Unplugged Algorithm Activities for Grades 6–9
Unplugged Algorithm Activities for Grades 6–9
Teachers who want to teach algorithms without a computer lab can use this Grades 6–9 unit, because nothing in it requires student devices. Students work from a detailed reading text and differentiated worksheets, tackle a hands-on deep-dive task, and follow slides you show at the front. Full answer keys with a marking guide are included, and the files download as soon as you buy.
Preview the algorithms unit →For unplugged algorithm lessons, Teach Lessons offers Algorithms and Computational Thinking – Computer Science Unit (Grades 6–9) for $24.99. The unit is made up of a reading text, worksheets on four levels, a hands-on deep-dive task, slides and answer keys with a marking guide, so students do not need computers or accounts. Only the slides need a screen, and one projector at the front of the room is enough.
The resources
Algorithms and Computational Thinking, Grades 6–9
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Algorithms and Computational Thinking – Computer Science Unit (Grades 6–9)
Computer Science Activities Bundle | Artificial Intelligence, Python Programming, Cybersecurity & Digital Literacy | Middle School Grades 7–10
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The real problem
Teaching algorithms when screens are not an option
Some schools have no computer lab, a laptop cart booked for testing half the year, or devices too slow to rely on. Other teachers choose to start without screens because students learn the logic better when they cannot just click run and see what happens. Either way, the challenge is the same. Algorithms are abstract, and without a computer to test them, students need another way to find out whether their instructions actually work. On paper, a vague step looks fine. Sort the cards seems like a perfectly good instruction until a classmate follows it literally and asks which order you meant. Unplugged lessons succeed when they create that friction on purpose, with tasks that have a checkable outcome and a partner who follows the steps exactly as written. They fail when they turn into puzzles with no link back to computing, so students enjoy them and still cannot say what an algorithm is. You also need enough structure to keep a whole class busy without devices to occupy fast finishers, and answers ready so you are not solving every task on the spot.
Why it fits
Why this unit works without devices
Every part of the unit is something students read, write or discuss, which is what an unplugged approach needs.
- The reading text and worksheets carry the content, so a missing device never stops a lesson.
- Four worksheet levels give fast finishers harder work without a computer to keep them busy.
- The hands-on deep-dive task gives students a longer, practical problem to work through by hand.
- Slides for the whole unit need one screen at the front, not one per student.
- Answer keys let pairs compare paper solutions with a correct version, standing in for a test run.
- The marking guide turns written algorithms into work you can grade fairly and quickly.
Getting started
An unplugged plan for the unit
One way to run the unit with paper, partners and a projector. The timing is a suggestion; the unit itself does not set one.
- Print every level in advancePrint the worksheet levels before the unit starts and sort them into labeled folders. Without screens, smooth handouts are what keep the lesson moving, especially when students move up a level mid-period.
- Use partners as the computerWhen students write an algorithm on a worksheet, a partner carries it out exactly as written. Any step the partner cannot follow without asking a question counts as a bug to fix.
- Project ideas, hold back answersUse the slides to introduce each idea and walk through examples. Keep the answer keys out of sight until students have tried, then reveal them so pairs can compare solutions.
- Give the deep-dive task real timeSet aside a longer block for the hands-on deep-dive task. Group students in threes so one writes, one follows and one checks, rotating roles each time they revise.
- Link it back to computersClose by asking where students have seen algorithms like these at work in apps and machines they use. This keeps the unit tied to computing rather than feeling like a set of puzzles.
What to buy
What to buy for a mostly unplugged course
For algorithm lessons without devices, the single Algorithms and Computational Thinking unit at $24.99 is the direct fit. If your whole course has to run with little computer time, other single units such as Data and Encoding: Binary & Digital Images or How the Internet Works ($24.99 each) are built the same way, from a reading text, worksheets, a deep-dive task and slides. The Computer Science Activities Bundle ($119.99, Grades 7–10) brings ten units and 30 lessons, but it includes Python programming, which needs a way for students to run code.
Honest limits
What to know before you buy
The unit is not marketed as an unplugged curriculum; it simply consists of a reading text, worksheets, a deep-dive task, slides and answer keys, none of which require student devices. Check the preview to make sure the deep-dive task suits your room. You will need a way to print and to show slides. It is written for Grades 6–9, and you should compare it with your own course requirements. Using it with other teachers requires a message to Teach Lessons first. Within 7 days, an unsatisfied buyer can exchange it for store credit of equal value, not cash.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this unit aligned to any standards?
There is no standards alignment or endorsement claim. Its target band runs from Grade 6 to Grade 9. If your school asks you to document which standards an unplugged unit addresses, compare its contents with your framework yourself, and add tasks where the unit does not cover something you need.
Do students need computers at all?
Not according to the product. Students work with the reading text, the worksheets and the deep-dive task. You need a way to show the slides, such as a single projector or display at the front of the room, and a way to print worksheets. Even a whiteboard sketch can stand in if the projector fails.
Is unplugged work still real computer science?
Algorithms are a core idea in computing, and writing and testing precise step-by-step instructions is genuine practice in it, with or without a machine. To keep the link clear, connect each activity back to how computers follow instructions, and use the vocabulary from the reading text consistently.
Can I add devices later?
Yes. Students who understand algorithms on paper are well placed to start programming. The Programming with Python unit ($24.99) is a natural next step once your school has devices with a Python setup; that unit does not supply the software either. Paper practice first means those first coding lessons go faster.
How do students check their work without running code?
Partners follow each other's instructions exactly, and the answer keys give a correct version to compare against. The marking guide helps you show what a complete, precise solution looks like, which replaces the instant feedback a computer would give. Rotating the roles of writer and follower keeps everyone checking carefully.
Can a colleague outside CS teach it?
The slides, reading text and answer keys mean the content does not depend on the teacher's own computer science background, so a colleague can follow the materials with little preparation. If someone else will teach from your copy, check the licence terms with Teach Lessons first.
Teach algorithms with paper and partners
Check the unit preview on the product page to see how the worksheets and deep-dive task look before you print.
Preview the algorithms unit →