Coding in the Classroom!
Coding in the Classroom
Link to Scratch Lesson Plan
For our fourth blog, we had the opportunity to use Scratch as a means of facilitating a lesson within the classroom. Scratch is a block-based coding program, that allows even the youngest of children (starting in kindergarten) to learn the basics of coding!
For my lesson plan, I based it around Alberta's grade 5 math curriculum, more specifically, "multiply[ing] up to 3-digit by 2-digit natural numbers using standard algorithms" (New Learn Alberta, n.d.). This lesson was intended to be a review, after students have learned the standard algorithms for 3-digit by 2-digit multiplication, and would take place toward the end of a week, in theory. The lesson has students briefly altered the pre-made code to better fit Alberta's grade 5 standards, and the steps to do said coding are outlined within my lesson plan!
Given my specific group of students in my practicum, I know that this lesson would be an amazing way for them to review and practice their multiplication skills. By making the reviewing meaningful (using games as a means of completing class work), the review is relevant to the interests of the students.
In all, I am glad that we had the opportunity to work with Scratch. Prior to this lesson, I upheld the notion that coding was too hard for me, however, after using this application, I am more confident in my own coding capabilities! I believe that this software would be incredibly useful in any practicum setting.
References
Testing Mom. (n.d.). Scratch logo [Photograph]. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://www.testingmom.com/camps/class/mon-wed-coding-with-scratch-grades-3-8/.
Spencer,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading about your experience with this platform and how you would incorporate it into your future class with the concept of multiplication! I also agree in feeling more confident about my personal coding capabilities.
Spencer,
ReplyDeleteI love how you have used the Scratch program as a way to find review activities for your students. I bet they will love to play the game and not even fully realize they are learning. I also love that you have students go into the code and change a bit of it. This is a great way to expose students to how the program works without them getting to overwhelmed with everything. I wonder if it would be beneficially if you were to go through some of the code with your students and explain it so that they understand how the game is working. This may peak there interest and get them to trying to code their own project using Scratch.