Resources by Barefoot Computing

Scratch Tinkering Activity

A learning activity guide, from Barefoot Computing, for teachers in primary schools. It provides structure for an introductory programming session using Scratch. The activity involves tinkering within the Scratch environment - initially using existing Scratch projects then moving on to the creation of new projects...

ScratchJr Knock Knock Joke Activity

This Barefoot activity for young programmers exploits the sequencing and timing of joke-telling to help students learn good programming techniques. After planning an animation using a storyboard technique they then code it using the Scratch Jr app, and debug it. Tips for supporting the less able, as well as...

ScratchJr Tinkering

A Barefoot Computing introductory programming activity for lower-primary children learning computing. Using the iPad app Scratch Jr, children are given the opportunity to develop skills by tinkering with existing programs as well as creating their own. Children might be offered the chance to tinker with other basic...

Selecting Search Results

This Barefoot Computing primary school resource helps children to Understand how search engines work. By acting as a ‘web crawler’ and collecting information across a small selection of web pages, they learn what in data is indexed by search engines and how this is used when a search query is received. As well as...

SEND guidance Barefoot Computing

This document offers guidance on how to deliver the computing curriculum to pupils with special educational needs who are working below national curriculum levels. The document outlines the different computational thinking concepts and the P scales with which to assess children against.

Session 1 - Tinkering

Our first activity introduces children to the fakebot (a printed or drawn Beebot). It allows your child/ren to explore through play what something can or cannot do. This is known as tinkering.

Please see the session plan for further guidance. 

Session 2 - 1, 2, 3 Programming Activity

This week's activity continues to use a fakebot (a printed or drawn Beebot) to create numbers. 
Many of the concepts and approaches built into this lesson support computational thinking (problem solving):
• They use decomposition to break down the numerals into sections, making it easier to write the...

Session 2 - 2D Shape Drawings Activity: an Introduction to Debugging Algorithms

The main objective of this session is to understand what debugging and logical reasoning is, by using a 2D drawing and algorithm...

Session 3 - Algorithms and Programming

This week we continue to use a fakebot and review the terms ‘algorithm’ (a set of steps, instructions or rules) and ‘debugging’ (fixing an error) as the children learn to create instructions for a programmable device. We make the fakebot travel around shapes and then stars.

Please see the session plan for...