Visual Branching (If-Then Logic)

Active learning works for this topic because young students grasp ‘if-then’ logic best when they can move, talk, and see the choices play out. Acting out decisions and drawing simple paths makes abstract branching concrete and memorable.

• Year 1
• Technologies
• 3 activities
• 15 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the condition and the action in a given 'if-then' statement.
2. Explain how a choice in a visual branching scenario leads to a different outcome.
3. Create a simple visual branching story with at least two decision points.
4. Analyze how changing a condition in an 'if-then' statement alters the sequence of instructions.

Simulation Game

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Simulation Game: The Weather Path

Create two paths on the floor with masking tape. At a 'decision point', the teacher holds up a sun or a rain cloud. Students must choose the correct path based on the 'if-then' rule.

Prepare & details

Explain how we decide to wear a coat based on the weather.

Facilitation Tip: During The Weather Path, give each child a weather card to hold so the class can physically ‘branch’ left or right based on the card shown.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Choice Stories

In small groups, students create a three-page story. On the second page, the character faces a choice (e.g., go left or right). They draw two different endings based on that choice.

Prepare & details

Predict what instruction a robot should follow if it hits a wall.

Facilitation Tip: While students work on Choice Stories, circulate and ask, ‘What happens if the main character chooses the red door instead?’ to reinforce alternative paths.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Robot Decisions

Ask: 'If a robot is cleaning and sees a cat, what should it do?' Students think of a rule, share with a partner, and explain their 'if-then' logic.

Prepare & details

Analyze how choices change the path we take in a story.

Facilitation Tip: For Robot Decisions, provide a small toy robot and have students physically move it along the grid to model each decision step.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by starting with children’s everyday decisions before introducing flowchart symbols. Avoid using algorithmic jargon; instead, use phrases like ‘what happens next’ and ‘the rule that tells us what to do’. Research suggests that pairing spoken instructions with visual arrows and physical movement builds stronger mental models for young learners.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students using ‘if-then’ language to describe choices, following visual paths without teacher prompting, and creating their own simple flowcharts with correct decision points.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During The Weather Path, watch for students saying the weather ‘chooses’ where to go. Redirect by asking, ‘Who made the rule that tells us what to do when it rains?’

What to Teach Instead

During Choice Stories, if students claim the story ‘decides’ what happens next, point to the flowchart and say, ‘Remember, we wrote this rule: if the character picks the blue key, then the door opens. The rule decides, not the story.’

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After The Weather Path, hold up the sandwich flowchart and ask students to point to the ‘if’ and ‘then’ parts in each decision box. Listen for them to say the rule aloud.

Exit Ticket

During Choice Stories, collect each student’s two ‘if-then’ cards and check that both cards follow the correct structure and match the story conditions.

Discussion Prompt

After Robot Decisions, show the two colored paths on the floor grid. Ask guiding questions to ensure students describe the branching rule, such as, ‘What choice must we make to follow the red path?’

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students who finish early to add a second decision box to their flowchart, such as ‘If it is cold, then wear a jacket’ after the first rule.
• Scaffolding for students who struggle: provide sentence starters like ‘If ____, then ____’ on sticky notes to place in their flowcharts.
• Deeper exploration: invite students to create a flowchart for a morning routine at home and share it with the class the next day.

Key Vocabulary

If-Then Logic	A statement that describes a condition (if) and what should happen when that condition is met (then).
Condition	The part of an 'if-then' statement that describes a situation or requirement that must be true for the action to happen.
Action	The part of an 'if-then' statement that describes what happens when the condition is met.
Branch	A path or direction taken in a sequence of instructions or a story based on a decision or condition.