Grade & subject
Written for Grade 3 (adaptable across grades 3–5). Cross-curricular: ELA discussion and vocabulary, plus computer science.
Is this right for my class?
Time & prerequisites
One 60-minute session. Best after the Machine Learning lesson, but it also stands alone.
Devices & internet
Partly. The story, the Neural Network Relay, and the discussion run offline. Maze Craze in Scratch and Kahoot need devices.
What students will learn
Essential question: How does information travel through a neural network to help a computer make a decision?
By the end, students can
- Explain that a neural network passes information through connected layers.
- Describe how each step passes a signal toward a decision.
- Model information flow in the unplugged Neural Network Relay.
- Build and test a simple maze game in Scratch.
- Connect the activity back to how computers make predictions.
Big idea
Layers working together. A neural network hands information from one layer to the next, and the whole chain - not any single part - produces the answer.
Prepare & materials
Required (works offline)
- Printed copies of the Cece neural-network story.
- Space and simple props for the Neural Network Relay (an unplugged team activity).
- The printable Exit Ticket, one per student.
Prep time: about 15 minutes to print and set up the relay.
Optional (needs devices)
- iPads or computers with Scratch for Maze Craze.
- A Kahoot quiz for the review.
- Projector for the whole-class discussion.
Teaching sequence
Six steps that add up to one 60-minute class. Times include transitions.
- Introduction to neural networks (5 min) - share the objectives and hook students.
- "Cece's Robo-Romp Through Neural Networks" (10 min) - the story introduces the idea.
- Neural Network Relay (10 min) - an unplugged activity where students pass a signal along, layer by layer.
- Discussion (5 min) - what happened as the message moved through the team?
- Maze Craze with Scratch (25 min) - students build and test a simple maze game.
- Kahoot quiz, or the paper Exit Ticket (5 min) - quick review.
Total: 60 minutes.
Want more? The teaching guide includes a longer Challenge-Based Learning version (Engage, Investigate, Act) for a multi-session Scratch project.
Assessment
Along the way (formative)
- Story discussion and vocabulary check.
- Observing the relay and students' explanations of information flow.
At the end
The included Exit Ticket asks students to explain how information travels through a neural network. A Kahoot quiz is an optional digital alternative.
Open the Exit Ticket ↗Differentiate & extend
Support
- Read the story aloud.
- Assign clear roles in the relay.
- Provide a Scratch starter project for Maze Craze.
Stretch
- Add more layers or rules to the Scratch maze.
- Run the Challenge-Based Learning extension.
What's included
Download everything at once, or grab the pieces you need. All files are PDFs.
- Teaching guide - the full lesson plan, standards, and agenda. Open ↗
- Cece story - "Cece's Robo-Romp Through Neural Networks." Open ↗
- Exit ticket - the end-of-lesson check. Open ↗
- Intro script - a facilitator script for the opening. Open ↗
- Resources - facilitator resources. Open ↗
- More resources - additional neural-network resources. Open ↗
Standards referenced
CCSS ELA-Literacy SL.3.1 (collaborative discussion) and L.3.5 (word relationships), plus NGSS, CSTA, and ISTE connections. These are referenced in the lesson; confirm the exact alignment for your curriculum before formal planning.