Select a Lesson:
» Why Learn to Code?
» Basic Python Syntax
» A Simple Calculator
» Guess the Number
» Fantastic Functions
» Secret Messages
» Adventure Game
Why should we learn to program?
Basic Python
Syntax
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Understand and be able
to use basic Python
syntax.
VARIABLES
The way we store data.
String – a type of
variable for storing
text “strings”.
Enter the code shown here to
create your first computer
program.
Now let’s add to that . . .
What do you think this will
do?
YOUR TASK
Add to your program so
you can have a
conversation with the
computer (stick to yes
and no answers for
now!)
NEXT TASK
Create an account at
www.codecademy.com
Complete the first
Python course called
‘Python Syntax’
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Understand and be able
to use basic Python
syntax.
or
Calculator
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Understand how to use
selection to create a
simple calculator.
VARIABLES
String – remember this
from last lesson?
Numbers:
Integer
Float
What’s happening here ?
SELECTION
How we choose a suitable
action based on a
condition.
IF I’m hungry
Eat Something
ELSE
Don’t eat anything
Can you add more selection to
handle multiplication and
division ?
NEXT TASK
Log onto
www.codecademy.com
and continue the Python
course from where you
finished last lesson.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Understand how to use
selection to create a
simple calculator.
or
Loopy Loops
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Understand how to
create a loop in Python
and use a Boolean
variable to define when
to stop.
ANOTHER VARIABLE
Boolean – This can store
one of two values:


True
False
LOOPS
A While loop can keep
looping through events
until a condition changes.
WHILE hungry == True
Keep eating
IF I’m full up
hungry == False
Have a go at this ‘Guess the
Number’ game. What does each
part do?
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Understand how to create
a loop in Python and use
a Boolean variable to
define when to stop.
or
Fantastic
Functions
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Understand how to use
and call functions.
WHAT IS A FUNCTION?
A block of code grouped
together that can be
run at any point in our
program.
Try creating this function to
pull a rabbit from a hat! Don’t
forget the magic word though!
Try out this function. What
does that bit in brackets do?
YOUR CHALLENGE
Add to your program so it
tells the user whether or
not their word is a
palindrome.
Hint: try using an if
statement to compare the
original word with the
reversed word.
You should have added
something like this to the end
of your program.
NEXT TASK
Log onto
www.codecademy.com
and continue the Python
course from where you
finished last lesson.
Secret
Messages
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Understand how to store
and look up values from
a list.
LIST
(Also known as an array)
A way of storing more than
one thing under one
variable name.
My magic potion contains
hair, knotgrass and
leeches.
Here’s a list of students.
What will each print
statement do?
Another way to add items is using
the ‘append’ command. Use this to
add some more students.
Make sure you print your list
of students again to make sure
your code has worked!
CAESAR SHIFT
A well-known cipher to encode
a piece of text by replacing
one letter of the alphabet
with another a chosen number
of places (shifts).
For example, a shift of 2
means “A” becomes “C”:
A B C D E F G H I K L. . .
TASK
Cut out and make your
own Caesar Cipher Wheel
using your worksheet.
Use your wheel to create
a secret message for the
person next to you to
decode.
Can you decode this
secret message?
s vyfo mywzedob zbyqbkwwsxq
Are there any clues to
help us work out the
shift number?
What is happening here?
Create your own encryption
program and test it out.
Text
Adventures
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Recognise how a class
can be used to create
custom objects.
CLASSES
A custom object that
you can make that has
it’s own set of
attributes.
Animal
Class
Giraffe
Horse
Lion
TASK
Open and look at the
Animals.py example from
SharePoint.
Can you figure out what
some of the bits of code
are doing?
Underneath the class create a new
‘instance’ of an animal and give it
some attributes. You can choose any
animal you like.
TASK
Use the design sheet to
plan your own text
adventure then follow
the instructions to
create this in Python.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Recognise how a class
can be used to create
custom objects.