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Getting Loopy

Lesson time: 15 Minutes         Basic lesson time includes activity only. Introductory and Wrap-Up suggestions can be used to delve deeper when time allows.

Lesson Overview

Loops are a handy way of describing actions that repeat a certain numbers of times. In this lesson, students will practice converting sets of actions into a single loop.

Teaching Summary

Getting Started - 15 minutes

1) Review
2) Vocabulary
3) Repeat After Me

Activity: Loops - 15 minutes

4) Getting Loopy

Wrap-up - 10 minutes

5) Flash Chat - What did we learn?

Assessment - 10 minutes

6) Getting Loopy Assessment

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

  • Repeat actions initiated by the instructor
  • Translate a picture program into a live-action dance
  • Convert a series of multiple actions into a single loop

Teaching Guide

Materials, Resources and Prep

For the Student

For the Teacher

Getting Started (15 min)

1) Review

This is a great time to review the last lesson that you went through with your class. You can do this as one large group or have students discuss with an elbow partner.

Here are some questions that you can ask in review:

  • What did we do last time?

  • What do you wish we had had a chance to do?

  • Did you think of any questions after the lesson that you want to ask?

  • What was your favorite part of the last lesson?

Lesson Tip

Finishing the review by asking about the students' favorite things helps to leave a positive impression of the previous exercise, increasing excitement for the activity that you are about to introduce.

2) Vocabulary

This lesson has one new and important vocabulary word:

Loop - Say it with me: Loop
The action of doing something over and over again

3) Repeat After Me

Activity: (15 min)

4) Getting Loopy

Today, we're going to have a dance party!

Sometimes, when you know that you will be doing something over and over, it is helpful to know how many times it needs to be done before you begin. That way, you can keep track of how many actions you have left as you go.

Example:

If your mom wanted you to play her favorite song over and over, she wouldn’t say:

“Please play my song, play my song, play my song, play my song.”

She would most likely say:

“Please play my song four times.”

Lesson Tip

Looking for some good music? Here are some great places to find some:

Please be advised that some of these stations may display ads with third-party content. If you find that displayed ads are inappropriate, you may want to direct students to a different site, or research ad-blockers that can prevent this content.

Directions:

  1. Look at the dance moves provided on the Getting Loopy Worksheet.

  2. Show the class what the entire dance looks like done at full-speed.

  3. Run through the dance slowly, one instruction at a time, with the class.

  4. Can you find the loop in the instructions?

    • What would the dance look like if we only repeated the main part 2 times?
    • What if we repeated the main part 4 times?

  5. Can you find anything else in the dance that we could use a loop for?

Wrap-up (10 min)

5) Flash Chat: What did we learn?

  • Do you think it is easier to add more pictures to the screen or change the number of times we loop?
    • Would your answer be the same if we wanted to loop 100 times?
  • Could we use these same loops with different dance moves?
  • Do you know any dances that are done inside a loop?
  • What was your favorite part about that activity?

Assessment (10 min)

6) Assessment Worksheet: Getting Loopy Assessment

  • Hand out the worksheet titled "Getting Loopy" and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been well explained.
  • This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Extended Learning

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

So Moving

  • Give the students pictures of actions or dance moves that they can do.
    • Have students arrange moves and add loops to choreograph their own dance.
  • Share the dances with the rest of the class.

Connect It Back

  • Find some YouTube videos of popular dances that repeat themselves.
  • Can your class find the loops?
  • Try the same thing with songs!

Connections and Background Information

ISTE Standards (formerly NETS)

  • 1.c - Use models and simulation to explore complex systems and issues.
  • 2.d - Contribute to project teams to solve problems.
  • 4.b - Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
  • 6.a - Understand and use technology systems.

CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards

  • CT.L1:3-03. Understand how to arrange information into useful order without using a computer.
  • CT.L1:6-01. Understand and use the basic steps in algorithmic problem-solving.
  • CT.L1:6-02. Develop a simple understanding of an algorithm using computer-free exercise.
  • CT.L1:6-05. Make a list of sub-problems to consider while addressing a larger problem.
  • CPP.L1.3-04. Construct a set of statements to be acted out to accomplish a simple task.
  • CPP.L1:6-05. Construct a program as a set of step-by-step instructions to be acted out.
  • CT.L2-03. Define an algorithm as a sequence of instructions that can be processed by a computer.
  • CT.L2-06. Describe and analyze a sequence of instructions being followed.

NGSS Science and Engineering Practices

  • K-2-PS3-2 - Use tools and materials provided to design and build a device that solves a specific problem or a solution to a specific problem.

Common Core Mathematical Practices

  • 1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
  • 2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
  • 4. Model with mathematics.
  • 6. Attend to precision.
  • 7. Look for and make use of structure.
  • 8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Common Core Math Standards

  • K.CC.4 - Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.
  • K.CC.6 - Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.
  • K.MD.3 - Classify objects into given categories; count the numbers of objects in each category and sort the categories by count.

Common Core Language Arts Standards

  • SL.K.1 - Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
  • SL.K.2 - Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
  • L.K.6 - Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.
  • SL.1.1 - Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups
  • SL.1.2 - Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
  • L.1.6 - Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g., because).
  • SL.2.1 - Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
  • SL.2.2 - Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
  • L.2.6 - Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe.

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