GARDEN CITY LEARNERS AND COMPUTATIONAL

THINKING

October 22, 2019

GARDEN CITYPUBLIC SCHOOLS

MISSION STATEMENT

The Garden City School District seeks to create an environment for learning which enables each student the opportunity to grow as an individual as well as a group member while striving to achieve the optimal

level of academic, social and personal success.

Students will thrive in a learning environment that is developmentally appropriate, individualized and

challenging.

Our goal and responsibility is to help each student develop an enthusiasm for learning, a respect for self

and others, and the skills to become a creative independent thinker and problem solver.

Vision

Inspiring and Challenging our Students to Accomplish Their Personal Best

Students will:

Foster a curiosity for learning.Engage in productive cognitive struggle.

Find their individual passions, creativity, and strengths.Grow increasingly self-confident.

Develop appreciation for multiple disciplines and the larger world.

Collaborate, communicate, and adapt.Build respectful relationships.

What is Computational Thinking?

A process that utilizes thinking strategies and skills that are employed in understanding

problems and formulating the most efficient solutions.

Why Computational Thinking?

Application in Schools

Linking Skills and Schools

Job Skill In Schools

Analytical thinking and innovation Tinkering – changing things to see what happens

Active learning and learning strategies Logic – predicting and analyzing

Creativity, originality and initiative Creating – designing and making

Technology design and programming Algorithms – making steps and rules

Critical thinking and analysis Patterns – spotting and using similarities

Complex problem-solving Decomposition – breaking down into partsDebugging – finding and fixing errors

Leadership and social influence Persevering – keeping going

Emotional Intelligence Collaborating – working together

Reasoning, problem-solving and ideation Abstraction – removing unnecessary detail

At the Primary Level

• Incorporate this type of thinking into everyday activities

Lining up

Morning dances

• Literacy activities can use computational thinking

Kriss Kross grids

Caterpillar of words

Books

• Mathematical activities

Patterns with numbers

Games

Nim

Unplugged Activities

How do we address this at Hemlock?

Number lines

100 chart activities

Game of Nim

Mirror Me

Mapping

Robotic/Programming Students

Dancing

Literacy activities

Code and Go MouseOsmoAwbieCode.orgKodableScratch, Jr.Moose MathPrimo “Cubetto” playset

Plugged-In Activities

Choosing Technology

• Age-appropriate

• Enhance learning, not replace instruction

• Supervised usage

• Carefully selected with a goal/purpose

• Students learn to use independently

CT in Literature

1. Put on my hat.

2. Put on my sweater.

Oh no! I can’t put on my sweater over my hat.

3. Take off my hat.

4. Put on my sweater.

5. THEN, I can put on my hat!

What is the sequence that must be used to get dressed to go outside?

Tomas' winter hat is too big!

It is better to put on your hat first, then your sweater.

CT in Physical Education

CT in TC!

Tangrams

Code and Go Robot

Awbie

Code.org

Computational Thinking

Looking ahead:• Moose Math• 100 Chart and 100th Day Activities• Kodable (for 1st Grade)• Coding Robot – BOTLEY• Cubetto• Chess/checkers outdoors• Scratch, Jr. (for 1st Grade)

Patterns & Predictions

Patterns and Coding

+1

-1

+10

-10

+11

Questions and Comments

A special thank you to Mrs. Julianne Link, Computer Aide at Hemlock. She has been so

helpful in building our program!