it required lots of thinking power. We worked side by side to build the code, however, next week children will get an opportunity to work independently on building the code.

Making a Loop

30th September 2025Ruth Shields

To start the lessons, we reminded ourselves of what we’d discovered last week when we were tinkering with scratch. We thought of 5 things then shared this with our partners.

Screenshot

Once we had reminded ourselves of the capabilities of Scratch, we explored making a loop by using sounds for our sprite and having them play the sounds at the same time.

Inventions

25th September 2025Ruth Shields

In computing this week, we have started to think about possible inventions we could make. We revisited the technology safari that we did last week to remind ourselves of all the different things we see daily that have a computer in them.

We looked at a rocket powered chair and started to think about some questions we would like to ask about it. Miss Shields helped to rephrase some of the words to ensure it was phrased as a question.


Before we create our own inventions, we watched Dr Binocs who told us about technology inventions that changed our lives. This was to support children with starting to generate ideas about what their invention could be before they design their own in the next session.

Tinkering with Scratch

24th September 2025Ruth Shields

Year started a new unit in computing this week which will be starting to explore the coding programme Scratch. Children had the opportunity to explore the different blocks, starting to build a code and changing their background and sprite. Before we ended the lesson, some children shared their code with the rest of the class on the big screen.