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⚙ Digital Literacy · Grade 7–9

Computational Thinking: Think Like a Problem Solver!

You already use computational thinking every single day — even before breakfast! This module shows you the 4 thinking skills computer scientists (and you!) use to solve problems, with real examples from daily life and games you can try right now.

Everyday example — your morning
  1. Wake up and check the time ⏰
  2. If there's enough time → take a shower. If not → skip straight to getting dressed
  3. Put on your uniform 👕
  4. Eat breakfast 🍳
  5. Pack your bag and leave for school 🎒
🤔 Notice something? You followed clear steps, made a decision ("if... then..."), and repeated a routine you use every day. That's computational thinking — no computer needed!
The 4 Pillars of Computational Thinking
1
Pillar 01

Decomposition

Breaking a big, complicated problem into smaller, easier parts — just like you can't eat a whole pizza in one bite, you cut it into slices first!

Real-life examples
🧳Packing for a school trip → clothes, toiletries, documents, snacks
🏠Cleaning your room → floor, bed, desk, trash
📱Building an app → login screen, home page, profile, settings
🍜Cooking dinner → prep, cook, plate, clean up
🎮 Try it — Party Planner

Break down the big task!

Your class is organizing a birthday party 🎉. Click the tasks below that are actually part of planning the party. Some tasks are unrelated distractions — leave those out!

🎉 Big Task: Organize a Birthday Party
Send invitations
Order the cake
Finish math homework
Decorate the room
Walk the neighbor's dog
Make a music playlist
Charge phone battery
Buy snacks & drinks
Subtasks collected:
2
Pillar 02

Pattern Recognition

Spotting similarities, repeats, and trends so you can predict what comes next — like knowing a red traffic light will turn green after yellow.

Real-life examples
🚦Traffic lights repeat: red → yellow → green
📅Your class schedule repeats every week
🎵Spotify recommends songs based on patterns in what you listen to
🌦️Cloudy mornings in your city often mean rain by afternoon
🎮 Try it — What Comes Next?

Spot the pattern in each sequence

Click the option that correctly completes the pattern.

Traffic light sequence
🔴 🟡 🟢 🔴 🟡 ❓
🟢
🔴
🟡
Even numbers
2, 4, 6, 8, ❓
9
10
12
Weekly class schedule
Mon: Math → Tue: Science → Mon: Math → Tue: Science → Mon: ❓
Art
Math
Science
3
Pillar 03

Abstraction

Focusing only on the details that matter and ignoring the rest — like how a bus route map shows stops and lines, not every building and tree on the street.

Real-life examples
🗺️A metro/train map shows only stations & lines, not real streets
🌦️A weather app icon (☀️/🌧️) hides complex data behind a simple symbol
🎮A game health bar simplifies a character's condition into one bar
📲App icons represent whole apps with one simple picture
🎮 Try it — Keep or Cut

Design a simple map to the library

A new student needs a simple map to find the school library. Click each detail and decide: is it important enough to KEEP, or should it be CUT because it's unnecessary?

Building name (Building B)
Floor number (2nd floor)
Color of the hallway walls
Turn left after the stairs
Principal's birthday
Today's cafeteria menu
Distance from the gate (150m)

✅ KEEP (on the map)

🗑️ CUT (not needed)

4
Pillar 04

Algorithm Design

Writing a clear, ordered set of steps to solve a problem — like a recipe that anyone can follow to get the same result every time.

Real-life examples
🍳A recipe: exact steps to cook a dish
👟Steps to tie your shoelaces
🧭Directions you give a friend to reach your house
🧺Steps to do the laundry: sort, wash, dry, fold
🎮 Try it — Put the Steps in Order

Algorithm: How to make a cup of tea ☕

Click the steps below in the correct order. Watch them fill the sequence box, then check your answer.

Pour the hot water into the cup
Boil water in a kettle
Add sugar or milk and stir
Put a tea bag in the cup
Wait 2–3 minutes for it to steep
🏆 Final Challenge

Plan a Class Trip

Your class is planning a one-day trip to a science museum. Use all 4 computational thinking skills to answer these quick questions.

Decomposition

Which is the BEST way to break down "Plan the class trip" into subtasks?

Book transport, buy tickets, arrange lunch, get permission letters
Just wait until the trip day and figure it out
Ask one student to do everything alone
Pattern Recognition

Last 3 field trips left at 7:00 AM and returned by 3:00 PM. What can you predict?

The trip will probably last all week
This trip will likely follow a similar ~8-hour schedule
There's no way to guess the schedule
Abstraction

What's the most important info to put on the trip announcement poster?

The bus driver's favorite song
A detailed history of the museum building
Date, time, meeting point, and what to bring
Algorithm

What's the correct step order for trip day morning?

Board the bus → arrive at school → take attendance
Arrive at school → take attendance → board the bus
Take attendance → board the bus → arrive at school