Skip to main content

Programming Unit Roadmap

Year 11 Digital Technologies – AS92004

This roadmap shows:

  • what we are learning
  • why it matters
  • what evidence you are expected to produce

Programming is assessed on understanding and explanation, not just working code.

Phase 1: Programming Foundations (Week 1)​

Focus​

  • Installing Python and VS Code correctly
  • Setting up a project environment with venv and pip
  • What a computer program is
  • Input → Process → Output (IPO)
  • Sequencing and order of instructions

Key Ideas​

  • A working programming setup is part of working independently
  • Virtual environments keep project packages separate
  • Computers follow instructions exactly
  • Order matters, even if code “runs”
  • IPO helps structure thinking before coding

In-Class Evidence​

  • Successful setup check in VS Code
  • Activated .venv prompt and basic package install
  • IPO diagrams
  • Written step-by-step logic
  • Explanations of program flow

Assessment​

  • Setup note: Python development setup with pip completed and checked
  • Formative Assessment 1: Program Logic & IPO
    • Includes MCQs and written reasoning

Phase 2: Program Structure (Week 2)​

Focus​

  • Variables and stored data
  • Clear sequencing
  • Readability and structure

Key Ideas​

  • Structure shows clear thinking
  • Messy code is harder to verify and debug
  • Someone else should be able to follow your logic

In-Class Evidence​

  • Annotated pseudocode
  • Variable explanations
  • Reordered or corrected logic examples

Assessment​

  • Structure questions embedded in formative tasks
  • Teacher checkpoints on clarity and explanation

Phase 3: Control Structures (Week 3)​

Focus​

  • Selection (if / else)
  • Iteration (loops)
  • Combining control structures

Key Ideas​

  • Selection chooses between paths
  • Iteration repeats actions
  • Many bugs come from incorrect conditions

In-Class Evidence​

  • Plain-English conditions
  • Loop reasoning without code
  • Identification of logic bugs

Assessment​

  • Formative Assessment 2: Selection & Iteration
    • MCQs + applied reasoning

Phase 4: Testing & Debugging (Week 4)​

Focus​

  • Testing types (normal, edge, error)
  • Debugging process
  • Iterative improvement

Key Ideas​

  • A running program is not automatically correct
  • Testing shows understanding
  • Small, explained fixes matter

In-Class Evidence​

  • Test tables
  • Error classification
  • Explained fixes

Assessment​

  • Formative Assessment 3: Testing & Debugging

Phase 5: Introduction to Pygame (Week 5)​

Focus​

  • What Pygame is and how it relates to Python
  • The game loop: events → update → draw
  • Connecting IPO, variables, selection, and iteration to game development
  • Installing Pygame in a virtual environment

Key Ideas​

  • A Pygame program is still a Python program
  • The game loop is the IPO model running continuously
  • Events are input; state updates are process; drawing is output
  • Coordinates work differently from maths (y increases downward)

In-Class Evidence​

  • Game loop diagram with IPO mapping
  • Basic Pygame window with player movement
  • Written explanation of how the game loop works

Assessment​

  • Teacher checkpoint: can the student explain the game loop?
  • First Pygame file running with events, update, and draw phases

Phase 6: Decomposition in Game Development (Week 6)​

Focus​

  • Breaking a game into logical pieces: entities, state, and systems
  • Planning game structure before writing code
  • Separating concerns to make code testable and maintainable

Key Ideas​

  • Decomposition is a design process, not a coding process
  • Every game can be decomposed into similar patterns, regardless of complexity
  • Good decomposition makes features easier to add and bugs easier to find
  • Entities should be independent; systems should have single responsibilities

In-Class Evidence​

  • Decomposition diagrams for a planned game
  • Written explanation of entity types, state, and systems
  • Pseudocode showing game loop calling separated systems

Assessment​

  • Teacher checkpoint: can the student explain how their game is decomposed?
  • Planning worksheet or document showing decomposition before implementation

Phase 7: Summative Theory Verification (Week 7)​

Focus​

  • Holistic understanding of programming
  • Explaining logic without code
  • Transfer to unfamiliar scenarios

Assessment​

  • Summative Programming Theory Assessment
    • MCQs
    • Diagrams
    • Scenario-based reasoning