Coding activity
Sequence Story Cards
Arrange picture cards to tell a story in the right order. Each card is a step in the 'program.' Mix them up and re-sequence!
Materials and setup
- index cards
- markers
- crayons
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Arrange picture cards to tell a story in the right order. Each card is a step in the 'program.' Mix them up and re-sequence!
Steps
- Draw or print 4 cards showing a daily routine: wake up, eat breakfast, brush teeth, go outside.
- Mix the cards up. Ask: 'What comes first? What's next?'
- Child arranges cards in the correct order.
- Count the steps: 'Our morning program has 4 steps!'
- Make a new set of cards for a different sequence: making a snack, planting a seed, etc.
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
- Draw the robot and its path on one page; color the start green and the end red.
Learning objectives
- Arrange events in logical sequential order
- Understand that programs are ordered sequences of steps
- Practice using sequence vocabulary: first, next, then, last
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Create and sequence algorithm cards for everyday tasks. Break complex activities into numbered steps, test by acting them out, and fix any missing steps.
Steps
- Pick an everyday task: making a bed, feeding a pet, getting ready for a trip.
- Write each step on a separate index card (aim for 6-8 steps).
- Mix cards up and have child re-sequence them.
- Test the algorithm: act out each step in order. Did you miss any steps?
- Add any missing steps and number the final cards. You've written an algorithm!
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Decompose a complex task into 6-8 sequential steps
- Test an algorithm by executing it and identifying missing steps
- Understand that algorithms are step-by-step instructions for completing tasks
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Write algorithms with branching paths. Create 'choose your own adventure' story cards where decisions lead to different sequences. Map the full decision tree on paper.
Steps
- Choose a scenario with decisions: exploring a cave, planning a birthday party, or surviving on a deserted island.
- Write the opening scene on Card 1. End with a choice: 'Do you go LEFT or RIGHT?'
- Create 2 cards for each choice branch (LEFT leads to Card 2A, RIGHT leads to Card 2B). Each of those cards ends with another choice.
- Continue for 3 levels of choices, creating at least 8 total ending cards with different outcomes (some good, some funny, some challenging).
- Draw a tree diagram showing how all the cards connect. Label each branch with the decision that leads to it.
- Have someone else play through your adventure. Did they reach the ending you expected? Are there any dead ends or missing connections?
- In one sentence, tell a parent or sibling what surprised you today.
Learning objectives
- Create branching algorithms where user input determines the execution path
- Visualize decision logic as a tree diagram with nodes and branches
- Test a branching program for completeness by verifying all paths lead to valid endings
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Design a complex algorithm for a real-world process, represent it as a flowchart with standard symbols, optimize it for efficiency, and compare your algorithm to how it is actually done in the real world.
Steps
- Choose a real-world process to algorithmize: how a library finds a book, how a restaurant handles an order from kitchen to table, how mail gets sorted and delivered, or how a search engine finds web pages.
- Research how the process actually works. Take notes on each step, decision point, and possible outcome.
- Draw a flowchart using standard symbols: ovals for start/end, rectangles for processes, diamonds for decisions, arrows for flow direction.
- Include at least 3 decision points (diamonds) with branching paths, and at least one loop (a path that returns to an earlier step).
- Analyze your flowchart for efficiency: are there any unnecessary steps? Could any steps run in parallel? Mark potential optimizations in a different color.
- Compare your algorithm to how the process actually works in the real world. Write a paragraph explaining similarities, differences, and what surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Research and decompose real-world processes into algorithmic steps and decision points
- Create formal flowcharts using standard symbols and conventions
- Analyze algorithms for efficiency and identify optimization opportunities
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
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