CAS Tenderfoot Unit 5 - Bits and Chips

Downloaded: 24

Last edit: 13 May 2022

English Key Stage 11-14 year (KS3)

Curriculum Topic Programming

Resource Type Lessons, Worksheets and Activities, Teaching Resources, Example Programs and Live Lessons, Schemes of Work (Programming Units and Curriculum)

This resource is for CAS Tenderfoot trained or experienced trainers. It gives access to the full portfolio of resources that supports the whole-day Unit and the Sessions that can be delivered as separate CPD events, of about 2 hours.

This video (4 minutes) introduces the Unit. It can be used to introduce the whole-day Unit or contextualise shorter Sessions. Alternatively, the URL can be sent to attendees for viewing before the CPD session.

The first section of this page contains the materials required to run the FULL session i.e. in a whole day. The remaining sections have the resources split up into a number of shorter sessions ideal for delivering in a twilight session.

Whole-day Unit Materials:

Full slide deck

Training Notes

Individual Session Unit Materials

The CAS Tenderfoot units are designed as 1-day sessions for 'trainers' of 'master teachers and other curriculum champions'. The material is structured to allow it to be delivered in shorter sessions by those 'master teachers and curriculum champions' – but is predicated on them being exposed to the entire narrative of a day session or series of shorter sessions organised by those 'trainers'.

We advise trainers not to just identify 'activities' to make a training session. The activities are important to illustrate ideas but it is the computer science content that is important. For a non-specialist key stage 3 teacher – just doing an activity is a step forward, but the purpose of this material is to get more experienced teachers together to discuss and deepen their understanding of the computer science concepts. Shorter sessions only address that if attendees commit to, and cover the unit as a whole.

For example, activities at the end of Theoretical Machines are fairly trivial but used to discuss Turing insights into classifications of problems. The notes are founded on some appreciation of a hierarchy of machines and an awareness of different grammars – covered in earlier parts of that unit.

It is suggested the material could be delivered in 5 separate shorter sessions, as indicated:

Logical Foundations: Introducing logic gates, truth tables and combinatorial logic circuits
Adders and Ladders: Binary addition, half and full adders building a 4 adder circuit
Munching Squares: bBitwaise operations, analysing problems and planning a solution, Game Maker scripting
Inside the Machine: A conceptual model of a computer, a Human-computer exercise, low-level language programs and the fetch execute cycle
The need for speed: Moore's Law, von Neumann bottleneck and parallelism. one problem, many cores activities

Of course, trainers and teachers should combine activities and sessions as they feel best fit the local circumstances. Many activities are short enough tp introduce as CAS hubs or worked through in a school departmental meeting. Whatever ways you choose the aim is to develop teacher appreciation of computer science concepts, not just demonstrate an activity.

Logical Foundations

A taught session establishing ways to represent the behaviour of the three logical constructs of AND, OR and NOT. Introduces truth tables, combinational logic and symbolic representation of circuits. Further gates are introduced (NAND, NOR and XOR) with their algebraic representation before demonstrating that all logical constructs can be reduced to combinations of AND, OR & NOT. Practical activities to introduce the ideas are highlighted throughout.

Teachers Notes plus attendee and trainer materials

Class sets of batteries, switches, bulbs and wires

Teachers Notes

Combinational Logic Exercises

Human logic circuit resources plus sticky tape

Dotsy Scorecards and 5 dice (single copy only required)

Adders and Ladders

A simple board and counter challenge that demonstrates the addition of two binary numbers is followed by more formal consideration of binary addition, culminating in the development of a circuit to add together two 4-bit numbers.

Teachers Notes plus attendee and trainer materials

Teachers Notes

Adders and ladders board + 6 counters for each group.

Adders and ladders handout (each)

Logic Gate Simulator available (eResources) - see link below

Logic Circuit Challenges

Munching Squares

Practical coding and supplementary exercises using software familiar to many teachers – Game Maker. The programming challenge is probably too advanced for KS3 pupils but is used as a basis for teacher development and as an exemplar of problem analysis. The challenge combines binary, logical bitwise operations, two dimensional arrays and a surprising animated display.

Teachers Notes plus attendee and trainer materials

Teachers Notes

Munching Squares templates 4x4

Munching Squares templates 8x8

Munching Squares implementation handout

Game Maker available (no attachment)

Inside The Machine

Considers the remarkable development of microprocessor technology and develops a conceptual model of a computer. Introduces two activities. A Human Computer simulation introduces the different components and illustrates the limited nature low level actions. A Little Man Computer simulation build on this to introduce the fundamentals of low level language, a limited instruction set and the fetch-execute cycle.

Teachers Notes plus attendee and trainer materials

Teachers Notes

Hiccup preparatory notes

Hiccup Program listings (eResources) - see link below

LMC simulator available (eResources) - see link below

LMC Instruction Set and Program Challenges

The Need For Speed

An introduction to Moore's Law and practical activity to demonstrate the principle of parallel processing.

Teachers Notes plus attendee and trainer materials

Teachers Notes

RI Christmas Lecture Investigation sheet for each person

One Problem, Many Cores calculation cards prepared with Post-It labels