Picoh Puzzles
A small collection of computing puzzles designed to help you get started with programming Picoh. They are intended to be fun, but also help develop computational thinking skills and an understanding of key programming concepts.
The puzzles run in the Picoh app as programs.
1. In the Puzzles section below click on the Download Puzzle link button for the puzzle you'd like to try.
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2. In the Picoh or Ohbot app on the file menu click Open Ohbiverse Download
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- That's it! You are ready to puzzle.
- To save your work on a puzzle select Save from the File menu. You can share your program with someone else by sending the saved file as an email attachment or uploading it to a cloud storage space such as OneDrive, Google Drive or Drop Box.
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1. Modify the value of the Position Variable so Picoh looks up when the 'up' key is pressed.
Programming Concepts: event, set a variable command |
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2. Make Picoh close its eyelids when its head is down and open them when its head is up.
Programming concepts: event, set a variable command, set multiple variables |
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3.Can you change the code so that Picoh looks happy when you press the 'space' key?
Programming concepts: event, set a variable command, set multiple variables |
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4.Alter the code to make Picoh nod its head down, wait for a second and then back up again.
Programming concepts: event, setting multiple variables, ordering a sequence of commands, timing |
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5.Add wait blocks so that Picoh's motors have enough time to move to each position in turn.
Programming concepts: event, setting multiple variables, ordering a sequence of commands, timing |
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6. Alter the code to make Picoh nod its head up and down continuously.
Programming concepts: event, timing, ordering a sequence of commands, repetition |
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7. Change the program so that Picoh turns its head more frequently.
Programming concepts: event, setting variables, operator |
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8. Modify the program so that Picoh tells a different joke. Modify the Bottom lip position variables so that Picoh opens its mouth before speaking and closes it after it finishes.
Programming concepts: event, setting variables, ordering a sequence of commands |
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9.Use the Bottom Lip sensor block to continously set the position variable for the Bottom Lip motor.
Programming concepts: event, repetition, variable |
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The puzzles can be used to address elements of the English National Curriculum for Computing. Specifically they are designed to support the following aspects at KS2 (aged 7-11)
Each puzzle follows the PRIMM approach. This is a structured method for learning computer programming. Children start by learning to read programs and use logical reasoning to make predictions about what it will do. Then they run and evaluate what the program does. Then they identify the aspects of code to change and make modifications to it to solve a problem or bug. Finally they start writing programs. There is more about this approach here.
Programs can be saved so they can be shared with a teacher. They save as a single file that can be uploaded to a cloud service or sent via email.
Oh yes and most importantly we hope you have as much fun programming Picoh as we do.
- design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
- use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output
- use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs
Each puzzle follows the PRIMM approach. This is a structured method for learning computer programming. Children start by learning to read programs and use logical reasoning to make predictions about what it will do. Then they run and evaluate what the program does. Then they identify the aspects of code to change and make modifications to it to solve a problem or bug. Finally they start writing programs. There is more about this approach here.
Programs can be saved so they can be shared with a teacher. They save as a single file that can be uploaded to a cloud service or sent via email.
Oh yes and most importantly we hope you have as much fun programming Picoh as we do.
