Lesson 6

Rosie's Runtime

In this unplugged lesson, students will construct algorithms to guide Rosie the Robotic Dog on a game board. In the game, students help Rosie to fetch her bones and navigate to her doghouse, while avoiding mud puddles. Students will learn that computers do only exactly what you tell them.

Agenda

  1. Video: What is an Algorithm? Part 2 [1:34 to the end]
  2. Play Rosie's Runtime
  3. Brain Break: Doggie High Five
  4. Reflection & Close-Out:
    • What was one challenge you had when writing an algorithm for Rosie?
    • How did you work together with others to write an algorithm for Rosie?
    • Did you fix any bugs in your program? How did you fix them?

Materials

  • 2 sets of Rosie's Runtime materials:
    • floor tiles: start, end, 4 mud puddles
    • 2 plastic bones
    • Twister mats
  • 2 sets of Rosie's Runtime Command Cards: small / large
    • forward, right, and left cards (8+ each) from the yellow Bee-Bot command cards
    • "pick up bone" cards (2 each) and "jump over" cards (4 each) from the green extension cards
  • dog ears and tail (optional)

Vocabulary

algorithm: steps to complete a task

perseverance: trying again and again, even when something is very hard

program: a set of instructions written in a language that a computer understands

Additional Resources

Standards

CA CSS: K-2.AP.10 Model daily processes by creating and following algorithms to complete tasks.

CA CSS: K-2.AP.13 Decompose the steps needed to solve a problem into a sequence of instructions.

CA CSS: K-2.AP.16 Debug errors in an algorithm or program that includes sequences and simple loops.