Computers make decisions by checking rules that are either true or false — yes or no, with nothing in between. On Rulebook Reef, Year 1 coders play the robot: they test each picture against a rule and decide whether it fits.
What your child will learn
- Decide whether something fits a rule: yes or no
- Find the one thing that breaks a rule
- Use AND: both parts must be true
- Use OR and NOT in simple rules
Both, either, or not
“Red AND a fruit” is fussy: a red car is out, and so is a yellow banana — only something that is both will do. “A fruit OR a vegetable” is easy-going: either is fine. “NOT red” turns the rule round and keeps everything except the red things.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. A rule says “only yellow things”. Which one breaks the rule?
- 🐥 yellow chick
- 🍌 yellow banana
- 🍓 red strawberry
- 🌻 yellow sunflower
Show answer
Answer: 🍓 red strawberry. The strawberry is red, not yellow.
2. The rule is “it is alive”. Does a 🚗 car fit the rule?
- No
- Yes
Show answer
Answer: No. A car is a machine, so the answer is no.
3. The rule is “it is an animal”. Does a 🐟 fish fit the rule?
- Yes
- No
Show answer
Answer: Yes. A fish is an animal, so the answer is yes.
Tips for grown-ups
- Play “robot sorter” with toys: “Give me everything that is blue AND has wheels.”
- At tidy-up time, sort by a rule and let your child guess the rule.
- Ask yes-or-no questions only, as in “Guess Who?”