This activity introduces preschool students to the concepts of persistence and algorithms through an unplugged coding activity where they build a structure. Students will plan a sequence to build a foundation and draw or write down the steps. They will work in small groups with limited supplies to construct a foundation that can hold a textbook for over 10 seconds, experiencing challenges that require persistence. The activity teaches students to decompose large tasks into smaller steps and arrange the steps in logical order, helping them understand sequencing and the process of achieving an outcome through trial and error.

1. Building a Foundation - “Unplugged” Coding Activity Review
Overview:
Thisactivityintroducestostudentsthe pre-codingconceptpersistence and
codingconcepts algorithms&programming whenbuildingafoundation. The
studentswill planasequence forbuildingtheirfoundationwhere theywill
draw or write downthe stepsintheirplan. Youngchildrenwillexperience
challengeswhere theyare requiredtopersistthrough.Inthislesson,
studentswill be buildingastructure withcommonmaterials.The structure
will be testedonitsabilitytoholdatextbookformore than tenseconds.
Age: 4+ Source:Code.org Course C : Lesson1 , Course 1 : Lesson9
Purpose:
The STEM practice persistence isafocusfor thisunpluggedcoding
activity.Itisimportantfor pre-schoolerstoexperience new and
unsolvedproblemswhichare challenginginorderto have any chance
of makingsomethingcreative,useful,andclever (Code.org).Having
opportunitiestoconstruct sequencingusing trial anderrorand a safe
environmenttofail allowsforpersonal growthand topractice
persistence.Thisactivityallowsstudentstostartto identify,model
and liststrategiesforpersistencewhile workingonadifficulttask.
Theywill alsostartto understandthatinorder to achieve an
outcome there isa processand a sequence thattheyare to follow.
Activity explained:
In thislesson,studentswilllearnthatalgorithmsare everywhere in
our dailylives.Forexample,itispossibletowrite analgorithmtobuild
a structure.Insteadof givingvague orover-generalizedinstructions,
studentswill breakdownalarge activityintosmallerandmore
specificcommands.Fromthese commands,studentsmustdetermine
a special sequence of instructionsthatwill allow theirclassmate to
builda solidfoundation. Thiswill allowstudentstovisualise other
student’sprocessesandmethodsfromadifferentperspective. This
unpluggedactivitywill be difficultforstudentsandissuggestedthat
persistence videosandexamplesare firstshown.A discussionisthenconstructedaroundwhatfrustration
feelslike andpersistence lookslike. Strategiesare designedtoovercome frustrationsostudentscanuse
these inreal life situations.Discusswiththe studentsthattheyare todraw a sequence of how theymade
theirfoundation.Examplesof sequencingwill be shown.Eachgroupof studentswill use the providedsupplies
to create a solidfoundationthatisable toholda textbookhighlightingitsstructural strength.
Students will be able to:
 Decompose large activitiesintoaseriesof smallerevents.
 Arrange sequentialeventsintotheir logicalorder.
Direction for setting up/materials:
Thisactivityissuggestedtobe done insmall groupsof six studentsratherthanas a whole class.A collection
of supplieswillbe neededfor eachgroup.It's suggestedthatitis importantthatthese available suppliesare
limitedinnumberandstructurallyunsound inordertoprovide achallenge.Code.orgsuggestspotential
supplykitsinclude:
 20 gumdropsand 50 toothpicks

2.  20 drinkingstrawsand6" of tape
 20 marshmallowsand20 craft sticks
 10 playingcardsand 4" of tape
The studentsshouldbe providedwithexamplesinthe areathat the activityishappeningin.Code.org
recommendsnothighlightingtothe studentsthatthese previouslyconstructeddesignsare there but
howeverallowthemtonotice these intheirowntime whentheyare feelingfrustrated.Thisissostudentsare
involvedinthe designprocessbutare providedscaffoldingduringthisplanningstage asitischallengingfor
youngstudents.
Questions to ask:
 What do we needtodo to make it work?
 What stepswill we take?,Whatdowe need
to do first,second,lastetc?
 What mighthappenif youcombined_____
with_____?
 What wouldyouchange?
 What didyou predictwouldhappen?
 What didyou notice?
 What couldyoudo instead?
Review:
Thisunpluggedactivityisthe beginninglessonprovidedbycode.orgtypicallydesignedforolderstudentsit
encouragesstudentstolookatpreviouslyconstructedideasandplanamethodfortheirownstructure.Thisis
nonethelessanideal lessontointroduce the conceptof sequencingtopre-schoolerswhilstalsobuildingon
youngstudent’spersonal growth –the value of persistence.
STEM learning:
Thisunpluggedcodingactivityis‘openended’andcanbe appliedtoanyconstructioninvestigationordesign
project.
Concepts – include cause and effect, scale, structures
Skills –Multiple skillsare usedinthe creationof the structuresand educatorswill be able tosupportearly
learningintheirscaffoldingandinteractionswithchildrenastheyuse the materialsforthe game.Theywill
use and applyengineeringthinkingpracticesobserving/describing,classifying/sorting,questioning,
predicting/explaining,problemsolvingandposing,communicating,planning,designingsolutions,evaluating.
Examples of what it might look like or hear
 Childrendescribingwhattheybuiltandhow theydidit
 I was imagining…
 Childrenfollowingplanstobuildthings
 Childrenmakingfoundationswithlooseparts
Reference:
Code.org(2018) Building a Foundation.Retrievedfrom:https://code.org/