Learn to Speak Robot logo
Image of robot waving

A free digital thinking challenge for children and young people

Key Dates

CHALLENGE OPENS

First Day of South Australian School Term 1 each year.
Schools & Home Schools need to register.
Individual children taking part outside of school do not need to register.
Find out how children can take part outside of school here.

CHALLENGE CLOSES

All registrations and entries are due by Friday 26 September.

What is it?

Learn to Speak Robot is a free computational thinking challenge for school aged students.

Computational thinking is the process of breaking down a problem into simple steps that a computer can understand. It is the thinking used for coding and is fundamental to teaching children problem solving skills.

Learn to Speak Robot aligns with ACARAs Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Creating with ICT learning continuum.

Who can take part?

Learn to Speak Robot is recommended for students in years 2 to 8, but all students can learn to problem solve! 

How long do the activities take?

Depending upon the age of your students, each activity can take between 20 minutes and an hour to complete.

How do my students complete the Challenge?

Students need to complete four computational thinking activities to have met the Challenge. There are hundreds of activities to choose from. You can choose which activities will suit individual students or select challenges for your class level.  Alternatively you can let your students choose their own four activities.  Check out the Beginners Guide for some pre-selected activities if you’re unsure about what to choose.

STEPS FOR SCHOOLS

  1.  Register your school to be eligible for prizes on offer. It is free and takes less than a minute to complete.
  2. Registering your school means you will be sent the Learn to Speak Robot information pack. Check your inbox (and junk folder) if you can’t see it in your inbox. It contains all the instructions, materials and forms you need.
  3. Now you’re ready to start the Challenge! Help your students choose any four activities on offer via this website and work through them together. You can run the Challenge in any way you like, as long as each student completes four activities.
  4. When your students have successfully completed all four activities they have met the Challenge, and can be included on your School’s Challenge Completion Form provided to you in the information pack. You complete this and submit it online along with the best testimonial quote from a student who participated in the Challenge. You need to submit your Challenge Completion Form before the end of Term 3.
REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL TODAY!

The Challenge Activities

Are you or your students already familiar with computational thinking? Great! Explore hundreds of computational thinking activities provided by our digital education partners. Remember, your students only need to complete four activities and they’ve done Learn to Speak Robot!

Access DT Hub™
Activities

Find out more
Australian Digital Technologies Curriculum-approved options with complete lesson plans.

Digital thinking activities across various subject areas such as Health, the Arts, Geography and Science.

Access Hour of Code™ Activities

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A great place to start as all lessons are step-by-step and there’s something for everyone. Character themed activities include coding with Star Wars®, Minecraft®, Disney characters from Moana® and Frozen®, Angry Birds®, NBA® and more.

Access Grok Learning™ Activities

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Never tried coding before? Try some basic Blockly coding with the cute Monster Maker.

All activities include access to lesson plans for teachers meeting Australian Digital Technology curriculum requirements.

Access CS Unplugged™ Activities

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Core fundamentals of programming without devices! You’ll only need items like chalk, paper, pens, pebbles, bits ‘n’ bobs and your digital thinking brain. Great activities to work through with your class.

Access MakeCode™ Activities

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Always wanted a micro:bit device but don’t have one? Use the free online micro:bit simulator here to make a flashing heart or a game where you can play ‘rock paper scissors’. Plus lots more to try here.

Access Code Club™ Activities

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Step-by-step projects to complete using free downloads to make your own musical instruments with Scratch, create a webpage to tell a joke with HTML and CSS and send secret messages with Python.

Access Vex Robotics™ Activities

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Use your VEX robots to help a hungry squirrel gather nuts for winter with VEX 123, build and code a parade float with VEX GO, navigate your BaseBot through a maze with VEX IQ, or code a pizza delivery project with VEX EXP! 

Beginners’ Activities

New to computational thinking? No worries. We’ve selected six activities that are perfect for beginners to complete the Challenge. Remember, your students only need to complete four activities and they’ve done Learn to Speak Robot!

Coding with Minecraft®

Learn the basics of programming in familiar territory

Find out more

Get started with this beginner’s coding with a Minecraft lesson from Code.org’s Hour of Code™.

Watch a 2-minute intro video followed by a step-by-step introduction to coding using a Minecraft character.

Learn about algorithms

Australian Digital Technologies Curriculum approved lesson
Find out more
Have a go at introducing algorithms to beginners by simply describing everyday actions like brushing teeth, or making a sandwich with this activity from the Digital Technologies Hub. The only equipment you’ll need will be sticky notes / paper and your digital thinking brain!

Make cute monsters

Australian Digital Technologies Curriculum approved lesson

Find out more

Sign in as a teacher to get free access to all the notes and support you need to run Grok Learning tutorials as a classroom activity and no software installation is required. All activities also contain extension suggestions for students who blast through.

FREE MICRO:BIT SIMULATOR

Code a flashing heart with no special equipment

Find out more

Don’t have a budget for physical robots or microchips? Microsoft have an entire, online based micro:bit simulator you can use for free.  Simply click on the picture of the chip to make it do what it would in real life. 

BINARY SECRET CODES

Unplugged lesson requiring no devices
Find out more
It sounds complicated but fits in beautifully with Mathematics. It’s just counting in Base 2.

Explore this CS Unplugged activity to find out how numbers can become something else:  a necklace made out of beads that secretly spells your name or a code for writing secret messages.

If you have no idea what binary is spend 5 minutes getting up to speed with Math is Fun by Rod Pierce.

Code a dance party

Get creative with music, characters and dance moves
Find out more

Use your creativity to code a choreographed dance performance with this Hour of Code™ activity from Code.org.
Take part with digital devices or try the unplugged version (no devices needed) as a class.

 
Acknowledgement of Country

We respectfully acknowledge and celebrate the Traditional Owners of the lands throughout South Australia and we pay our respects to their Elders – and to past, present and future generations of their children and young people.

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