problem solving

by

Botlogic in the Classroom

 


Computers are amazing inventions! They allow us to complete multiple tasks through out our daily lives. However, computers do not magically know how to complete tasks, they need to be told  what to do and how to complete the task. This is what we call programming and Botlogic is a great way to introduce children to this concept. Children are able to understand that they have control of the computer and need to tell it what to do.
Botlogic is a great resource to get students thinking about decision making. Students are learning about programming as they work through a repetition of movements in order to move their robot to the required destination. Botlogic is perfect for children at all different levels, as it allows children to work at their own pace and move through twenty different stages.

Below i have provided a video that gives viewers a quick and simple walk through of Botlogic.


Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: F-2

Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Sub-strand: Digital implementation

Use data to solve a simple task/problem (ACTDIP003)

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:
Literacy
Numeracy
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Critical and creative thinking

Links to other learning areas:
English
Mathematics

 

Link to resource:
http://botlogic.us/play

Cost:
Free

A classroom activity using this resource:

Incorporating this resource into the classroom helps students develop their logical thinking, problem-solving skills and gives them a chance to explore their creativity as they trail different methods to solve simple tasks/problems. Students are able to work independently on this task as its provides you with an in depth tutorial on how to conduct the game. This resource would be great to use as an extension activity for when students complete their math or science tasks in class. Students need to use their mathematical skills to think about how many steps they need to use in advance and which way they need to turn (left or right). Students are also able to use their English skills by reading and following instructions.

How to use this resource:
The first thing you will need to do is press ‘Start game’ or if you have not played this game before then if you wish, you may click to view the tutorial. You also have the option to choose a level to start on if you have already complete some previously.

Once you have started the game, you will see command keys (arrows) to you left of the screen. These keys (arrows) are what you use to navigate your robot to the required destination. The game gives you a certain amount of moves, which you cannot exceed. However, the aim of the game is to complete the task using the least amount of commands.

by

Ashleigh Miles: Dash and Dot

Following on from the amazing world of LEGO, is the exciting robots Dash and Dot. This engaging new resource teaches creative and computational thinking for the 21st century student.These programming robots work together to teach students about coding using algorithms, command sequences, control flow, sensors and problem solving. Dash and dot are controllable through 4 different Apps and can be programmed to be a responsive games ball, set to play games such as tag or work its way through a maze or give a musical performance with friend Xylo.

Dot

Dash

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 1-6

Strand: Digital Technologies

Sub Strand: Processes and Production Skills

Link to Resource: https://www.makewonder.com/dash

https://www.makewonder.com/dot

http://www.teaching.com.au/catalogue/mta/mta-dash-and-dot-robotics

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities:

Link to Other Learning Areas: Maths (number line, geometry, angles, distance and time), Science (investigation, design and building, diagrams), English (writing, story telling), Music (when used with Xylo),

Class Activity: Dash and Dot bring STEM to life through play. The concept of coding can be integrated into a math lesson when looking at number lines. Using masking tape, a number line is created on the floor and divided up into equal marked intervals. Using an iPad, students can program Dash to move along the number line, creating a sequence of steps and numbers to record to be presented to the teacher. Dash and dot can be used for story telling lessons, where students program the robots to react to events in a story. Students examine the structure of a narrative for example and link the human responses of story events to the robot senses, to write a emotionally responsive recount of events retold by the robot.

How to use the Resource: Dash and dot are 2 separate robots that work together for programming needs. Dot is the stationary robot described as the brains of the robots and can be used to play games controlled through Apps ‘Wonder’ and ‘Blockly’. Dash is the robot that moves around on wheels when responding to voices, navigating objects, dancing, and singing. The programming and coding can be created through the Apps ‘Wonder’, ‘Blockly’, ‘Path’, ‘Go, and ‘Xylo’.

Once the robots are purchased, they need to be charged and connected to a device loaded with the Apps (the apps are linked to certain age groups to meet learning needs of students). Use the apps for the desired learning outcome.

Coding using the Apps

by

Ashleigh Miles: The Power of LEGO

I have recently been exploring resources to engage students in computational thinking using technology. I have found 2 great resources that are being widely used in Australian classrooms as they are both useable in a number of learning areas and even great for free play!

In this post I will introduce you to the magical building world of LEGO!

Resource: LEGO Education

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year level: suitable for all years

Australian Curriculum Strand: Digital Technologies and Design & Technology.

Australian Curriculum Sub Strand: Design and Technologies Processes and Production Skills

“Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and use safe work practices to make designed solutions”.

2.5 Follow, describe, represent and play with a sequence of steps and decisions needed to solve simple problems

4.5 Define simple problems, and follow and describe the algorithms (sequence of steps and decisions) needed to solve them

6.5 Define problems in terms of data and functional requirements, and describe common characteristics and elements of similar problems

6.6 Follow, modify and describe simple algorithms involving sequence of steps, decisions, and repetitions that are represented diagrammatically and in plain English

Link to the Resource: https://education.lego.com/en-au/primary/explore 

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities: Literacy, Numeracy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability

Links to other Learning Areas: English (reading and comprehending diagrams and data, recording observations), Mathematics (angles,sizes, shapes), Science (investigation, construction, data collection)

A Classroom Activity using Lego: This is a versatile resource that could be used to explore the STEM world in the classroom and at home. It can be used by all ages and is adaptable for simple free-play time or complex projects with multiple parts and sequenced steps.

LEGO allows students to apply logical reasoning, look for patterns, organise and analyse data, build models and run simulations, use computers to assist building and testing, and use algorithms to sequence actions. This hands on and digital resource activates students computational thinking, design thinking and creative/ critical thinking which relates to the central idea of the Australian Technology Curriculum.

Younger students (years K-1) can build very simple machines such as seesaws where students investigate balance, weight, levers through designing a mechanical toy.

Students in the middle primary years (years 1-4) also build simple machines investigating beers, wheels & axels, leavers and pulleys.

Upper primary students  (years 5+) build on their knowledge of simple machines through exploring powered machines such as a windmill and land yacht.

The website is packed full of lesson ideas accompanied with worksheets and materials needed in the kits. The resource also provides extension problem solving activities. Students have the opportunities to work individually or work collaboratively to build those social interacting skills and caters for all diverse needs through hands on exploring.

How to use this Resource:

Start by purchasing LEGO kits for your students (best to have a minimum of 1 per pair of students).

Install software on computers

Pick an activity available in the booklets in the kits or one online.

Explore the knowledge behind the machine prior to building through discussion, to activate thinking processes. Use LEGO online videos to explain concepts.

Assign students roles or time frames for class management, such as builder (picker, assembler), programer or documenter.

Students build models using provided instructions.

Evaluate models and the purpose of the concepts. Explore alternative results by changing minor materials (such as different lengths, directions and strengths of materials) and have students record and explain findings (written explanations, worksheets, video recording, photographs, drawings).

by

Magic Squares Game

magicsquares

Subject: Technologies                     Strand: Digital Technologies               Sub-strand: Processes & Production Skills

Content Descriptors: 

  • Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004)

Year Level(s): Years 2/3 to 6

Other learning areas: Mathematics – problem solving, patterns & algebra.

Cost: free

The Magic Squares game is a great way to promote computational thinking in children. It helps them to think logically by working out which numbers go into each square, as well as promoting mathematical skills. This resource would work best integrated into mathematics lessons for use an introductory look into the concept of computational thinking by involving the whole-class (projected on the whiteboard) or as part of rotational activities.

The aim is have each row and column of numbers add up to the ‘magic’ number – the example below uses the number 15 – without repeating numbers already used. It is similar to Sudoku, but less challenging to solve. By participating in a whole-class session, groups of students could even copy down the original grid and work it out together, including timing themselves solving the grid. Students can then share and discuss how they worked out the answers and what processes they went through to solve the grid.

Access the Magic Squares ICT game by clicking the following link: http://ictgames.com/magicSquare/index.html.

magic

wand

by

Story Jumper

Making a story

Making a story

Story Jumper is an online virtual storybook students create individually.

Year Level: F-6 (Can be used in secondary if teacher wished to)

Strand: Design and Technologies

Substrand: Process and Production Skills

Link to resource: www.storyjumper.com

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities: Depending of the topic and theme set for the story the students can link this too all cross curriculum priorities.
(Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
Sustainability.)

Links to other learning areas (general capabilities): Main connection with literacy, has the potential to link in with HASS, numeracy and science depending on task set out by the classroom teacher.

A classroom activity using this resource:
Story jumper can be used for students to creative imaginative narrative style stories for there peers or students in a ‘buddy class’. Teachers might like to link the story jumper into their HASS studies and have students create a story about a historical individual or a fictional character travelling through a country they have been researching in geography. Students at a pre-reading level can use the resource to create picture books and verbally tell there story to their teacher or peers, so teachers can gain an insight to their understanding of narrative structure. Students can also be exposed to peer assessment through this resource, students can project their story onto the smartboard/projector/whiteboard and read and present their unique creation to the class. Peers can then give feedback (written or verbal) to the presenter which gives them immediate feedback on their strengths and also how to improve their story. Students have to opportunity to go back through each page of their book once it has been completed for self editing purposes, this can becoming an activity in its self, seeing how many errors a student can pick up from their own work before having it checked by a partner or teacher. This resource can be used across all Primary year levels, tie in to various themes or programs in the classroom and is very appealing to the students.

How to use this resource:

The resource is free to join and log in. A teacher can sign up, log in and state they wish to use this program for their students and organise usernames and log ins, or students can sign up individually. Once they are logged in students have the option to use a ready made template or start from a blank template. Most of the time the students will pick blank template and begin creating their story. Students follow the prompts on screen to easily produce their own story relating to which ever theme of topic the classroom teacher desires. Work can be saved easily at any point and students can pick up right where they left of in the next lesson.

How this resource develops computational thinking:
Computational thinking is a two step process:
1. First, we think about the steps needed to solve a problem.
2. Then, we use our technical skills to get the computer working on the problem.

When students see the task at hand and start planning and devising how they are going to write each page and what they need to include; this is computational thinking. Everything that is done before starting work on the computer is their problem solving and develops their computational thinking.

by

ScopeIT Education – Teaching Aussie Kids to Code

scopeit

​ScopeIT Education has developed courses specifically for Australian students and classrooms. The curriculum has been aligned to NSW and Australian Curriculum standards and outcomes. This is a ready made resource, delivered by professionals outside of the school setting who come into the classroom to deliver the course programme.

Three courses are available:

  • Creative Coding
  • Bits and Bytes
  • Digital Lifestyle

Introducing ScopeIT:

Focus on BITS and BYTES

The BITS and BYTES course offered by ScopeIT, introduces students to design as it relates to the real world. Students work with their hands to design, create and build their own projects. Using software and coding students will use systems and computational thinking as they work on their projects.

Subject: Digital Technologies and Design Technologies

Year Levels: The BITS and BYTES course has three stages.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: a) Electronics; b) 3D Printing

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: a) Electronics; b) Robotics and Construction; c) 3D Printing

Stage 3 & 4 – Years 5-8: a) Electronics; b) Robotics and Construction; c) 3D Printing (includes Advance Robotics and Advanced 3D Construction and Mechanics)

Cross curriculum priorities and general Capabilities: Literacy (LIT), Numeracy, Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT), Information and Communication (ICT)

Links to other learning areas: Aligned to all key learning areas

Link to resource: http://www.scopeiteducation.com.au/

How you can bring ScopeIT to your school:

ScopeIT is unique, in that it provides schools with trained professional instructors, MacBook Air laptops, internet, software and structured lesson which students find interesting and educational. Students are:

  • exposed to Code.org/Scratch
  • software processes and algorithm development using Scratch
  • software development using javascript
  • website development, electronics using Arduino involving engineering and robotics
  • App development using Swift.

Students also develop skills using Google, 3D printing and learning about digital citizenship. According to ScopeIT, each course is designed as a weekly, 40 minute lesson across a 10 week school term. Currently servicing NSW and expanding to Victoria and Queensland. A strong focus on computational thinking, collaboration and teamwork. (“About Us”, n.d.; “Teaching kids to code”, 2015)

Limitations: There is no information available about the cost of this programme. Currently, it is not available Australia wide, and the fact that teachers within in the school are not learning more about the Technologies learning area themselves, limit their own perspectives and conversations with students. I would rather build upon my own knowledge, understanding and experience within this area by delivering both Design and Technologies and Digital Technologies curriculums myself. For schools with the funds and staff who may not feel confident in this learning area, ScopeIT Education may be a good alternative.

References:

About Us. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.scopeiteducation.com.au

Teaching kids to code. (2015, May). Retrieved from http://www.scopeiteducation.com.au

Brain Dots
by

Brain Dots

bd3

Resource: ‘Brain Dots’

Availability: A free application available on both Apple and Android products (via app stores).

Curriculum Links: Technologies- Digital Technologies – Processes and Production Skills – Digital Implementation and Creating Solutions

Year Levels: 3-5

Content Descriptors: (ACTDIP011), (ACTDIP020)

General Capabilities: Numeracy, ICT Capability, Critical and Creative Thinking

About this resource: Designed as a brain training game, this app requires the user to make the blue and red balls ‘bump’. They do so by drawing lines and shapes, freely, to move and roll the balls. The game progresses in levels which become increasingly difficult. There are no limits as to how many times you can attempt a level, and hints are available after 3 failed attempts.

Computational Thinking: This game requires the user to create solutions to solve various problems. Using digital technology, the user breaks down the problems into parts and uses simple lines and shapes to produce an outcome (the blue and red balls bumping). Users are required to predict the outcome of the simulation before it is put in place. Users are required to use abstract thinking to come up with solutions.

Preview: 

Snapshots:

 bd1bd2

Links:

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/brain-dots-draw-solve!-brain/id1004227662?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.translimit.braindots&hl=en

 

by

Kodu Game Lab (PC/touch device)

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 3-6

Strand: Digital Technologies; Knowledge and understanding & processes and production skills

Sub strand: Representation of data & digital implementation

Link to the resource

 About Kodu

General capabilities

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
  • Personal and social capability

Links to other learning areas

  • English,  Maths, Science

Introduction

A great series of tutorials to get you started and help you along the way

 

 

Overview

Kodu is a visual programming language made specifically for game development. Students design and build games by creating a range of 3D worlds, landscapes and characters.

Students pre-program and control these worlds by using an icon-based language. Movement, hearing and vision can be programmed as well as the lighting and the camera. Kodu programming requires students to select visual tiles for a condition (WHEN)  and an action (DO).

Kodu language design expresses advanced game design concepts in an uncomplicated, direct and natural way. Visual menus allow students to act as game designers by clicking (or touching) to create objects and define their behaviours using these simple statements.

Kodu does a great job of displaying that game designing requires breaking the problem into separate parts. This is a fun and exciting way for students to  experiment with basic programming and coding while using computational thinking.

Ideas in the classroom

Teachers could incorporate Kodu in their classroom in a variety of ways. Encouraging students to immerse themselves in the literacies of the 21st century is important. Kodu can be used as a tool to teach programming but also as a way to demonstrate content knowledge.

Students can work in project groups to design games inspired by something that they have been learning in class. Students could also use Kodu to teach this content to other students.

One idea I liked the look of was Kodu CurriculumMath Module where students learn maths concepts like area and probability while making these games.

Find  more great lesson ideas and inspiration here.