Earth Day Activities for Unplugged Computer Science

Preparing to integrate an Earth Day theme into primary computer science lessons doesn’t have to be complicated!

We have all seen the unplugged directional coding activities which are great (I use them too!) but these Earth Day resources not only include those well-loved mazes, they also incorporate algorithms, loops, and machine learning! The best part is that there is no preparation required for these activities besides printing them out and making copies of course!

Some of my favorite unplugged computer science activities to use with primary students would be the differentiated algorithms. For Earth Day, the planting a tree algorithm activity is great. Students love these activities because they can all feel successful whether they are just sequencing with pictures or adding detailed step-by-step directions.

After students have mastered the concept of algorithms, they are ready to move on to loops. These simple activities teach students about loops in an easy to comprehend way using pictures and simple tasks relating to taking care of the planet.

Earth Day code block mazes are also fun for primary students because they look at them as a game. The maze itself tasks students with directional coding using a series of arrows. For an extra challenge when they are done, they can write the algorithm they used to complete the maze.

Including an unplugged machine learning activity for Earth Day is a great way to show students how these technologies can be beneficial to our planet. During this activity, students will "train" the litter robot on how to identify litter, how to differentiate recycling from trash, then how to sort materials for recycling. This very basic and foundational activity is the perfect way to introduce K-2 students to the concept of machine learning.