All Activities
Computing

Find It Fast: Exploring Search Strategies

Overview

Students explore how different ways of searching for something can affect speed and success.

Learning Objective
Students understand that different search strategies can be more or less efficient.

Resources needed

  • Optional: objects or numbers
  • Paper
  • Pencils

Lesson stages

0 / 10 done
  1. 1 Introduce searching as finding something in a set.
  2. 2 Give example (finding a number).
  3. 3 Students try searching randomly.
  4. 4 Discuss time taken.
  5. 5 Introduce more organised search (e.g. checking in order).
  6. 6 Students try again using a strategy.
  7. 7 Compare results.
  8. 8 Discuss efficiency.
  9. 9 Introduce idea of algorithms for searching.
  10. 10 Reflect on best methods.

Tap a step to mark it as done.

Variations

  • Use numbers or objects.
  • Time different strategies.
  • Create competitions.
More information

Teach: search, find, method, efficient, strategy. Use frames: 'I looked…'.

Use physical movement or objects.

Can students explain different search methods? Can they compare efficiency?

Use simple numbers or mental tasks.

Students may think all methods are equally effective.

Search algorithms are fundamental in computing and data processing.

Activity details
Primary Medium 25 minutes no prep Pairs, Small Group Indoor & Outdoor
Topics
Searching Algorithms Efficiency Logic