Unplugged activities for your Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary Computing classroom

Using unplugged activities in class 

Do you find it challenging to teach complex Computing topics to your students? Do you struggle to simplify difficult concepts for them to understand? While it may seem essential for students to always be in front of a computer when studying computing, there are plenty of concepts that can be explained, illustrated, or practised without one. In fact, many of the problems computer scientists aim to solve can be modelled first using real-life examples or activities. Unplugged activities offer your learners a chance to engage with a concept in a new way without relying on an electronic device. As a teacher, it’s important to recognize these opportunities for learning beyond the screen. 

In this blog post, we will explore some of the effective ways you can introduce your learners to complex topics without using a computer. But first, it’s important to understand that unplugged activities can come in various forms, including drama, art, role-play, presentations, group discussions, research, inquiry-based learning, collaborative learning, puzzles, post-it cards, posters, and more. The new Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary Computing resources contain numerous unplugged activities on every topic that learners can engage in during class. The main objective is to break down complex tasks or concepts into manageable, relatable tasks that learners can perform without relying on technology. Once learners grasp or understand the concept, they can then apply it in a different way using their devices.  

Unplugged Activity Example 

Let’s create an unplugged activity to demonstrate how a Linear Search algorithm works. This algorithm takes a search value from the user, accesses individual elements of a list or array, and compares the search value to the individual elements one after the other until the value you are looking for is found, or the end of the list is reached without finding the value. 

We can involve students in this activity by using 10 of them to simulate an array of elements. Each student can be given a folded piece of paper with a secret number, which represents the contents of an array. Then, one student can be asked to look for a specific number in the array of students. We will keep searching student by student, asking them to unfold their paper until we find the student with the matching number or reach the end of the student list without finding it. 

How to prepare the activity 

1. Before class, prepare 10 or more “post-it cards” and write a random number on each one. Make sure to fold or staple the cards so the numbers can’t be seen by the students. These cards will be your “secret numbers”.  
2. Next, select 10 or more students in class and have them stand in a line or list. Give each student one of the secret numbers.  
3. Choose one of the students from the class to search for a specific number from the list of students and let others observe the algorithm. The student can choose to start searching from the left or right of the list but must move in order and not skip anyone.  
4. When they reach a student on the list, they should ask them to reveal their secret number and compare it to the number they are searching for.  
5. They will repeat this process moving from one student to the other until they find the matching secret number or reach the end of the list without finding the number.  

You can extend the design of this activity to involve all students in class. This is an effective way to ensure maximum participation of every learner, promoting collaboration and teamwork skills. To do this, you can split your class into groups of 8 to 10 students depending on your class size. Each student in the group will represent an element of an array and will be given a secret card. Then, choose a student from each group to search for a specific number (search value) as illustrated earlier. After completing the activity, ask the students to demonstrate their understanding of the linear search algorithm in a different way, such as creating a poster or flowchart, writing pseudocode, giving a speech, singing a song, or making a video. They can present their findings individually or as a group, which will end the activity on a positive note.  

In conclusion, unplugged activities are a powerful tool for illustrating and teaching concepts in classroom settings. These activities allow for a basic or abstract understanding of a concept without the need for computers, making them highly relatable for students. 

Evans Chikasa is an experienced and inspirational Computer Science and Information Technology teacher based in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai. He is the author and co-author of several books and other digital resources, including the Cambridge IGCSE ICT Practical Skills workbook, Kognity Cambridge IGCSE ICT and Computer Science coursebooks. Evans runs one of the largest YouTube educational channels for ICT, IT and Computer Science at GCSE and AS/A-Level. Through his hands-on video tutorials, he helps thousands of students and teachers worldwide with various problem-solving techniques to enrich their teaching and learning.

You can find some sample downloadable unplugged activities below that you can use with your learners in class.