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Loops: Do It Again

Third graders discover loops — a way to tell the computer to repeat steps instead of writing them over and over. Say “repeat 4 times: jump” instead of writing jump four times. They test the idea, then use a loop in a pattern.

Grade 3Loops: Do It Again45 minutes1 class periodCSTA / ISTEExplicit teaching4 StandardsCSTA
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain what a loop does.
  • ✓Replace repeats with a loop.
  • ✓Pick the number of times.
  • ✓Use a loop in a pattern.
Essential Question

How can you repeat steps without writing them again and again?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Check It · Interactive

What Do Loops Do?

Project each item and have students answer about loops.

🔁 Understand what loops doTry it
Answer each question about loops.
The Lesson · Use → Modify → Create (a coding progression with Unplugged practice)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Again and Again

5 min

How would you clap 10 times in code?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Clap, then clap again.
  • Ask for a shorter way.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Clap.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Use — Loops

10 min

Students use a loop.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to What Do Loops Do?
  • Note repeat N times.
  • Count a loop out loud.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Note it.
  • Count.
3

Modify — Change the Count

12 min

Students modify.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Change repeat 4 to repeat 6.
  • Loop a different action.
  • Count the repeats.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Change.
  • Loop.
  • Count.
4

Create — Make a Pattern

12 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pick a 2-step action.
  • Loop it to make a pattern.
  • Choose how many times.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick.
  • Loop.
  • Choose.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say what a loop does.
  • Say why loops help.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and the ISTE Standards for Students.

CSTA
1B-AP-10

Create programs with sequences, events, loops & conditionals.

CSTA
1B-AP-12

Modify or remix a program to make something new.

CSTA
1B-AP-11

Decompose a problem into smaller parts.

ISTE
5 Computational Thinker

Automate repetition.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Clap-count a loop.
  • Frame: “repeat ___ times.”
  • Act loops with motions.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Use repeat 2–3.
  • Loop one action.
  • Use a counter.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Loop a dance pattern.
  • Nest a loop (in theory).
  • Make a bead loop pattern.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🔁Repeat cards
  • 💻What Do Loops Do?
  • 🧸Pattern blocks
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

looprepeats steps in coderepeatdo something againtimeshow many repeatspatterna repeating designstepone instructionshorterfewer lines of codeactiona thing the program doescountkeep track of repeats
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does a loop do?
Repeats steps so you do not rewrite them.
QUESTION 2
How do you jump 4 times with a loop?
repeat 4 times: jump.
QUESTION 3
Why are loops helpful?
They save time and make code shorter.

Reflect: loops.

Have students turn a repeated action into a loop. A printable loops worksheet is in the Computer Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 CS Loops Do It Again (Grade 3)Flip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 CS Loops Do It Again (Grade 3)Quiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ CS Loops Do It Again (Grade 3)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: action, count, loop, pattern, repeat, shorter, step, times
  1. keep track of repeats
  2. a repeating design
  3. do something again
  4. a thing the program does
  5. fewer lines of code
  6. how many repeats
  7. one instruction
  8. repeats steps in code

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does a loop do?
  2. How do you jump 4 times with a loop?
  3. Why are loops helpful?
Answer key — Part A: 1) count · 2) pattern · 3) repeat · 4) action · 5) shorter · 6) times · 7) step · 8) loop
Part B: 1) Repeats steps so you do not rewrite them. 2) repeat 4 times: jump. 3) They save time and make code shorter.