Coding

Using the Ontario Curriculum Teacher Supports

Computational Thinking: Using Flowcharts and Pseudocode

Computational thinking is a problem-solving process that involves breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable steps, identifying patterns, and creating a clear, step-by-step solution. 

A flowchart is a visual representation of a pathway using shapes and arrows to illustrate the sequence of events and convey the logic. This makes it easier to see the flow of decisions, loops, and processes without getting bogged down in syntax.

Next, pseudocode can act as a bridge between the steps in the flowchart and actual code.  Pseudocode is a text-based description of a program that describes what the program should do in plain language, which makes it easier to translate into real code later.

The document to the left compiles all references to flowcharts and pseudocode from the Teacher Supports on the Digital Curriculum Platform. It provides a clear overview of how these concepts are introduced and developed across Grades 3 to 9. Many of the student task exemplars integrate mathematical concepts from other strands to support the development of coding skills.

Sample Pseudocode Tasks Appropriate for Grades 7 — 9

Looking to hit coding expectations without losing time in other subject areas? These pseudocode tasks make it seamless to embed computational thinking directly into your math lessons. Use them as quick 5-minute "minds-on" warm-ups to activate prior knowledge, or build them into full-period activities to cover two curriculum goals at once. Explore our collection of sample activities below to find inspiration for your next lesson.

Introduction to Flowcharts and Pseudocode

Classifying Triangles with Flowcharts and Pseudocode

Finding the Mean with Flowcharts and Pseudocode

Coding Tools and Resources

Assessment Ideas

Coding Journals

Learning to code involves planning, testing, revising, and making sense of what happens along the way. A coding journal or learning log gives students a place to capture this thinking and recognize how their understanding develops.

Entries can include drawings, diagrams, short written reflections, screenshots, and annotated code. Journals can support students throughout the coding process:

  • Before coding: Make thinking visible

    • Students sketch ideas, describe what they want a program to do, break a task into smaller steps, and set goals. Explaining their plans in everyday language helps connect their intentions to coding concepts.

  • During coding: Work through challenges

    • Students record what they tried, what happened, and what they might change. Describing a problem step by step can help them identify errors, consider solutions, and develop debugging strategies. Recording frustrations and successes also helps students recognize strategies that support perseverance.

  • After coding: Reflect on learning

    • Students explain their choices, identify discoveries, and consider next steps. Looking back at earlier entries helps them recognize progress and build a personal collection of useful vocabulary, code examples, and problem-solving strategies.

  • With others: Exchange ideas and feedback

    • Sharing selected entries invites students to explain their reasoning, learn from different approaches, and support one another. Digital journals can also provide opportunities to practise responsible online communication.

For teachers, coding journals offer evidence of student thinking that may not be apparent in a finished program. A brief prompt—such as “What did you change, and why?”—can open a conversation, inform feedback, and help identify where support is needed.

Coding & Social-Emotional Learning

Learning to code is a process that requires students to become patient and persistent problem-solvers.  They will routinely make mistakes and have to find and resolve them.  This has the potential to frustrate and deter some learners.  As such, this is a great opportunity to focus on social-emotional learning and in particular, recognizing sources of stress and coping with challenges and maintaining positive motivation and perseverance.  Here are self-assessment tools you can use with your students for each of the SEL expectations.  

SEL Self Assessment for Coding

Monograph: Student Self-Assessment

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