Unplugged Activities

A good proportion of the Digital Technologies Curriculum can be taught without the need for computers. These unplugged lessons allow students to practice Computational Thinking, Systems Thinking and Design Thinking. Whilst a computer is initially required to access the activities, they can be delivered in a variety of creative ways including cards, hand-outs, through role-play and with props.

Webinar by Tim Bell on Digital Technologies Hub

CS-Unplugged (original)

CS-Unplugged - the book (pdf)

CS-Unplugged 2.0

CS-Unplugged 2.0 resources

Code Club Australia - 5 coding activities without a computer

Coding with Lego

Egg carton coding

Unplugged Activities by Band:

(This is a guide only. Lessons that appear in lower bands might also be useful in higher bands)

F-2

Finding 2-D shapes (CS-Unplugged 2.0)

Moving in a shape(CS-Unplugged 2.0)

3-4

Sorting algorithms (CS-Unplugged)

Fitness unplugged (CS-Unplugged 2.0)

Sending a rocket to Mars (CS-Unplugged 2.0)

5-6 (in addition to Band 3-4 activities)

Put the user in user interface (Digital Technologies Hub lesson)

In this lesson sequence students investigate the importance of quality design and design principles in creating an efficient and effective user interface.

Binary Numbers (CS-Unplugged 2.0) Binary Numbers (CS-Unplugged original)

Sorting networks (CS-Unplugged 2.0) Sorting networks (CS-Unplugged)

Image representation (CS-Unplugged)

Searching algorithms (CS-Unplugged)

Routing and deadlock in networks (CS-Unplugged)

Network protocols (CS-Unplugged)

7-8 (in addition to Band 3-4 & 5-6 activities)

Error detection and correction (CS-Unplugged 2.0) Error detection (CS-Unplugged original)

The modulo operator unplugged (CS-Unplugged 2.0)

Minimal spanning trees (CS-Unplugged)

Finite state automata (CS-Unplugged)

9-10 (in addition to Band 5-6 & 7-8 activities)

Text compression (CS-Unplugged)

Information theory (CS-Unplugged)