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No computer needed for this lesson

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We've compiled a list of all of our unplugged lessons for you to use in your classroom. Now you can teach the fundamentals of computer science, whether you have computers in your classroom or not!

We refer to lessons in which students are not working on a computer as "unplugged." Students will often work with pencil and paper or physical manipulatives. These are intentionally placed kinesthetic opportunities that help students digest complicated concepts in ways that relate to their own lives.

Unplugged lessons are particularly useful for building and maintaining a collaborative classroom environment, and they are useful touchstone experiences you can refer to when introducing more abstract concepts. Each of these activities can either be used alone or with other computer science lessons on related concepts.

Ages 4+, English only

Course

Lesson Plan

Concept

Video

Loops

Impacts of Computing

Course C

Sequencing

Loops

C.15 - Binary Bracelets
*Supplies: Markers. Optional - 18 black/18 white beads, 1 pipe cleaner per student
Binary is extremely important in the world of computers. The majority of computers today store all sorts of information in binary form. This lesson helps demonstrate how it is possible to take something from real life and translate it into a series of ons and offs.

Binary

Impacts of Computing

Digital Citizenship

Course F

Variables

For Loops

The following lessons are organized by concept and can be found in earlier versions of our CS Fundamentals courses. Additional resources you may want to consult as you plan to use these lessons include:

Digital Citizenship
Crowdsourcing

*Common Sense Education has a full Digital Citizenship Curriculum that includes many unplugged activities.

Functions

Functional Suncatchers
In this lesson, students will make a suncatcher out of string, beads, and a special charm. The students will follow a series of repetitive steps, then be asked to identify certain sets of "skills" that are duplicated several times. Once those skills are defined, they will be called from a main program and the whole beautiful process of creation will be recorded on a single sheet of paper. The final program will be geared toward the entire class, whatever their type of string, beads, and charms. To effectively allow for this, students will need to "abstract out" the details of their specific materials and create vague terms for an individual's supplies. This use of generic placeholders is a wonderful introduction to variables.

Lesson Video
See Lesson in Action
Activity Answer Key Assessment Answer Key

Algorithms

Dice Race
In this lesson, students will relate the concept of algorithms back to real-life activities by playing the Dice Race game. The goal here is to start building the skills to translate real-world situations to online scenarios and vice versa.

Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking with Monsters
With nothing but paper and markers, students will learn the four steps of computational thinking. After a brief introduction, students should be split into groups where they will have to create directions for other students to draw a specific monster (from a catalog of pre-selected monsters). The entire task must be decomposed, then teams will analyze all monsters in the catalog for patterns, abstract similar details from the monsters, then use that information to create an algorithm (directions) for another team to draw a certain monster. Teams will then switch algorithms with another group and draw the monster based on what that algorithm indicates. Is the drawing what the original team intended?

Persistence

Building a Foundation
New and unsolved problems are often pretty hard. If we want to have any chance of making something creative, useful, and clever, then we need to be willing to attack hard problems even if it means failing a few times before we succeed. In this lesson, students will be building a structure with common materials. The structure will be tested on its ability to hold a textbook for more than ten seconds. Most students will not get this right the first time, but it's important they push through and keep trying.

Abstraction

Mad Glibs
Abstraction is one of the most important skills for a computer scientist to understand. It simplifies problems and prevents unnecessary repetition. A good coder uses abstraction just about every time she creates a program. This activity will have your students analyze stories for differences so that they can abstract them away. Those abstracted stories become templates for fun and crazy new ones.

Variables ​

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We've compiled a list of all of our unplugged lessons for you to use in your classroom. Now you can teach the fundamentals of computer science, whether you have computers in your classroom or not! We refer to lessons in which students are not working on a computer as "unplugged."

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Coding

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Hour of Code

This year, we're taking Hour of Code to new heights by offering coding opportunities that encompass both artificial intelligence (AI) and non-AI components.

Want to keep learning? Go beyond an hour

Teachers: Host an hour or read the How-To Guide

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Use computer science to explore and learn about AI!

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Explore the world of computer science with engaging videos, self-paced tutorials, programming activities, and more!

Get Started with Hour of Code

Learn the fundamentals of computer science with free Hour of Code activities, featuring drag-and-drop coding blocks. There are hundreds of hour-long options to choose from!

Get Started with Hour of Code

Learn the fundamentals of computer science with free Hour of Code activities, featuring drag-and-drop coding blocks. There are hundreds of hour-long options to choose from!

Explore Hour of Code activities

Continue Learning at Your Own Pace

Create drawings, games, and more in these two excellent options for students getting started on their own learning the basics of computer science.

Ages 5-7

Pre-Reader Express Course

Learn computer science at your own pace! Learn to create computer programs, develop problem-solving skills, and work through fun challenges! Make games and creative projects to share with friends, family, and teachers.

Ages 7-11

Express Course

Learn computer science at your own pace! Learn to create computer programs, develop problem-solving skills, and work through fun challenges! Make games and creative projects to share with friends, family, and teachers.

Make Your Own Animations and Games

Ages 7+

Sprite Lab

Time to get creative! Use block-based coding to make something silly, sweet, or outer-spacey in Sprite Lab. The only limit is your imagination!

Try Sprite Lab

Additional Resources

There are so many ways to further explore computer science! Browse our video library, or learn more about exciting careers in the computer science field.

Discover our Video Library

Learn the basics of computer science through short 5-10 minute videos on topics like artificial intelligence, the Internet, how computers work, how not to get hacked, blockchain, careers, and more!

View video library

Go Further with CS Journeys

Take the next step on your computer science journey. Explore careers, mentorship opportunities, online courses, scholarships, internships and more!

Explore CS Journeys

Computer Science in the Classroom

These courses should be led by a teacher! If you'd like to see them taught at your school, ask a parent or guardian to work with a teacher to bring them to your class.

grades K-5

Computer Science Fundamentals

Free set of elementary curricula that introduces students to the foundational concepts of computer science and challenges them to explore how computing and technology can impact the world.

grades 3-5

Computer Science Connections

Make connections between computer science (CS) and other subjects like math, language arts, science, and social studies.

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Computer Science Curriculum for Grades K-5

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Explore the world of computer science with engaging videos, self-paced tutorials, programming activities, and more! Learn the fundamentals of computer science with free Hour of Code activities, featuring drag-and-drop coding blocks. There are hundreds of hour-long options to choose from! Learn the fundamentals of computer science with free Hour of Code activities, featuring drag-and-drop coding blocks.

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Coding

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Design your own candy troll and go on a multi-level quest for candy using code in this Hour of Code activity!

Activity Details

Design your own candy troll character and go on a multi-level quest for candy to eventually help your character find its way home. You'll solve coding puzzles to navigate your character through the human world, while avoiding obstacles and collecting gumdrops and mints.

Teacher Notes

Students solve several coding puzzles and learn to use basic programming concepts such as loops and conditional statements.

Teacher Guide | Answer Key

Standards

CCSS-ELA: 3.RI.3, 4.RI.3, 3.RI.5, 3.RF.4, 4.RF.4, 3.L.4
CSTA: L1:3.CT.1, L1:6.CT.1, L1:6.CPP.1, L1:6.CPP.5, L1:6.CPP.6

Get Started in 5 Minutes

50+ tutorials for Grade K-12

Progress tracking (needs classroom setup)

Student metrics & certificates (needs classroom setup)

Lesson guides & answer keys

Marketing materials

Set Up Your Classroom

Grades

K-4

Programming language

Tynker Blocks

Experience

Beginner

Activity type

Self-led Tutorial

Length

30 mins

Runs on: Chrome (29+), Firefox (30+), Safari (7+), or Edge (20+) browser

Tynker Curriculum Grant

FREE access to full curriculum for up to 30 students for the school year. Learn more

More Hour of Code Activities

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Candy Quest - Quest Programming | Tynker Hour of Code

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CANDY QUEST: Design your own candy troll and go on a multi-level quest for candy using quest programming code in this Hour of Code activity! Tynker makes learning to code fun!

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Write a story using code

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Draw a picture using code

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An interactive sandbox for learning how to code on the web.

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Create music using code!

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An interactive sandbox for learning how to code on the web.