Python Quest: Say Hello to the Computer

Materials Needed

• Computer with a keyboard
• Internet access
• Python environment, such as Python’s online shell, Trinket, or another teacher-approved coding platform
• Typing practice website or a prepared typing passage
• Notebook or digital document for coding notes
• Lesson code examples
• Optional: headphones and a timer

Lesson Information

• Age: 14
• Level: First-year coding
• Curricular connection: Irish Junior Cycle Digital Learning and computational thinking skills
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Previous learning: Typing practice
• Today’s focus: Python, print(), input(), and variables

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the learner will be able to:

• Type simple Python code accurately, including brackets, quotation marks, and equal signs.
• Use print() to display a message on the screen.
• Use input() to ask the user a question.
• Store information in a variable.
• Create a short interactive “Hello” program using at least one variable, one input(), and two print() statements.
• Explain that a variable is a named place where a program stores information.

Success Criteria

Success looks like this:

• I can explain what print(), input(), and a variable do.
• My program runs without errors.
• My program asks the user for information and uses the answer later.
• I can change my program to make it personal or creative.
• I can explain one mistake I fixed or one improvement I made.

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction and Hook — 5 minutes

Hook: Ask:

“If your computer could greet you by name every time you opened it, what would you want it to say?”

Explain:

“Today, you are going to write your first Python program. Python is a programming language used for websites, games, data, artificial intelligence, and automation. You will teach the computer to say hello, ask a question, remember the answer, and respond.”

Share the plan with the learner:

1. Practise accurate typing for 15 minutes.
2. Learn three basic Python ideas.
3. Build a simple interactive “Hello” program.
4. Customise the program and test it.

2. Continued Typing Practice — 15 minutes

Activity: Coding Typing Warm-Up

Use a typing website or type the following lines into a document. Focus on accuracy rather than speed.

print("Hello")
name = input("What is your name? ")
print(name)
message = "Welcome to Python!"
print(message)

Typing goals:

• Use both hands where possible.
• Look carefully for capital letters, brackets, quotation marks, and punctuation.
• Keep the cursor position accurate.
• Correct errors instead of ignoring them.

Quick reflection: Ask the learner:

• Which character was easiest to mistype?
• Why is careful typing important when writing code?
• What is different about typing code compared with typing a paragraph?

Formative assessment: Check whether the learner can correctly type:

• Round brackets: ( )
• Quotation marks: " "
• Equal sign: =
• Underscore: _

3. Introducing Python — 10 minutes

I Do: Demonstration

Open the Python environment and explain that Python reads instructions from top to bottom. Type and run:

print("Hello, world!")

Explain:

• print() tells Python to show something on the screen.
• The message inside quotation marks is called a string. A string is text.
• Brackets show what information belongs to print().

Try changing the message:

print("Hello from my first Python program!")
print("Coding is a creative skill.")

Check for understanding:

• What will appear on the screen?
• What would happen if the quotation marks were missing?
• What would happen if the spelling of print changed?

I Do: Introducing Input

Demonstrate:

input("Press Enter to begin.")

Explain:

“The input() function pauses the program and waits for the user to type something or press Enter. It allows the user to interact with the program.”

Next demonstrate:

name = input("What is your name? ")
print(name)

Explain:

• name is a variable.
• The variable stores the answer typed by the user.
• The equal sign assigns information to the variable; it does not mean “is equal to” in the same way as a maths equation.
• Python can use the stored answer later.

4. Guided Practice: Build the “Hello” Program — 12 minutes

We Do: Code Along

Build the program one line at a time. The learner should type each line rather than simply copying the entire program.

print("Hello! Welcome to my Python program.")

name = input("What is your name? ")

print("Nice to meet you, " + name + "!")

Run the program and test it with a real name.

Discuss each line:

1. The first print() displays a welcome message.
2. The input() asks a question.
3. The answer is stored in the variable called name.
4. The final print() uses the stored answer.

Think-pair-share alternative: If another person is available, ask the learner to explain the program to them. If working independently, have the learner explain each line aloud or write a short explanation in a notebook.

Quick prediction check: Before running this code, ask:

• What will the computer ask first?
• What information is stored in name?
• What will happen if the user types “Rory”?

5. Independent Creative Challenge — 10 minutes

You Do: Personalise the Program

The learner chooses one challenge. The program must still use print(), input(), and at least two variables.

Option A: Coding Club Welcome

print("Welcome to the coding club!")

name = input("What is your name? ")
favourite_language = input("What coding language would you like to learn? ")

print(name + " wants to learn " + favourite_language + ".")
print("That sounds interesting!")

Option B: Game Character Creator

print("Create your game character!")

character = input("What is your character's name? ")
power = input("What special power do they have? ")

print(character + " has the power of " + power + "!")
print("Your adventure is about to begin.")

Option C: Make Your Own

Create a program that welcomes someone, asks two questions, and responds using both answers. Possible themes include:

• A music recommendation program
• A holiday planner
• A pet introduction
• A sports team welcome
• A school or homeschool timetable assistant

Independent instructions:

1. Write a welcoming print() message.
2. Use input() to ask a question.
3. Store the answer in a clearly named variable.
4. Ask a second question and store that answer in another variable.
5. Use both variables in a final message.
6. Run the program at least twice with different answers.

6. Debugging and Feedback — 5 minutes

Explain that programmers expect errors. Debugging means finding and fixing problems in code.

Use this debugging checklist:

• Are all brackets closed?
• Are all quotation marks paired?
• Is print spelt correctly and written in lowercase?
• Are variable names consistent?
• Did the learner accidentally use a variable name that does not exist?
• Are the lines in a sensible order?

Common error example:

name = input("What is your name? ")
print("Hello, " + Name)

Ask the learner to identify the problem. Explain that Python treats name and Name as different names. This is called being case-sensitive.

Feedback prompt: Give specific feedback using:

• “One thing your program does well is…”
• “One change that would make it clearer or more interesting is…”

7. Conclusion and Assessment — 3 minutes

Exit Ticket

The learner answers these questions verbally or in writing:

1. What does print() do?
2. What does input() do?
3. What is a variable?
4. What information did your program store?
5. What was one error or challenge you solved?

Summative Demonstration

The learner runs their completed program and explains:

• Where the program displays text
• Where it asks for user input
• Which variables store information
• How the final response uses the user’s answers

Assessment Evidence

• Typing practice: Accurate use of coding symbols and punctuation
• During learning: Answers to prediction and explanation questions
• Practical task: A working interactive Python program
• Reflection: Explanation of a debugging step or improvement

Differentiation and Adaptations

Support for a Learner Who Needs More Guidance

• Provide a partially completed program with the missing words highlighted.
• Use one variable first, then add a second variable.
• Allow the learner to copy a line, run it, and explain it before moving on.
• Keep a reference card visible:

print("text")
answer = input("Question? ")
print(answer)

Extension for a Learner Ready for More Challenge

• Ask for three pieces of information instead of two.
• Use a variable to store a welcome message.
• Experiment with multi-line output using several print() statements.
• Investigate f-strings:

name = input("What is your name? ")
print(f"Hello, {name}!")

• Compare the f-string version with the version using +.

Different Learning Formats

• Homeschool: The adult can act as the user and test the program with different answers.
• Classroom: Learners can test a partner’s program and give one positive comment and one suggestion.
• Online or training setting: Learners can share their code and explain one line during a short presentation.
• Low-tech option: Write the code on paper and predict the output before using a computer.

Next Lesson Link

In the next lesson, revisit variables and introduce numbers, simple calculations, and combining text with user input to create a personalised calculator or mini quiz.