Loopworks Factory
I can use a loop to repeat a move-and-process routine.
Your activities & worksheet
Four production stations need their parts processed. Teach your forklift one repeatable routine. Work with a partner, swap roles, and record your own thinking.
How can one routine process four stations?
Activity 1 · Process one station
- Open Loopworks Factory. Build Move, then Process station.
- Predict the station result and Run. Explain why the remaining stations are unfinished.
Activity 2 · Automate four stations
- Clear the program. Add Repeat and place both Move and Process inside it.
- Choose a count, predict the total actions, and run until all four stations are processed.
Activity 3 · Compare two algorithms
- Build the long eight-action sequence and test it. It processes the stations but needs a repeat to earn game completion.
- Restore the loop version. Compare the same work, readability, and written block count.
Individual exit check
How many actions run when two actions are inside repeat 4?
Teach this lesson
A 50-minute plan with preparation, prompts, model responses, differentiation, and an individual assessment.
How can one routine process four stations?
| Planning element | Teacher notes |
|---|---|
| Learning target | I can use a loop to repeat a move-and-process routine. |
| Evidence of learning | Process all four stations and reach the final platform using a repeat loop. Keep individual predictions, observations, and an explanation; a completion badge alone does not establish mastery. |
| Standards focus | 2-3.CT.6, 2-3.CT.9; 4-6.CT.6, 4-6.CT.8. |
| Vocabulary | loop, iteration, routine, written block, executed action |
| Readiness | Follow a short sequence and use a grid. Revisit the previous week’s prediction and explanation before introducing this game. |
| Preparation | Open game-week-03.html (Loopworks Factory). Check the mini forklift and Neon Assembly Line scene. Prepare a 5-by-5 grid, arrow counter, and worksheet. Use one device per pair and review the goal before revealing a solution. Game awards and worksheet responses save locally on this device; use teacher records for assessment. |
50-minute lesson sequence
| Minutes | Teaching moves | Look for |
|---|---|---|
| 0-5 | Introduce the mission Read the story and goal. Ask: How can one routine process four stations? Identify what must be observed to verify success. | Learners restate the task and constraints. |
| 5-12 | Model one action or test Demonstrate one control without solving the whole game. Explain the difference between robot heading and camera view. Ask for a prediction before clicking Run. | Each learner names an input, expected action, and observable result. |
| 12-20 | Activity 1: Process one station Open Loopworks Factory. Build Move, then Process station. Predict the station result and Run. Explain why the remaining stations are unfinished. Ask pairs to trace with a counter before retesting. | Collect the first worksheet prediction and observation. |
| 20-35 | Activity 2: Automate four stations Clear the program. Add Repeat and place both Move and Process inside it. Choose a count, predict the total actions, and run until all four stations are processed. Swap driver and navigator after one run. Pause at the first unexpected state. | Both partners connect a block, label, or parameter with the observed result. |
| 35-43 | Activity 3: Compare two algorithms Build the long eight-action sequence and test it. It processes the stations but needs a repeat to earn game completion. Restore the loop version. Compare the same work, readability, and written block count. | A revision or comparison is supported by a recorded test. |
| 43-48 | Independent exit check Ask each learner: How many actions run when two actions are inside repeat 4? Allow a spoken answer, drawing, or written response without a partner supplying the explanation. | Use the model answer as a guide; accept other explanations grounded in the run. |
| 48-50 | Save evidence and reflect Record completion and a next teaching step. Ask learners to download their worksheet or use a teacher-approved classroom record. | A next test or remaining limitation is named. |
Model program and expected behavior
repeat 4 { move; process station }Repeat 4 containing Move and Process runs eight primitive actions and processes each of four stations exactly once. Three written blocks express the routine. Processing a station twice fails; moving without processing leaves it unfinished.
2D teaching reference
Columns run west to east; rows run north to south. S = start, G = goal, M = mission item, X = barrier, P = route. Start heading: east. Use counters and this grid as an alternative to interpreting the 3D view.
| Grid | C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | . | . | . | . | . |
| R2 | . | . | . | . | . |
| R3 | S | PM | PM | PM | GM |
| R4 | . | . | . | . | . |
| R5 | . | . | . | . | . |
Misconceptions and a useful response
| Misconception | Response |
|---|---|
| Only Move belongs inside Repeat. | Use a two-card routine: move then process. Trace the pair four times. Ask which action was omitted from the loop. |
| Finishing the game proves I understand everything. | Ask for an individual prediction, trace, explanation, and a next test. Use completion as one piece of evidence. |
Differentiate the task
Support: Start with one station, then repeat a physical two-card pattern. Keep the loop count visible. Provide the written position/heading status and a 2D or tactile map when the 3D view is not useful.
Extend: Compare repeat 3 plus one move/process pair with repeat 4. Explain the same executed actions and different written structure.
Independent exit check
Prompt: How many actions run when two actions are inside repeat 4?
Teacher key: Eight actions: four moves and four processing actions. A shorter written program can perform the same work.
Connect to Scratch or physical robotics
In Scratch, a repeat block can contain movement plus a costume, sound, or variable update. Preserve the order of the whole repeated routine.