Vocabulary Activity

First, we will review all the vocabulary together so you can ask questions or ask for examples if you need them.

Then, you will be assigned one of the vocabulary words to work with. On a mini poster, you will do three things with it:

1. Write the definition clearly so everyone can read it.

2. Create a picture to show what the word means.

3. Give an example.

Point values:

Word in top, left box 10 points (5 for neatness)

Definitions in top, right box: 10 for correctness, 10 for neatness

Illustration in bottom, left: 25 for correctness (shows meaning of word/term), 10 for neatness (must be colored.

Example in bottom, right: 25 for correctness (in words, pictures or both), 10 for neatness.

TOTAL = 100

Programming Vocabulary

1. Hardware is the physical parts of a computer (or robot).

2. Software is the set of programs and applications that make hardware, like a computer or a

robot, run.

3. A computer program is a collection of instructions that tell a computer to perform a specific task

4. A programming language is a set of rules and instructions used to write computer

programs. EdScratch is a programming language specially designed for programming

Edison robots.

5. Code (short for source code) describes text written using a programming language by a computer programmer.

6. A command is an order to a computer program to perform a specific task

7. In block based programming languages like EdScratch, adding blocks together is sometimes called stacking blocks and a program is sometimes called a stack or a block stack.

8. Execute means to carry out or to “do” a command.

9. Sequence means going in order, step by step.

10. Inputs are the information and instructions that you give a computer.

11. Processing is what the computer does with a computer program full of information and

instructions. This is sometimes called “running” the program.

12. Outputs are the results you get from a computer. What the computer displays, or how the

robot behaves, are the outputs you get based on the information and instructions you gave

the computer.

13. Input parameters are the things you can change inside a block, like the numbers and

choices in the drop down lists. 

HINT: You can think of input parameters as specific pieces of information needed in an input.

For example, if you want Edison to drive forward, you need to give the robot specific information about that command, such as how far to drive and at what speed.

14. When something isn’t working in a computer program, it is called a bug .

15. Finding and fixing bugs in a computer program is called debugging .

16. Syntax is the rules of how a programming language works. All languages have rules about spelling and grammar and how to write it so it makes sense. 

Remember our example: Let’s eat, Grandma. versus: Let’s eat Grandma.

17. Syntax errors are caused by problems in how you wrote your code which break the rules of

the language. These errors are sort of like typos or spelling mistakes in writing.

      HINT : An example of a syntax error is when you put a “tempo” block inside a block to “play music in the background”, because EdScratch only takes “note” blocks inside “play music in the background” blocks. The robot won’t understand it, so it won’t even download the program.

18. Logic is an organized way of thinking that makes sense.  With programming, logic determines the flow of a program, how you order things inside a program to get it to do what you want.

19. Logical errors Logical errors are problems with the way of thinking in a program. Programs that ask a computer to do something that it cannot do.

HINT: If a program works differently than you expected it to work, there is a good chance that there’s a logical error somewhere.

20. A loop is a special piece of code that tells a computer to repeat something multiple times.

Loops are a type of control structure because loops control other bits of code in a program.

21. A definite loop is a type of loop which will repeat for a set number of times. The repeat

block in EdScratch is an example of a definite loop. You tell the loop how many times to repeat using the block’s input parameter.

22. An indefinite loop is a type of loop which will repeat for an undefined number of times. The

forever block in EdScratch is an example of an indefinite loop. This loop block tells Edison to

keep repeating the code blocks inside this loop forever.

23. A conditional  is a bit of code that is dependent on something else (a condition). It will only happen if its condition is met.