L EARNING O UTCOMES

For this unit, you need to be able to:

 7CT.01 Follow, understand, edit and correct algorithms that are presented as flowcharts.
 7CT.02 Know how to create algorithms using flowchart symbols.
 7CT.04 Understand and use selection statements, limited to IF, THEN, ELSE, presented as
flowcharts.
 7CT.05 Predict the outcome of flowcharts that use selection.
 7CT.08 Select and use appropriate constructs in algorithms written as flowcharts, limited
to sequence and selection.
 7CT.09 Select and use appropriate comparison operators in algorithms, limited to <,>, <=,
>=, == (equal to) and != (not equal to).
 7P.01 Identify and describe data types in text-based programs, including Integer, Real
and String.
 7P.02 Know how to develop text-based programs that use input and output.
 7P.03 Know how to develop text-based programs using data types, including Integer,
Real, and String.
 7P.06 Evaluate prototypes for software development projects.
 7P.07 Explain the purpose of project plans for software development projects.
 7P.08 Know how to apply test plans.
 7P.09 Understand how errors can be introduced into programs.
 7P.10 Know how to systematically identify and debug errors in text-based programs.
 7P.11 Know how to develop programs for a physical computing device to generate
multiple outputs, based on multiple inputs.
 7MD.01 Know that there are many systems that can be used to model real-life scenarios,
such as simulators.
 7MD.07 Know that data is used to model scenarios within a range of industries, including
health, manufacture and retail.
 7CS.01 Evaluate the design of digital devices and systems.
 7CS.02 Understand the differences between application software and system software.

K EY V OCABULARY
Modelling a scenario The act of describing a real-life situation using data and rules
Sensor A device that is able to gather data from its surroundings to respond to
or record.
Software Software is a set of instructions that tell a computer what to do.
Hardware Parts of a computer that you can touch; the physical components of a
device. Hardware lets you input and output data, save and read data
from storage devices and process or manipulate data.
Acce lerometer A sensor to detect movement.
Systems software Software that manages and oversees how the computer system (which
may include hardware and other software) runs, e.g. the operating
system, antiv irus, system settings.
Operating system The systems software that manages hardware, software and resources
on a device.
Applications software Software used for general or specific tasks.
Simulator Software to simulate a real-world application.
Algorithm A sequence of steps or instructions to solve a problem.
Flashing the program Downloading the MicroPython program file to the micro:bit to run.
Library A list of all programming commands that are available under the library
name.
String A data type for storing combinations of letters, numbers or any
characters on the keyboard.
Integer Whole number.
Decompose Break down into smaller parts.
Gesture A specific movement on the micro:bit.
Test plan A structured (step-by-step) approach to testing whether your solution
works as expected; a document that describes the areas of a program to
be tested – includes details of the tests to be applied to each area of
the program, including test data and expected results.

Warmup
Group Activity Extension
Make a list of computing Make a list of different types
devices you could find in a of sensors and what they are
modern house. used to sense.
e.g. smart TV e.g. voice sensor – detects
when you say "Hi Siri"
laptop, smart phone, vacuum
cleaner, Roomba vacuum
cleaner, tablet, TV with Alexa
electrical piano, desktop
computer, Air conditioning
unit, smart watch, gaming
console, printer, camera,
smart speaker, blender, guitar
tuner, phone

How do these devices work?

They follow instructions and routines
What do we call the instructions that tell them what to do?
Software
SOFTWARE is a set of instructions that tell a computer what
to do.
Class mind map: what might we use software for?

Question: What is the difference between SYSTEMS

SOFTWARE and APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE?
The difference between applications software and
systems software is that systems software manage how
the computer runs however applications software does
tasks such as for entertainment or work.
A simulator is… software to recreate something (to help you
learn), using DATA from sensors and RULES for predictions.
The simulator models the scenario.

Ways in which simulators may be used in these industries and their

benefits:
– Medical: medical students use simulations as part of the learning
journey prior to real patients; this is a costly approach to learning but
easier for students to make mistakes and learn from them.
– Lots of example software like Body Interact that is an advanced
virtual patient simulator to aid medical training.
– Most software applications run on both Windows or MacOS,
Android or iOS – allowing more to access through different devices.
– Military: also known as war games as it is a way of testing and
refining different types of warfare.
– Lots of examples of simulators for military training, from firing
simulations to ground-to-air simulations to flight simulators.
– The operating systems vary, and can range from software on
Windows to purpose-built virtual-reality operating systems.
– Transport: simulators are used to learn how to fly planes,
helicopters and other modes of transport; in most cases, a number of
successful hours are logged in simulators before being able to use
these skills in the real world.
– Flight simulators allow pilots to learn how to fly a plane in a variety
of situations, allowing pilots to make mistakes and learn from them,
all without putting anyone at risk; there are two types of simulators:
computer based and full motion.
– Software can be computer based and mainly used on Windows
operating system.
– Agricultural: simulators used in agriculture to help develop farming
practices like crop systems.
– An example simulator is Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator
(APSIM).
– This is a software download and runs on operating systems
Windows, LINUX and MacOS.
– Gaming: there are a wide range of gaming applications that have
been developed over the years and they are becoming more realistic;
there are many games that have built-in simulators or have an
environment that allows testing to be completed through a simulator.

Intro to Micro:bits
python.microbit.org

Demo: flashing the microbit

Activity: Make the microbit display your name
If the A button is
pressed, then the
word ‘hello’ will be
displayed, followed
by a happy face,
then the word
‘goodbye’ and finally
a sad face.
If the A button is not
pressed, then
nothing will happen.
Draw this code as a flowchart:

Answer:
Now modify your flowchart to show this code:

Answer:
The "while True:" loop means instead of stopping it goes back
to the start. Both of the below flowcharts are good.
Look at this flowchart:

Compare it with the code below

Which line of code corresponds to which box in the flowchart?

Answer:
 "while True:" is are the two arrows that loop back to the
start.
 "if button_a.is_pressed():" is the diamond.
 "display.scroll(Hello)" and "display.show(Image.HAPPY)"
are in the wrong place! They do not match the flowchart.
Reminder
== >= < != are used to COMPARE two things. These are
comparison operators
== for comparing if two things are equal, has two equal signs.
== for comparing if two things are equal, has two equal signs.
== for comparing if two things are equal, has TWO equal signs.

Ass ignment
name = "JC"
print(name)
How do you know what that it will print "JC"? Because "JC"
was stored in the variable name.
Assignment is the act of saving data into a variable.

Selection
When the flowchart has to choose between "Yes" and "No"
this means the algorithm is making a decision. This is called
selection.

We use a DIAMOND shape to represent this. Inside the

diamond we write the condition that the algorithm uses to
make the choice.
Top left flowchart: If the light level is greater than 160, then
the image of a house will be displayed.
Top right flowchart: If the light level is less than 160, then the
image of a house will be displayed.
Bottom left flowchart: If the light level is equal to 160, then
the image of a house will be displayed.
Bottom right flowchart: If the light level is not equal to 160,
then the image of a house will be displayed.
The value detected by the sensor would need to be set at a higher
level in a conditional statement. If the cat moves around slowly, the
movement under 100 may detect the cat moving. If the conditional
statement was set to turn the lights on if the value was greater than
100, then the cat would not activate the lights.
Reminder
Decompose
Break down into smaller parts.
Gesture
A specific movement on the micro:bit.
Assignment
The act of saving data into a variable.
We use the equal sign (=) to do this in Python.
Answers:

Variables are: width, length, area

Effective Testing
INPUT life
IF life > 10 THEN
OUTPUT "eat"
ELSE
OUTPUT "sleep"
END IF

Testing needs to cover every possible choice.

If you imagine the algorithm drawn as a flowchart, every
"path" of the flowchart should be tested. You should also test
numbers that affect the selection (i.e. numbers close to "10",
because there is IF life > 10 THEN in the code), and you should
test some extreme values.

For the example above, you should test:

 inputs that affect the selection (every "path") AND
 extreme values: one very big and one very small input

i.e. test with life = 9

life = 10
life = 11
life = 999
life = 0

Before we run the tests, we write down what we think should

happen, so we can check our results. This document is called
the TEST PLAN.
TestingProgram.py
from microbit import *
import music

while True:
if display.read_light_level() > 10:
music.play(music.DADADADUM)

The test plan in the worksheet above has two blank columns,
which you fill in when you run the code. This is how you spot
mistakes – see below; the expected outcome did not match
what happened.
1. What are the 5 steps of planning a project (a "project plan")?
plan, design, create, test, evaluate
2. What does "decompose" mean?
break down into smaller parts
3. Why do we break the program down into smaller parts when planning?
To make it easier to solve the problem. To make the task more
manageable.
4. What is the role of a flowchart when designing
Flowcharts help us plan what will happen after each step in the algorithm,
without having to fix mistakes in the code.
5. Why is it essential to have a test plan when testing?
Test plans are needed to thoroughly check our code is working in the way
we want it to.
6. What should a test plan include?
Key information in a test plan is:
 Input/Test Data
 Expected Result
 Actual Result
 Pass/Fail
7. How do you review a test plan to ensure it is effective?
Check the test plan covers all paths in the algorithm, and also normal and
extreme values.
For example, if you buying an old laptop, you would have a list
of things you want to check before paying money.
Test Input / Test Data Expected Actual Pass /
ID Result Result Fail
1 Typing on the letters appear on
keyboard the screen
2 Opening the screen laptop turns on
3 Clicking the mouse mouse is clicked
4 Playing music there is sound
from the speakers
This is the plan. You would fill in the Actual Result and
whether it was a Pass/Fail when you do the checks.

You need to test all the possibilities/everything that may

happen. For example, with a light sensor we test it being both
light and dark.
Test Input / Test Data Expected Actual Pass /
ID Result Result Fail
1 light sensor – light Beep
2 light sensor – dark nothing