Technologies · Year 2

Active learning ideas

Movement and Direction

Active programming tasks let students experience movement and direction in real time, which helps them internalize abstract directional concepts. Working with sprites on screen connects directly to their spatial awareness skills from math class, making this topic more concrete and memorable.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9TDI2P03

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Pair Programming: Shape Paths

Partners take turns: one verbally directs a path like a square or star, the other snaps directional blocks to match. Run the code, observe results, and adjust numbers for speed or turns. Switch roles and compare paths.

Design a sequence of code to make a sprite move in a specific path.

Facilitation Tip

During Pair Programming: Shape Paths, have students alternate roles as driver and navigator every three blocks to keep both partners engaged.

What to look for

Present students with a simple code block sequence for a sprite. Ask them to draw the path the sprite will take on a grid, then run the code to verify their prediction. Discuss any differences.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 40 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Speed Challenges

Groups design racetracks with obstacles. Program sprites to navigate at different speeds by changing step sizes in move blocks. Race sprites, record times, and tweak code to improve performance.

Analyze how changing numerical values in code blocks affects movement.

Facilitation Tip

In Small Groups: Speed Challenges, limit the number of attempts each group gets before sharing their fastest time to encourage strategy over trial and error.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a sprite starting at a specific point. Ask them to write down two code blocks that would make the sprite move to a target location, and one block that would change its speed. They should also write one sentence explaining why they chose those blocks.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Code Gallery Walk

Students upload path programs to a shared screen. Class walks around, predicts outcomes, runs codes, and suggests improvements. Vote on most creative paths.

Compare different ways to make a sprite turn or change direction.

Facilitation Tip

During Whole Class: Code Gallery Walk, provide a checklist of features to comment on so students focus on movement and direction rather than just aesthetics.

What to look for

Show two different code sequences that achieve the same sprite movement (e.g., one using 'move forward' blocks, another using 'go to x,y' blocks). Ask students: 'Which code is easier to read? Why? Which code would be better if you wanted the sprite to move faster? Explain your reasoning.'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Debug Dash

Provide buggy code snippets for common paths. Students run each, identify errors in directions or speeds, and fix using test runs. Share one fix with the class.

Design a sequence of code to make a sprite move in a specific path.

Facilitation Tip

In Individual: Debug Dash, give students access to printed block cheat sheets at their desks to reduce off-task time searching for commands.

What to look for

Present students with a simple code block sequence for a sprite. Ask them to draw the path the sprite will take on a grid, then run the code to verify their prediction. Discuss any differences.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model the habit of running small sections of code frequently rather than waiting until the entire sequence is built. Avoid explaining direction as absolute (left, right) unless it matches the sprite’s orientation. Research shows that physical movement alongside coding—like walking a robot toy through a path—reinforces relative direction understanding better than screen-only demonstrations.

Students should be able to predict sprite movement from code, adjust speed and direction intentionally, and explain why changes affect outcomes. They should also show confidence in testing, revising, and debugging their sequences.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Pair Programming: Shape Paths, watch for students who ignore turn blocks and expect sprites to continue moving forward only.

  Have pairs physically stand up and act out the sprite’s movement while reading each block aloud, emphasizing that turns change direction relative to the sprite’s current facing.

• During Small Groups: Speed Challenges, watch for students who think larger numbers in move blocks increase speed rather than distance.

  Set up timed trials where groups race the same path with different move values, then record how many steps and how long each run takes to reveal the difference between distance and speed.

• During Individual: Debug Dash, watch for students who believe code must work perfectly on the first try without testing intermediate steps.

  Require students to run the code after every two blocks and verbally predict the sprite’s next position before adding more, building testing into the building process.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning