Keep this light. Ask for two or three everyday jobs pupils already know (brushing teeth, packing a bag, lining up). Do not hand out the step cards yet. The point is curiosity: can we say the steps so clearly that someone else could follow them?

Key question: What would go wrong if we mixed the steps up?

Worked example first (do this before any new words): Say or write five short brushing-teeth steps in order (wet brush, toothpaste on, brush top, brush bottom, rinse). Act or point through them once. Then deliberately swap two (e.g. brush before toothpaste) and ask what goes wrong. Only after the class has seen both paths, label what they saw: That list of clear steps in the right order is an algorithm. The order matters. Say algorithm out loud with the class several times — do not leave it as a hard word to read alone.

Pronunciation cue: algorithm — "AL-guh-rith-um".

Teacher language to weave in (not a third board word): when we play robot later, we follow the steps exactly — only what the cards say, no guessing and no extra moves. A robot (or a friend playing robot) cannot guess what you meant.

Misconception to head off: pupils may think "algorithm" means a computer only. Revoice: everyday routines at home and school are algorithms too.

Drive the algorithm-sequencer on the IWB in explore mode. Pupils do not need devices. They call out the order; you drag and run.

What is on screen: command blocks forward, turn left and turn right; a 4×3 grid; the robot sprite starts at the left of the middle row facing right; the flag is three cells to the right on the same row.

Known-good sequence (model first): forward, forward, forward. Run it — the robot reaches the flag.

Deliberate wrong sequence (debug beat): forward, turn right, forward. Run it — the robot leaves the path. Ask: What went wrong? Which step should move? Rebuild the working path together.

Optional longer path if the class is ready: move the goal idea in talk only, or rebuild with a turn if your layout allows — keep the first model dead simple so every child sees order working.

Fold the class in: when a few pupils suggest the next block, ask the others Do you agree? What would you try?

Link back to the everyday idea: the robot only does what we say, in the order we say it — just like a friend following our routine steps exactly.

Before the lesson

Print the provided step-card sets (one routine per group). Clear a small floor space for the play-robot pairs. Small groups work well (two callers, one robot), but any small group is fine — do not fix a hard number.

Card sets (print these words; add simple pictures if you wish)

Set A — Brushing teeth

• Card 1 — Wet the brush: Hold the toothbrush under the tap for a moment.
• Card 2 — Put on toothpaste: Squeeze a small bit of toothpaste onto the brush.
• Card 3 — Brush the top teeth: Gently brush the top teeth.
• Card 4 — Brush the bottom teeth: Gently brush the bottom teeth.
• Card 5 — Rinse and finish: Rinse the mouth and put the brush away.

Set B — Packing a school bag

• Card 1 — Get the bag: Pick up the school bag from the peg or floor.
• Card 2 — Open the bag: Open the zip or flap so you can put things in.
• Card 3 — Put in the lunch box: Place the lunch box in the bag.
• Card 4 — Put in the books: Place the books in the bag.
• Card 5 — Zip it closed: Zip the bag closed so nothing falls out.

Success for Set B: bag first, open before packing, zip last, and all items in. Lunch box and books can swap in the middle and still count as a sensible order — several middle orders are fine.

Set C — Making toast

• Card 1 — Get the bread: Take one slice of bread.
• Card 2 — Put bread in the toaster: Place the bread in the toaster and press it down.
• Card 3 — Wait for the toast: Wait until the toast pops up.
• Card 4 — Spread the butter: Spread butter on the warm toast.
• Card 5 — Ready to eat: Put the toast on a plate, ready to eat.

How to run it: Give each group one mixed-up set. First they order the cards on the table and agree the sequence. Then they stand and play robot: callers read one card at a time; the robot acts it with safe mime only (no real water, food or toaster). Role-swap is extension only if a group finishes early — protect the 13 minutes for one full order-and-run cycle per group. Do not start Investigation Journal recording in this step; that comes next.

Look-fors: cards left to right in a sensible order; robot waits for the next instruction; group notices when a wrong order makes the job fail.

Differentiation: offer a three-card mini set (get bag → put in lunch → zip closed) for groups who need a shorter sequence. Confident groups can deliberately put one card wrong, run it, and fix the bug together (extension).

This is the paper recording beat in the lesson sitting — not homework. Hold up or show the Investigation Journal page on the board first so every pupil can see what they are using. Keep it light for 1st Class: numbered steps or a simple left-to-right drawing is enough, plus a tick/cross or happy/sad face for whether the robot finished.

Core ask for every pupil (two beats only): (1) the ordered steps, (2) whether the robot could finish the job.

Optional only — skip for most groups: what they changed, if the group tried a wrong order (extension groups). Do not expect a "fix" note from groups who ran the main path only. Say the optional line aloud only if a group needs it, so others do not freeze thinking they missed something.

Do not invent extra boxes or named columns on the journal page. Say what to record, not where on the page it sits.

Fast finishers: sketch one step they would add to make the algorithm clearer, or whisper-check another group's order — not an on-device task.