Lesson Idea | Tree Problem - PEG + CAT: Lesson Plan

Lesson Summary

Peg and Cat have a really big problem! Cat is stuck in a tree. Again! In this activity, children will be challenged to create projects with the PBS KIDS ScratchJr app where they help Peg rescue her friend Cat.

Time Allotment

Total time to completion: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Getting started: 5 minutes
Play: 10 minutes
Explore: 20 minutes
Watch: 15 minutes
Create: 30 minutes
Share: 15 minutes
Keep going: 15 minutes

Learning Objectives

Children will learn how to create projects, add characters, and how to use the programming blocks to make their characters animate on screen. They will explore coding and computational thinking practices as they utilize technology as a tool for creativity, expression, and learning with the PBS KIDS ScratchJr app.

Key Vocabulary

Programming/Coding - Creating a sequence of instructions that tells a computer (or other technology) what to do
Sequence - A series of ordered steps to solve a problem or accomplish a task
Horizontal and Vertical
Left and Right

Supplies

1. iPads or Android tablets for each child (or group of children)
2. The PEG + CAT "Yet Another Tree Problem," episode
3. TV, projector, computer, or other device to play the episode
4. A document camera to display tablet work to the whole group or a cable to connect the tablet and projector
5. Chalkboard, whiteboard, or poster paper
6. Design Handouts
7. Parent Handout (English | Spanish)

Introductory Activity

Getting Started.
The context in which you are engaging in this activity will impact how you get started. Take the time to set up cues, preview what you’re going to be doing and why, and get the kids ready and focused for a creative PBS KIDS challenge.

Peg and Cat are best friends who love to have fun, go on adventures, and solve problems using math. Today, everyone is going to create PBS KIDS ScratchJr projects to help Peg and Cat solve a really big problem. Cat is stuck in a tree and Peg needs help getting him down! Children will learn how create projects and how to use the Motion blocks to help Peg reach Cat so she can rescue him.

Learning Activities

- Play
Play ‘Simon Says’ with the group. As much as possible incorporate spatial vocabulary into the game; up, down, next to, below, above, right, and left. 'Simon Says' is a game that aligns really nicely with computational thinking. In the game, if ‘Simon Says,’ to do something, then everyone does that thing, but if Simon doesn’t say, then participants do nothing. Characters in PBS KIDS ScratchJr behave in the same way; they need to be triggered before they will begin their animations.

- Explore
Project your tablet onto a big screen with a document camera or with a cable, open PBS KIDS ScratchJr, and start a new project. First, talk about programs and coding. Programming / coding is creating a list of instruction that tells a computer or other technology what to do. In PBS KIDS ScratchJr, each block is a different instruction. By adding and snapping blocks together, you are programming/coding; creating programs that tell a character exactly what to do.

Then model how to create programs for your characters using Motion and Trigger blocks. When modeling blocks and features, first ask children what they think each block will do before testing out their guesses.

Show everyone how to add characters and how to create programs by dragging blocks into the programming area, snapping them together, and testing them. Then give everyone at least 5 minutes to explore and make discoveries on their own. Giving kids free time with app and championing their discoveries is a great way to get kids engaged in the experience. It's more than okay if they discover blocks and features that aren't included in the activity. Invite children to share their fun discoveries informally with each other and with the whole group.

For further information, please visit PBS LearningMedia website.