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Classroom Resource

Computer Science Discoveries Unit 3 Chapter 1 Lesson 2: Plotting Shapes (18-19)

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science

Grade(s)

6, 7, 8

Overview

This lesson explores the challenges of communicating how to draw with shapes and uses a tool that introduces how this problem is approached in the Game Lab. The class uses a Game Lab tool to interactively place shapes on Game Lab's 400 by 400 grid. Partners then take turns instructing each other how to draw a hidden image using this tool, accounting for many of the challenges of programming in Game Lab.

Note: You will need to create a free account on code.org before you can view this resource.

Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 6

DLCS18.6.2

Define a process as a function.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.6.2

Vocabulary

  • process
  • function

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that often people seek to simplify processes; rather than listing all of the steps needed to take a shower, one simply uses the function "shower".

Skills

Students are able to:
  • combine or join steps such as algorithms to create a function.

Understanding

Students understand that:
    it is simpler and less confusing to identify processes rather than steps.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 6

DLCS18.6.6

Identify steps in developing solutions to complex problems using computational thinking.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.6.6

Vocabulary

  • computational thinking

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to define the problem.
  • how to plan solutions.
  • how to implement a plan.
  • how to reflect on the results and process.
  • how to iterate through the process again.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify the steps involved with formulating problems and solutions in a way that can be represented or carried with or without a computer.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • computational thinking is formulating problems and solutions in a way that can be represented or carried out with or without a computer.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 7

DLCS18.7.1

Create a function to simplify a task.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.7.1

Knowledge

Students know:
  • an algorithm is the set of commands to complete a task.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • combine several algorithms or tasks as a named function.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • it is more efficient to label an activity or program as a function than to list all of the individual steps or algorithms that make up the function or activity.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 7

DLCS18.7.5

Solve a complex problem using computational thinking.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.7.5

Vocabulary

  • computational thinking

Knowledge

Students know:
  • smaller tasks are easier to solve than complex problems.
  • that trends in data can also speed up the problem-solving process.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • abstract portions of the problem and focus on smaller tasks to aid in solving a complex problem.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • complex problems can be overwhelming.
  • by decomposing the complex problem into simpler problems, a solution is easier to reach.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 8

DLCS18.8.5

Discuss the efficiency of an algorithm or technology used to solve complex problems.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.8.5

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that many solutions exist to solve a problem.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • communicate their opinion on the efficiency of problem solving methods.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • while many solutions exist for a problem, some are better suited to meet specific needs, such as efficiency.
Link to Resource
https://studio.code.org/s/csd3-2018/stage/2/puzzle/1

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

Code.org
Accessibility
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

https://code.org/tos

Approved Date

aimeebates
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