Free Sample — Little Engineers: Technology & Logic Workbook (Grades 3–8)

This is a complete sample unit from our school-grade workbook — the same structure teachers get in the full product: learning objectives, vocabulary, a mini-lesson, three activity tiers, an exit ticket, an unplugged game, and the answer key with rationale. Print this page or use it on any device — no account or signup needed.

Sample Unit — Patterns & Sequences (Ages 7–9)

You will learn to:

Key vocabulary: pattern — something that repeats by a rule · sequence — items in order · rule — the instruction that makes the pattern · algorithm — steps that always work.

Mini-lesson. A pattern is anything that repeats by a rule. Computers are pattern machines — they spot patterns in photos, music, and numbers faster than any person. The real skill is not guessing the next item; it is saying the RULE out loud. “Add 2” is a rule. “Bigger” is not. Work every problem the same way: (1) look at the first three items, (2) say what changed, (3) say the rule, (4) use the rule to continue.

Core — Find the rule

Continue each pattern for two more items, then write the rule.

  1. Circle, square, circle, square, circle, __, __
  2. 2, 4, 6, 8, __, __ — Rule: ___
  3. A, B, C, A, B, C, __, __ — Rule: ___
  4. 5, 10, 15, 20, __, __ — Rule: ___
  5. Z, Y, X, Z, Y, X, __, __ — Rule: ___
  6. 100, 90, 80, __, __ — Rule: ___
  7. Draw your own 6-item pattern. Write its rule: ___

Practice — Pattern detective

One item in each row breaks the rule. Find it and fix it.

  1. 3, 6, 9, 11, 15 — broken: __ fix: __
  2. Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Thu — broken: __ fix: __
  3. 2, 4, 8, 16, 30 — broken: __ fix: __
  4. A pattern is 4, 8, 12, 16… Is 26 in it? Why or why not?

Challenge — Grow it

  1. Continue backward AND forward: __, 7, 14, 21, __
  2. Two rules at once: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, ___ (each step doubles)
  3. Start with 1, 1 and use the rule “add the last two numbers.” What are the next four?
  4. Explain why a computer can check 1,000 pattern rows in the time you check one.

Exit Ticket

  1. State the rule for: 10, 20, 30, 40… ___
  2. What makes a good rule? ___
  3. One thing you can now do that a computer does too: ___

Unplugged game — Pattern Claps. Leader claps a pattern (clap, clap, stomp); the group continues it and must SAY the rule before continuing. Rotate leaders until everyone leads.

Answer Key (with rationale)

Core: 1) square, circle 2) 10, 12 — add 2 3) A, B — ABC repeats 4) 25, 30 — add 5 5) Z, Y — ZYX repeats 6) 70, 60 — subtract 10 7) any pattern with a stated rule.

Practice: 1) 11→12 2) Fri and Thu swapped 3) 30→32 (doubles) 4) No — only multiples of 4 from 4 appear.

Challenge: 1) 0 and 28 2) 32 3) 2, 3, 5, 8 — the Fibonacci sequence; naming it is a bonus talking point.

Acceptable alternatives: in logic work, a different-but-defensible answer with a stated rule shows mastery — the rubric counts the reasoning, not the exact answer.

What’s in the full workbook

Six CSTA-aligned units (ages 7–14): patterns, algorithms & debugging, problem-solving puzzles, how computers & networks work, data & online safety, plus a teen extension on variables, loops and pseudocode. It ships with a facilitator guide (pacing, differentiation, standards table), a 4-point assessment rubric, a full answer key with rationale, a glossary, and a completion certificate — built for classrooms, homeschools, and enrichment programs.

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