Code for the Cup

All | IT & Computing | 11-16

Learning Objectives

  1. Code a solution to be fit for purpose.
  2. Know the importance of code efficiency.
  3. Learn to detect and correct errors and refine programs.
 

Lesson Description

Can your students cross the start line without jumping the gun?
That’s the challenge at the heart of this three-lesson Computing unit — and it’s a real one. Using the high-stakes drama of an America’s Cup race start as the hook, students code a foiling race boat to hit the start line as close to the gun as possible. Too early? Penalty. Too late? Race lost.
It’s tense. It’s competitive. It’s secretly brilliant for teaching code.
Across the three lessons, students will:

1) Break a real-world problem into logical steps (hello, computational thinking
2) Sequence code blocks to build a working programme
3) Test, debug, and refine — because “good enough” doesn’t win races

What you get: Three fully editable lesson presentations with teacher notes, ready-to-go guidance for deeper exploration, and a Google Classroom link to share everything with students in seconds.
No sailing experience required. Competitive spirit: optional but encouraged.
This film gives a brief insight into the the coding and programming used in the British America's Cup Team's

Rating

(16)
 

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1.Coding - Introductory Video

This film gives a brief insight into the the coding and programming used in the British America’s Cup Team campaign.
Code for the Cup Game Resource

Use this link to access and share the game resource with students for use in all three lessons.
3.Lesson 1: Code Efficiency Editable lesson presentation and teaching notes covering coding for a purpose, code efficiency and refinement.
4.Lesson 2: Loops and if statements Editable lesson presentation and teaching notes covering program refinement and use of a loops to further refine a program.
5.Lesson 3: Nested loops, Debugging and Code Optimisation Editable lesson presentation and teaching notes covering the difference between deterministic and non-deterministic loops, Nested loops, Debugging and Code Optimisation
6.Lesson 1 worksheet
7.Lesson 2 worksheet
8.Lesson 3 worksheet

Curriculum Links

Key stage 2
Pupils should be taught to:

  • design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
  • use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output
  • use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs

Key stage 3
Pupils should be taught to:

  • design, use and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state and behaviour of real-world problems and physical systems
  • understand several key algorithms that reflect computational thinking [for example, ones for sorting and searching]; use logical reasoning to compare the utility of alternative algorithms for the same problem
  • use two or more programming languages, at least one of which is textual, to solve a variety of computational problems; make appropriate use of data structures [for example, lists, tables or arrays]; design and develop modular programs that use procedures or functions

Subject

All, IT & Computing

Key Stage

11-16

Resource For

Students, Teachers

Type

Game, Practical Investigation, Teacher Presentation, Teachers' notes, Worksheets

Topic

Coding
 
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