The Pirate Code

The Pirate Code KS1 

Duration: 1 hour, max capacity: 35 students 

Set sail on this voyage into coding as part of the pirate crew - but without a screen or keyboard on the horizon!  The key skills of programming, debugging, sorting, and communication are developed and applied with Pirate Robot games, dressing up, dancing parrots, and time using the lovely Cubetto Primo robots. The workshop teaches the concepts of coding without any on-screen activities or text input.

Key Words:

Coding, Programming, Debugging, Logic, Algorithm, Dressing up, Pirates, Games.

Learning objectives:

Enjoy and learn about the key skills of computer coding, but without computers.

To gain experience of identifying errors in algorithms (‘debugging’).

Practise creating simple programs.

Look for patterns in sequences of information.

Write a logical sequence of instructions that enable a robot to complete a task.

Content:

Work in teams to solve a series of five, pirate-themed puzzles.

Try to be a good pirate for the Pirate Robot - dressing-up required!

Sort out a muddled pirate song (the Pirate Robot calls it ‘debugging’).

Send the Pirate Robot out to find the treasure – will your instructions work?

And finally, program Cubetto Primo robots (no screens or typing required) to perform a dance together to entertain the pirate crew.

Curriculum Links:

Computing KS1

Understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions.

Create and debug simple programs.

Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs.

Human and physical geography 

Potential Hazards and accessibility

Dressing up props will need to be put on and removed with care.

Students will move around the classroom, so care will need to be taken to avoid tripping, collisions etc.