Science worksheet · Coding unplugged
Put the Algorithm in Order
Number the steps of two everyday algorithms, brushing your teeth and planting a seed.
- Grade level
- Grades K–2
- Time
- About 15 minutes
- Topic
- Coding unplugged
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Coding unplugged, Algorithms, Debugging
What kids do
Printed on the sheet:
- An algorithm is a list of steps in the right order. A computer needs every step, in order, to do a job.
- 1. Brushing your teeth: number the steps from 1 to 6.
- Spit into the sink.
- Pick up your toothbrush.
- Put the toothbrush away.
- Brush the top and bottom teeth.
- Squeeze toothpaste onto the brush.
- Rinse the toothbrush.
Teacher tip
Ask what happens if you do the steps out of order. Kids love the silly answers.
How to use it
- Act out the code first: one child is the robot, another reads the arrows.
- Tape a grid on the floor and walk the code.
- Start with a two-minute “I notice, I wonder” talk about the picture on the sheet.
Watch for
Mixing up the robot’s left and right when it faces down the page. Turn the paper to match.
Talk about it
- What is an algorithm you use every day?
- What evidence helped you choose your answer?
Take it further
Have kids write a code for a partner to follow on a grid.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More coding unplugged worksheets
Grades 3–5
Write Your Name in Binary
Use a code of ones and zeros to decode two words and write your own name the way a computer could.
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