Computing · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Route Planning with Obstacles

Active learning works for route planning because young students learn spatial reasoning best through physical movement and hands-on trial. Obstacles make abstract commands concrete, helping children see why precise sequencing matters. When students test plans on mats, they connect instructions to outcomes faster than with paper exercises alone.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Computing - Programming
• KS1: Computing - Algorithms

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

Activity 01

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 35 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Custom Obstacle Course

Provide grid mats, tape, and small obstacles like blocks. Groups design a start-to-finish path avoiding barriers, count steps, and program the robot. Test the path, note collisions, and revise instructions collaboratively.

Can you find a path for the robot that goes around all the obstacles?

Facilitation Tip

During Custom Obstacle Course, place obstacles close to start/end points first so students practice quick detours.

What to look for

Present students with a grid mat showing a start point, a target, and one obstacle. Ask them to draw the path the robot should take and write down the commands (e.g., Forward, Turn Left, Turn Right) in order. Check if the path avoids the obstacle and the commands are logical.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 25 min · Pairs

Pairs: Predict and Test Paths

Pairs draw a planned path on paper first, predict robot behaviour at obstacles, then program and run the Bee-Bot. Compare predictions to outcomes, swap roles to debug errors.

What do you think the robot will do when it reaches the box in its way?

Facilitation Tip

In Predict and Test Paths, have one partner verbalize the plan before the other types it into the robot to catch vague instructions early.

What to look for

Show students a pre-programmed path for a robot that fails because it hits an obstacle. Ask: 'What went wrong with this path? How could we change the instructions to make the robot reach the target successfully?' Listen for students identifying the incorrect sequence or lack of detour.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Path Relay Challenge

Divide class into teams. Each team adds one obstacle to a shared mat, plans around it, and demonstrates. Class votes on clearest paths and discusses improvements.

How many steps does the robot need to travel from the start to the finish?

Facilitation Tip

For Path Relay Challenge, assign roles so every child participates, even those less confident with directions.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a simple grid, a start, a target, and an obstacle. Ask them to write down the number of steps their robot would take to reach the target while avoiding the obstacle. Collect these to gauge understanding of path length and obstacle avoidance.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Sketch and Sequence

Students sketch a simple obstacle map individually, list steps in words, then program a robot to follow. Share one success with a partner for feedback.

Can you find a path for the robot that goes around all the obstacles?

Facilitation Tip

During Sketch and Sequence, provide grid mats with pre-drawn start and target symbols to save time on setup.

What to look for

Present students with a grid mat showing a start point, a target, and one obstacle. Ask them to draw the path the robot should take and write down the commands (e.g., Forward, Turn Left, Turn Right) in order. Check if the path avoids the obstacle and the commands are logical.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by letting students experience failure first. A collision teaches more than a lecture about obstacles. Use think-alouds to model planning: count steps aloud, pause at potential barriers, and revise plans publicly. Keep directions short and repeat key phrases like 'forward three, turn right' to build automaticity. Avoid giving answers; instead, ask guiding questions like 'Where might the robot get stuck?' to prompt reflection.

Successful learning looks like students adjusting paths after collisions, counting steps accurately, and using directional language with confidence. You should see them revising plans without prompting and explaining why certain routes work. Groups should collaborate to troubleshoot together, not just follow a single correct answer.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Custom Obstacle Course, watch for students assuming the robot will move around obstacles automatically.

  Stop the group after a collision and ask, 'Why did the robot stop? What instruction did we forget?' Then have them add 'Forward, Turn Left, Forward' around the barrier before testing again.

• During Predict and Test Paths, watch for students insisting the shortest path is always best despite obstacles.

  After a robot fails, ask, 'How many steps did the collision cost us?' Then challenge the pair to sketch a longer route that avoids all barriers and recount the total steps.

• During Sketch and Sequence, watch for students using vague directions like 'go around' instead of precise turns.

  Point to the grid and say, 'Show me exactly where the turn happens.' Have them trace the path with a finger and label each move with a precise command before programming the robot.

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Methods used in this brief

• Outdoor Investigation Session