📐 Year 7 · Digital Challenges

Flow Diagrams

Learn how to map out any process — from making a toastie to writing a game — using shapes, arrows, and decisions.

🎮 Interactive Lesson
📌 Section 1

What is a Flow Diagram?

A flow diagram (also called a flowchart) is a visual way to show the steps in a process. Instead of writing a long paragraph, you use shapes and arrows to explain what happens first, what happens next, and what decisions need to be made.

Think of it like a map for instructions — just like a video game walkthrough, but for real life.

📦 Put each step in a shape

Every action, decision, or event goes inside its own box or symbol.

➡️ Connect with arrows

Arrows show the direction — what happens next after each step.

🤔 Show Yes/No decisions

Diamond shapes let you ask a question and branch off depending on the answer.

🎯 Clear and fast to read

Anyone can follow a flowchart — even if they've never seen the process before.

▶ Watch the Video

🎬 Click the animation to watch the video — it explains sequences, decisions and loops, the building blocks of every flow diagram.

📐 Section 2

Flowchart Shapes

Every shape in a flow diagram has a specific job. Learn these five and you can draw almost any flowchart!

START / END

Oval (Terminal)

Marks the beginning or end of your flowchart. Every diagram needs one of each!

PROCESS

Rectangle (Process)

An action or step — something that actually happens, like "add cheese" or "press toast button".

DECISION

Diamond (Decision)

A yes/no question that splits your diagram into two paths. E.g. "Is it golden brown?"

INPUT/OUTPUT

Parallelogram (Input / Output)

Something that goes in (ingredients, data) or out (a result, a finished dish).

Arrow (Flow Line)

Connects shapes together and shows which direction you move through the diagram.

🎮 Section 3

Example: Getting Past a Boss in a Video Game

Here's a flowchart for something you might actually use — figuring out what to do when you're stuck on a game boss. Notice how the diamond shapes create YES/NO branches.

START Enter boss fight Full health? YES NO Use health potion Attack the boss Boss defeated? YES NO Collect loot & XP! Level up 🎉 END

🟢 Ovals = Start/End  |  🔵 Rectangles = Actions  |  🩷 Diamonds = Decisions  |  🟣 Parallelograms = Input/Output

✅ Section 4

Why Do We Use Flow Diagrams?

Click every reason that's a real benefit of using flow diagrams. Find them all!

Find all 6 correct reasons above 👆
🧀 Section 5

The Cheese Toastie Recipe

First, here's the recipe written out in full detail — the way you might find it in a long cookbook or website. It's accurate, but is it easy to follow quickly?

📖 The Over-Detailed Version

Ingredients

🍞 2 slices of bread 🧀 Cheese (sliced or grated) 🧈 Optional: Butter

Steps

  1. Start by taking two slices of bread from the loaf and placing them flat on a clean chopping board or plate, making sure they are aligned neatly so the edges match up.
  2. Locate your cheese and carefully place one or more slices (or a handful of grated cheese) onto one of the slices of bread, spreading it out evenly so that every bite will contain approximately the same amount of cheese.
  3. Once you are satisfied with the coverage of cheese, place the second slice of bread carefully on top, trying to line up the corners and edges as accurately as possible so the filling does not spill out excessively during cooking.
  4. After assembling the sandwich, place a frying pan on the stove and turn the heat to a medium setting, allowing the pan a short period of time to warm up before adding the sandwich.
  5. Carefully place the sandwich into the pan and let it cook for a few minutes, periodically checking the underside to see whether it has turned a golden-brown colour.
  6. When the first side appears toasted, gently flip the sandwich over using a spatula, taking care not to separate the slices of bread. Continue cooking the second side, again checking regularly to ensure it does not burn.
  7. At this stage, you will also need to determine whether the cheese inside has fully melted; if it has not yet melted, you may need to continue cooking the sandwich for a little longer, possibly lowering the heat slightly to prevent over-browning while the cheese finishes melting.
  8. Once both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted to your satisfaction, remove the sandwich from the pan, place it on a plate, allow it to cool briefly so you do not burn your mouth, and then your cheese toastie is finally ready to eat.
⬇️

Now look at the same recipe — simplified. Same information, much easier to scan!

✅ The Simplified Version

Ingredients

🍞 2 slices of bread 🧀 Cheese (sliced or grated) 🧈 Optional: Butter

Steps

  1. Lay two slices of bread on a board
  2. Place cheese evenly on one slice
  3. Place the second slice on top
  4. Heat a frying pan on medium
  5. Place the sandwich in the pan
  6. Cook until the bottom is golden brown — then flip
  7. Is the cheese melted? If not → cook a little longer. If yes → next step.
  8. Remove from pan, let it cool briefly
  9. Eat your toastie! 🎉

Notice step 7 — that's a decision! That's exactly what a diamond shape in a flowchart represents. In the builder below, you'll take this even further and turn it into a visual flow diagram.

🛠️ Section 6

Build the Toastie Flowchart!

Drag the shapes from the left panel onto the canvas. Arrange them in the correct order to create the cheese toastie flow diagram. You can also drag placed items around to reposition them.

🔧 Shapes

Start / End
Input / Output
Process
Decision
Arrows
Down
Up
Right
Left

📝 Toastie Labels

Drag shapes here to start building!
🚀 Section 7 — Your Task

Now It's Your Turn

🎯 Task: Create Your Own Flowchart

Find a recipe online and create a proper flowchart diagram using PowerPoint on your laptop.

  1. Open a browser and find a simple recipe you like — it could be nachos, pancakes, Milo smoothie, or anything you'd actually eat.
  2. Copy the URL (web address) and paste it into your notes so you can reference it.
  3. Open PowerPoint and use the Shapes tool (Insert → Shapes) to draw your flowchart. Use the shape tools for ovals, rectangles, diamonds and parallelograms, and use arrows to connect them. To add a label, double-click any shape after drawing it — this lets you type directly inside it.
  4. Make sure you use the correct shapes — ovals for start/end, rectangles for steps, diamonds for decisions, parallelograms for inputs/outputs.
  5. Make sure you include at least one decision (diamond) in your diagram.
  6. Save your file and name it: Flowchart_YourName_RecipeName

💡 Need shape inspiration? Scroll back up to Section 2 to check the shape guide, or look at the example flowchart in Section 3.

✅ Checklist — before you hand it in