CAS Tenderfoot Unit 6 - Theoretical Computers

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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 Slidedeck

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.

It is suggested the material could be delivered as 4 separate shorter sessions and examples are shown below though trainers should be flexible with which activities to introduce and when to suit local circumstances. However, a prerequisite for many of the activities is an understanding of a state diagram. The Tuckerman Traverse, Fickle Fruit, Treasure Hunt or even the Transylvania activity in the CS Field Guide all provide possible introductions to the concept of an FSM. The four suggestions below are just a few of the possible combinations which allow time to explore some of the more formal exercises in more depth:

Session 1

Introduction
Spelling Checker
Treasure Hunt
Eating Your Own Words
Reflection/Conclusion

Session 2

Introduction
Fickle Fruit or Tuckerman Traverse
Harold: Happy Robot
Designing FSM: Hair Dryer
Designing FSM: Vending Machine
Reflection/Conclusion

Session 3

Introduction
Fickle Fruit
Reverse Pictionary
Regular expression exercises
Reflection/Conclusion

Session 4

Introduction
Tuckerman Traverse
Kara The Ladybird
Reflection/Conclusion

The Tuckerman Traverse

A practical investigation, exploring the properties of a hexahexaflexagon! Their behaviour is captured in a state diagram and through this the notion of a finite-state machine is introduced.

Teachers Notes

Activities and Handouts

CS4Fn Hexaflexagon Automata Booklet

A3 hexahexaflexagon template, part complete, trimmed and folded

Hexahexaflexagon Instructions

Exploring A Hexahexaflexagon sheet

Fickle Fruit

A finite-state machine is not really a mechanical entity, but an abstract set of instructions that a computer can be programmed to follow precisely. The activity, from the MathManiaCS project, encourages children to reason about what they observe. Finding ways to record observations naturally leads to State Diagrams and the notion of a Finite-State Machine. More formal exercises are included to develop techniques illustrated in the activity.

Teachers Notes

Activities and Handouts

Fickle Fruit Vendor Apples and Bananas (laminated)

Fickle Fruit Vendor Instructions

Fickle Fruit Class Exercise

Fickle Fruit Class Exercise Solutions

Harold Happy Robot Input Rules

Designing FSM: Hair Dryer Exercise

Designing FSM: Vending Machine Exercise

SwitchedON Reprint: State Diagrams

The Perfect Pizza Problem

Eating Your Own Words

Short exercises and an outdoor activity explore the use of finite-state machines to define language checkers. Introduces an awareness of language structure and the notion of context-free grammars and language translation.

Teachers Notes

Activities and Handouts

I Have A Spelling Checker Resources

CS Unplugged Treasure Hunt Resources

Eating Your Own Words Photocopy Masters

Eating Your Own Words Student Instructions

Reverse Pictionary

A practical activity to develop familiarity with finite-state automata (FSA) and a fun classroom demonstration. They encourage students to design their own notations for regular languages and provide motivation for learning precise notation.

Teachers Notes

Activities and Handouts

Reverse Pictionary Language Sheet and Diagrams

Regular Expressions Further Investigations

Kara The Ladybird

Kara is a programmable ladybird. This activity uses Kara as a vehicle for introducing programming and alternative ways of thinking about algorithms.

Teachers Notes

Activities and Handouts

Kara application (software on shareable media)

Kara manual

Chocaholic Turing Machine

A paired or group activity that demonstrates the behaviour of a simple Turing machine, in a child-friendly fashion.