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Cambridge Primary

Computing
Learner’s
Book 4 Roland Birbal
Carissa Gookool
Michelle Koon Koon
Nazreen Mohammed
Michele Taylor
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Roland Birbal

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 Cambridge Primary

Computing
Learner’s
Book 4 Roland Birbal
Carissa Gookool
Michelle Koon Koon
Nazreen Mohammed
Michele Taylor
Series editor:
Roland Birbal

HCP_Computing_Spec_16 pages.indd 3 8/18/21 5:14 PM

 Cambridge International copyright material in this publication is reproduced under licence and remains the intellectual
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Scratch is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. See http://scratch.mit.edu. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license
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t = top, b = bottom, l = left, r = right, c = centre

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© Roland Birbal, Carissa Gookool, Michelle Koon Koon, Nazreen Mohammed, Michele Taylor 2022
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ISBN: 978 1 3983 6166 9

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 Contents

Term 1
Unit 1 Scratch: Be a loop hero
Unit 2 Google forms: Be a data controller
Unit 3 Be a speed surfer
Unit 4 Be a storyteller

Term 2
Unit 5 Robots can work
Unit 6 Be a musician
Unit 7 Be a data boss
Unit 8 Be an innovator

Term 3
Unit 9 Be a code cracker
Unit 10 Be a game developer
Unit 11 Robots in control 
Unit 12 Be an artist

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 Unit 1 Scratch: Be a loop hero

Games with repetition

Get started!
Have you ever played a computer
game that seemed to repeat the
same thing over and over again,
but you just couldn’t put it down?
In a small group, discuss any
computer games with repetition
that you have played:
• Which actions are repeated?
• Do the repeated actions make
the game fun?
• What has to be done to Usually these types of games
stop the repeated actions? have some sort of reward to
• How does the game keep keep you wanting to play!
you interested in playing?
In this unit, you will create a game with repetition using Scratch and a
feature called looping.
You will learn to:
• use and compare different looping blocks and describe how they work
• create an algorithm that uses the forever loop, repeat loop and repeat
until commands
• explain situations in which looping would be useful
• analyse code that contains loops and predict what it does
• plan the instructions for objects within a program, including identifying
inputs and outputs
• create a program to produce different outputs from different inputs
• add comments to blocks of code and explain why you have done so
• test different parts of a program to identify and debug errors.

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 Unit 1: Scratch: Be a loop hero

Warm up
1 Work in pairs. Follow the green Finish
blocks in the maze to FINISH.
Copy and complete the table to
create an algorithm for the moves.
The first move is done for you.

An algorithm is a step-by-
step procedure used to
solve a specific problem. Start

Move right, move right, move right, move right Move right 4 times
Move up, move up, move up Move up times
Move right, move right Move right times
Move up, move up, move up Move up times
Move left, move left, move left Move left times
Move up, move up, move up Move up times
2 Discuss these questions with your partner. Give a reason for your answer.
Did you notice any patterns in the maze? Which moves were repeated?
Which instructions above were easier to follow? Those on the left or right?

Do you remember?
Before starting this unit, check that you can:
• break a problem down into smaller parts
• write a simple algorithm to solve a problem
• do the following in Scratch:
• Create a program that contains more
than one object, including an object that does not move
• Switch a sprite to another costume
• Change the number of steps a sprite moves in a program
• Test and a program to make sure it works.

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 Unit 1: Scratch: Be a loop hero

Looping
Forever loop
Learn
Think back to your discussion about games
with repeated actions on page 6.
Loops are used in programming to repeat a
set of instructions a specific number of times.
This is called repetition or looping.
• In computer games, a loop repeats a series
of actions until the user quits.
• In Scratch, the two simplest loops are the forever loop and the repeat loop.
If you want part of a game to repeat, you can use a
forever block. This is found under the control group of
blocks. All the code you put inside this block will repeat
until you stop the program.
For example: If you want to move a sprite 10 steps
continuously, putting the code inside this forever block will do exactly that.

Keywords
repetition: the act of doing, saying
or writing something more than
once; in programming, this is called
looping
Think about times when you looping: the action of doing
want an action to occur without something over and over again
needing player input, such as forever loop: the blocks inside the
having a sprite continue to move loop continue in order, forever
without needing to continuously repeat loop: the blocks inside the
click the green flag. loop continue a certain number
of times
forever block: a block that repeats
a group of blocks over and over
again until you tell it to stop

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 Unit 1: Scratch: Be a loop hero

Practise
1 Predict what you think will happen to
a sprite using this forever block. Tell a
partner. Try it in Scratch to see if you
are correct.
2 Try making a balloon sprite glide for
two seconds to random positions
(without stopping automatically) using
a forever block.
a Drag your mouse to the sprite icon
and select Choose a Sprite. Search for the Balloon1
sprite and click to select it.
b From the backdrop icon, select Choose a Backdrop.
Search for the Blue Sky2 backdrop and click to select it.
c Include an event block to start the program.
Under the Events group of blocks, select the when clicked block.

Keyword
event block: an event block
This means the program tells Scratch when to start
will only start when the running the program by
green flag is selected. setting a starting moment,
such as clicking the green flag

d Try your code to see if it works by clicking the green flag to start.

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 Unit 1: Scratch: Be a loop hero

Go further
1 Create a program using the forever loop and the repeat
loop with the following criteria:
❶ A butterfly sprite starts on the right and
moves to left side of the screen. Which loop will you
use for steps 3 and 5?
❷ Then it glides for 2 seconds to the right
Tell a partner.
side of the screen.
❸ Repeat actions 1 and 2 four times.
❹ As the butterfly glides, its wings flap.
❺ Finally, the butterfly remains on the
right side of the screen flapping its
wings continuously.
2 Create the 1st set of code to make the butterfly move across the screen:
a Search for the Butterfly 2 sprite and click to select it.
b Search for the Blue Sky backdrop and click to select it
c Include an event to start the program. Under the Events group of
blocks, select the block when clicked to start the program.
d Under the Control group of blocks, select the
repeat block and change the value from 10 to 4.
e Set the butterfly to start at the left side of the
screen. Go to the Motion group of blocks and
select the following:

The values of x: 28 and y: –7

show the current location of the
sprite on the screen. The x value moves the sprite
from left to right. The y
Change the value for x to –160 and
value moves the sprite from
the value for y to 100. The sprite will
top to bottom.
move to the left side of the screen.

10

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 Unit 1: Scratch: Be a loop hero

f Set the butterfly to glide for 2 seconds across the screen from left to
right. In the motion group of blocks, select the following:

Change the value for glide to 2 seconds, the value of x to 160 and the
value of y to 100.The sprite will move to the right side of the screen.
g Connect the blocks for this 1st set of code.
h Try your code by clicking the green flag to start.

What do you notice when

the green flag is selected?
Does the butterfly glide
correctly? If not, correct
your code.

Computational thinking ?
You can create a 2nd set of code to make the butterfly flap its
wings. Before programming this code, decompose it into an
algorithm (a step-by-step list) to help you. For example:
❶ Start the program when the green flag is selected.
❷ Include a forever loop.
❸ Switch the butterfly between costume a and costume b (so that it
appears to be flapping its wings).
❹ Include a delay of 0.1 second to show the change between
costumes.
❺ Connect the blocks by adding steps 3 and 4 into the forever loop.
❻ Stop the program only when the stop button is selected.

11

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 Unit 1: Scratch: Be a loop hero

Challenge yourself!
Modify the code on page 9 to do the following:
1 Add another sprite Bear-walking.

2 Change the backdrop to Forest.

3 Allow the code to run when the green flag is clicked.

4 Set the bear to start at the left side of the screen. Change the values of
x = –140 and y = –10.

5 Insert a repeat loop of 50.

6 Let the bear move 10 steps inside the repeat loop.

7 Go to the Looks group of blocks and select the next The next costume
costume block. Include this block in the repeat loop. block is in the repeat
loop, so the bear will
appear as though
it is walking by
changing from one
costume to the next.

8 Try your code to see if it works. If not, correct it.

12

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 Unit 1: Scratch: Be a loop hero

My project
Stranded in space game
1 Create a game that is based
on a space adventure.
Mr Cat is lost in space.
His friends are coming for
him in their space rocket.
Mr Cat is happy and
can’t stop dancing and
spinning in space as the
space ship approaches
the planet.
a Plan and create your game by:
• decomposing the problem (breaking it down into smaller steps)
• identifying the key words that can help you solve the problem
• looking for any repeated actions and thinking about when you will
use a forever loop, a repeat loop or a repeat until command
• thinking about the algorithm (series of steps)
• coding the steps in Scratch.
b Include these criteria in your game:
❶ A space backdrop
❷ A space rocket heading to a planet of your choice (with the size
of the ship increasing as it gets closer to the planet)
❸ Mr Cat spinning and gliding in joy on the planet
❹ An asteroid (rock) bouncing on the edge of the screen
❺ A star twinkling in the sky.
2 Evaluate your game:
a Test the code to make sure it works and, if not, correct it.
b Check to see if your game matches the
criteria above. Can you change
the code to improve
c Present your game to a small group and ask
your game?
for ideas to improve it.

13

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 Unit 1: Scratch: Be a loop hero

Did you know?

Did you know that there are loops all around us, even in nature?
For example:
• The week begins on a Sunday and ends on a Saturday 52 times in a year.
• Spring, summer, autumn and winter occur every year.
• The sun rises and sets every day.

What can you do?

Read and review what you can do.

Well done! Now you can
✔ I can describe the different looping blocks use Scratch to create a
available in Scratch and how they work. game using loops!
✔ I can explain why looping is useful.
✔ I can predict what code using a loop will do.
✔ I can use a forever loop command.
✔ I can use a repeat loop command.
✔ I can use a repeat until command.
✔ I can create an algorithm that uses repetition.
✔ I can add comments to blocks of code and explain why I have done so.
✔ I can plan and create a game that repeats a set of instructions with a
variety of loop commands.
✔ I can test my game to identify errors and fix them.

14

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 Glossary

A R
algorithm: a step-by-step procedure repeat block: a block that repeats
used to solve a specific problem a group of blocks a certain number
E of times and then stops
event block: an event block tells repeat loop: the blocks inside the loop
Scratch when to start running continue a certain number of times
the program by setting a starting repeat until: the blocks inside
moment, such as clicking the green the loop continue until a certain
flag statement is true
F repetition: the act of doing, saying or
forever block: writing something more than once;
a block that repeats in programming, this is called looping
a group of blocks V
over and over again value: number of times an action
until you tell it to will happen
stop
forever loop: the blocks inside the
loop continue in order, forever
I
inputs: programming instructions
L
looping: the action
of doing something
over and over again
looping blocks: blocks that repeat
actions according to programmed
instructions
O
outputs: the actions that result from
the programming instructions

15

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 Cambridge Primary

Computing
Learner’s Book 4
Help learners develop essential computing skills with an approach
that uses real-life examples, reinforces key vocabulary and provides
opportunities to learn, practise and apply throughout.
Encourage
●  learners to become confident in working with information and
ideas of their own and those of others with discussion tasks, as well as with
What can you do? panels at the end of each unit for self-assessment.
Provide
●  a clear pathway through the learning objectives with Practise tasks
in each unit, as well as Go further and Challenge yourself! panels with
questions designed to support differentiation.
Recap
●  and activate learners’ prior knowledge with Do you remember?
activities and introduce new computing skills with Learn and Practise tasks.
Cross-curricular links boost self-reflection within and across multiple
disciplines, enabling learners to enquire and extend understanding from
a range of contexts.

This resource is endorsed by Cambridge

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