Fired Up Activity 1 Following Directions

LESSON PLAN, Fired Up Activity 1:
FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS
GRADE: 4th Grade
OVERVIEW:
A critical component of understanding and utilizing computers is that
computers follow a set of directions exactly. Unlike humans, computers
are not able to interpret what one says. The ability to communicate a set
of directions to other humans in a precise way is a precursor to being able
to communicate a set of directions to a computer. The purpose of this
exercise is to strengthen students’ skills in following directions from other
humans, including the specific skills listed in the objectives below. The end
goal is for this to be a stepping stone that students use in their quest to
make the computer do what they want it to.
OBJECTIVES:
Students will practice listening, following directions, and sequence skills by
making an origami whale.
MATERIALS: One piece of square or rectangular paper, one sheet of

directions for each student. If the paper is rectangular, then you need
scissors and extra directions to make students cut their paper to be a
square. If you are allowing students to make a second animal if they are
done early (a frog is another easy one), then you will need extra paper
and instructions.
OPTIONAL: Students may color one side of their whale blue prior to folding
if the paper is not already colored.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Begin by asking students different ways that people have helped
them learn things. For example, they might have read a book with
words, they might have watched a video, or someone might have
shown them. Give an example of how you taught something in
class – you demonstrated two examples, and then they tried it
themselves. Try to elicit different ways of teaching / learning things
a. Teacher demonstrates, students copy
b. Teacher demonstrates, students copy, teacher gives
feedback as to what student is doing wrong – interactive
help
c. Student watches a video, tries it on his/her own
d. Student reads a book with pictures.
FIredUp Activity 1 – Following Directions 1

e. Student reads a book without pictures
2. Explore the different methods and try to decide which are the
easiest ways to learn, and which are the hardest ways to learn how
to do something.
3. Computers don’t get to look at pictures, watch videos, or have
someone give htem feedback on what they’re doing wrong.
Computers can only follow a set of written directions. Let’s try doing
something from only written instructions. Explain that during this
exercise, you will not be giving any additional assistance, for
example confirming that they are correct or explaining the
directions. Their job is to, only using the written instructions, figure
out how to create their origami whale.
4. Pass out the paper and instructions for folding the paper whale.
5. Observe and provide encouragement, but do not confirm
correctness (until completion).
REFLECTIONS:
At the conclusion of your activity, pass out the following worksheet to the
students so that they can reflect on the challenge and benefits of
following directions without clarification from others.
STANDARDS:
This activity could be done after/during studying Ecosystems/
Environmental Changes (Scott-Foresman Science page 157) as an art
lesson, or as a math
Science: 4LS3.0 Living organisms depend on one another and on their

environment for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
4LS3.b Students know that in a particular environment, some kinds of

plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot
survive at all.
Systematic ELD: Lesson 5.19 Express Action & Time Relationships

FiredUp Activity 1: Making an Origami Whale
If you have a rectangular piece of paper, you

first need to make it a square.
Making a square piece of paper:

1) Fold the top-right corner over to the left side of the paper. Position it so
that it folds exactly at the top-left corner, and the side that used to be the
top of the paper is flat against the left side of the paper.
2) There will be a rectangle left at the bottom. Fold that up so the fold is
along the bottom of the triangle you created.
3) Cut off that bottom rectangle.
4) When you unfold the paper, you will have a square. You will also have
already completed step 1 below.
Once you have a square piece of paper:

1) Position the paper so it looks like a diamond. Fold the left point over to
meet the right point, and open it up again to diamond shape. You should
see a line (crease) caused by your fold that goes straight from the bottom
corner to the top corner.
2) Take the right-hand corner and bring it to the center crease, up high
enough so the paper is flat from the bottom corner to this corner. Do the
same with the left-hand corner.
3) Fold the top point corner down to meet the other two corners at the
center crease.
4) Fold in half along the original crease, folding the right side over to meet
the left side.
5) Rotate the shapes so that the long flat line is at the bottom.
6) Fold up about one inch from the end to form the tail, making the
narrow end point to the sky.

Reflections
What was the goal of this activity?
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Which step was the hardest for you to figure out and why?
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LESSON PLAN, Fired Up Activity 1:

GRADE: 4th Grade

MATERIALS: One piece of square or rectangular paper, one sheet of

FIredUp Activity 1 – Following Directions 1

Science: 4LS3.0 Living organisms depend on one another and on their

4LS3.b Students know that in a particular environment, some kinds of

Systematic ELD: Lesson 5.19 Express Action & Time Relationships

FIredUp Activity 1 – Following Directions 2

If you have a rectangular piece of paper, you

Making a square piece of paper:

Once you have a square piece of paper:

FIredUp Activity 1 – Following Directions 3

What was the goal of this activity?

FIredUp Activity 1 – Following Directions 4

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