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Homework Flowchart Planner: Free Printable Planner for Year 9
- ForYear 9
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Homework Flowchart Planner is a free printable computing planner for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14) in Key Stage 3. Today is Monday. Students follow an algorithm to put five homework tasks in order, filling in a table as they go and answering numbered questions about how the algorithm behaves. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to the student and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Students meet a table with the columns Task, Due, Minutes and Order (1 to 5). Today is Monday, and there are five tasks to place in order by following the algorithm one decision at a time. Numbered questions with space to answer sit alongside the table. Students first use the algorithm, then step back and think about how it is built and whether it works. The tasks make up a realistic weekly homework plan.
- Task
- Due
- Minutes
- Order (1 to 5)
- How many minutes do all five tasks take in total?
- Why does the algorithm need a rule for ties?
Why plan homework with an algorithm?
An algorithm is a precise set of steps for solving a problem. Anyone who follows the steps should reach the same result, with no guessing. Sorting is one of the most common jobs for algorithms, and it appears all around us, from lists of search results to timetables. A weekly homework plan is a sorting problem that students already know well, which makes the idea easy to see.
A flowchart is a diagram that shows an algorithm as boxes joined by arrows. Diamond shapes mark decisions, where the path depends on the answer. At Key Stage 3, the computing curriculum for England asks students to understand key algorithms, including sorting, and to use logical reasoning to compare and test them. This sheet gives that a practical, familiar setting.
Skills and curriculum link
- Following an algorithm
- Sorting with rules
- Testing edge cases
- Logical reasoning
- Reading a table
- Planning a week
Ideas that help with algorithms
- Rules are applied in orderAn algorithm works through its rules in a set sequence. Reading one rule at a time, and finishing it before the next, keeps the thinking clear.
- Sorting can use more than one ruleReal sorting often uses a main rule first and then a further rule. Each rule has a job, and the order of the rules matters.
- Testers try awkward casesPeople who test algorithms choose unusual inputs on purpose. They want to see what the rules do when things are not tidy.
- Flowcharts show decisionsIn a flowchart, a diamond holds a question and the arrows leaving it show where to go next. Drawing the path helps you check the logic.
Key words
- AlgorithmA clear set of steps for solving a problem, followed in order.
- FlowchartA diagram of boxes and arrows that shows the steps of an algorithm.
- DecisionA point where you ask a question and choose a path based on the answer.
- SequenceThe order in which steps or tasks happen.
- Edge caseAn unusual situation that tests whether a set of rules still works.
- SortTo put items in order using a rule.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the student. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the algorithm together, slowly, before anyone writes in the table.
- Work through it one decision at a time. Cross off each task as it is placed.
- Fill in the Order column, then answer the numbered questions. Ask the student to say which rule led to each choice.
- Check against page 2 and talk about any differences. Come back another day and try it again.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Write each task on a scrap of paper. Sort the slips by due day first, laying them out in a row. Then follow the algorithm for any slips that still need placing. Moving real pieces makes each decision easier to see.
To stretch confident children
Add a rule for tasks due the same day and of the same length. Then design a flowchart for the whole algorithm, using a diamond for each decision. Test it on a new set of five tasks.
Make it a game
Swap sheets with a partner. Each of you invents five new tasks with due days and minutes. Follow the algorithm on your partner's tasks, then compare orders. If they differ, find the rule where you split.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forThe student sorts by what looks quickest or most fun instead of using the rules.
Try thisCover everything except the first rule. Apply only that rule, then uncover the next one.
Watch forA task is placed twice, or an Order number is missing.
Try thisCross off each task as it is placed. Check that every number from 1 to 5 appears once in the Order column.
Watch forThe student gets an order but cannot say why.
Try thisAsk them to point to the rule used for each task and read it aloud. Add a short note beside each choice.
Talk about it
- Why is it useful to follow rules in a fixed order?
- Did you and your partner reach the same order? If not, where did you split?
- What would go wrong if the algorithm had a missing rule?
- Where else do you see sorting in everyday life?
- How is a flowchart different from a list of steps?
- What would you change about your own homework routine after doing this?
Take it off the page
Paper slip sorting
Write tasks on slips of paper and sort them using different rules. Try due day first, then a different rule, and notice how the order changes.
Flowchart for a morning routine
Draw a flowchart for getting ready for school. Use rounded boxes to start and finish, rectangles for actions and diamonds for decisions such as checking the weather.
Human sorting line
Use a family group or a class. Give each person a card with a number, then follow a set of rules to line up in order without talking.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your teenager for the first run through, then let them lead. Ask them to explain each decision aloud. You do not need computing knowledge. The answers on page 2 let you check together.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary or an early finisher task, or as a supply resource. It links sorting algorithms with flowcharts at Key Stage 3. Mixed ability groups can use the help and stretch ideas on page 2.
Home educators
This fits into a wider computing plan without a screen. Pair it with drawing your own flowcharts or planning the real week ahead. It is free to print again for revision or for brothers and sisters.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, students will have met the idea of an algorithm as a set of steps, and have followed simple instructions in order. Reading a table and comparing numbers helps too.
After it, students can draw their own flowcharts, compare different ways of sorting, and write algorithms in a programming language. Testing with awkward cases becomes an important habit when they start to write code.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Homework Flowchart Planner for?
It is written for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14) in Key Stage 3. It can also work as revision for older students, or as a stretch task for confident Year 8 students who enjoy logic.
- What will students practise?
They practise following and testing a simple sorting algorithm with clear decision rules. They apply it to a real weekly homework plan, which links computing ideas to something familiar.
- How do I use it?
Read the algorithm together, then work through it one decision at a time. Students cross off each task as they place it. Fill in the table, answer the questions and check page 2.
- What if it feels too hard?
Write each task on a scrap of paper and sort the slips by due day first. Moving real slips makes the decisions easier to see. Then return to the sheet and follow the rules.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for revision, for brothers and sisters, or for a different group.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil. It works for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays, and it gives eyes a rest while still building computing thinking.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher or table activity with no preparation beyond printing. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or as part of a wider computing plan.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.