If This, Then That: Conditional Fun!

In this lesson, the students will learn to sequence actions using "if/then" statements, helping them understand cause and effect relationships and laying the groundwork for logical thinking in coding.

This exercise fosters their ability to recognize and predict outcomes based on given conditions, which is essential for programming.

Learning Goals Learning Outcomes

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1 Introduction
2 Bossy Words Recap
3 If/Then Game
4 If/Then Slideshow
5 Finish the Sentence
6 If/Then Worksheet

1 - Introduction

Today, you'll be guiding your students through a series of interactive activities designed to help them grasp the concept of 'if/then' statements. This lesson builds on their understanding of sequencing from previous lessons and is a crucial step toward understanding conditional logic, which is fundamental in coding.

The format of this lesson is:

Play an 'If/Then' version of Simon Says
Engage students with an 'If/Then' interactive whiteboard game
Complete an 'If/Then' activity worksheet

2 - Bossy Words Recap

Start by asking the students, "Can you remember some examples of the bossy words we talked about last week?" Encourage them to share words like "sit," "stop," "run," and "clean." Take a moment to discuss what these bossy words mean and how they tell us what to do. If helpful, you can revisit the Bossy Words slides and interactive game from Lesson 1 to reinforce the concept.

Next, ask the students if they can recall the 'first and then' activity in the previous lesson. Encourage them to think of any examples. Explain that today, they will be learning about the terms 'if' and 'then.'

3 - If/Then Game

Introduce the game to the students by explaining that they will be playing a version of Simon Says, but this time using the word "if." Start with simple instructions that include "if," such as:

"Put your hands in the air if you have black hair,"
"Touch your toes if you have a brother,"
"Jump up and down if you like football."

Refer to the teacher notes for a longer list of 'if' commands that you can use during the game.

If you'd like to make the game more challenging, try using more complex 'if' situations, like "Clap your hands if you are wearing red and have a pet," or "Jump up and down if you like football and have a sister."

You may need to emphasise to the students that the commands will not always apply to them and they have to listen closely to make sure they are following the correct commands.

Teacher Notes

Touch your nose if you have a pet.

Clap your hands if you're wearing something blue.

Jump up and down if you like ice cream.

Wave your hands if you have a backpack.

Spin around if you’re wearing shoes.

Stomp your feet if you have a favorite color.

Raise your hand if you brushed your teeth this morning.

Touch your head if you had breakfast today.

Wiggle your fingers if you have brown eyes.

Pat your stomach if you like pizza.

Hop on one foot if you are wearing socks.

Sit down if you like to read books.

Stand on one leg if you like to draw.

Shake your head if you have a brother.

Snap your fingers if you like chocolate.

Blink your eyes if you have black hair.

Touch your ears if you have a sister.

Stretch your arms if you like playing outside.

Wiggle your nose if you are wearing something red.

Point to the ceiling if you have seen a cat today.

Hop on one foot if you are wearing something green and have a pet.

Clap your hands if you have brown eyes and like pizza

Spin around if you have a brother and are wearing shoes.

Touch your toes if you like ice cream and have black hair.

Jump up and down if you are wearing a hat and like to draw.

Raise your hand if you have a sister and are wearing something blue.

Pat your head if you like chocolate and have a backpack.

4 - If/Then Slideshow

Begin the activity by displaying the slideshow picture of a sunny day on the board. Read the line attached: "If it is sunny outside, then…" Ask the children to describe what they see and predict what might happen next.

Encourage the students to select the option they think best fits the situation and take a vote to see what they should do next. Repeat this process with additional examples to reinforce the concept of "if" and "then" statements.

If/Then Match Game