[Edu-sig] Elementary School Instruction

[Lloyd Hugh Allen]

The summer camp where I had taught Python had a middle school session
for students in grades 6-8, which is about that age group. There was a
strong correlation between students who did well with Python and
students who demonstrated readiness for Algebra I.

At the time that I did this, PyKarel worked but GVR (which are both
simulations of Karel the Robot, which was originally a paper-based
concrete "programming" activity) was not quite ready for Windows (or
at least I couldn't get it to run on Windows), so I had to take the
activities and modify them to fit the syntax of the environment (which
was somewhere between the original syntax and GVR). This was
worthwhile though--first I introduced each concept in this
environment, in which the students were able to see exactly what was
happening, and then when I taught the corresponding skill in Python a
few days later I was able to say, "Remember when you had the Robot
take out the trash? We used something called a 'while' loop for that.
This is the same while, except that we have to get inside the
computer's head to know what's going on instead of being able to see
what the robot is doing."

I also did graphics with them relatively early...I think I have that
lesson somewhere around here, but it seems to be on my other
computer...which isn't listening to me right now. It might be cranky
about the power outage from the thunderstorms last night. The essence
of the activity was that I had them sketch their face on graph paper,
identify the coordinates of the rectangle bounding each rectangle or
oval (or the coordinates of the endpoint of each line segment and/or
vertices of each polygon) on the paper, and then use Tkinter to draw
their self portrait. The first round of this they used "monolithic"
style programs (BUT WITH SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTS, e.g., "#now I'm drawing
the mouth", and then these were pretty easily converted to functional
versions. Once they used functions, we could take this person's head()
and fairly easily put that person's hair() on it, sometimes with
amusing results.

Between Karel and being able to use graphics early, even some of the
students who initially were bummed that their parents sent them to
math camp (which I myself wish that I had known about when I was in
school) found some motivation to dig deep...not necessarily to do what
I "wanted" them to do in terms of the lesson for that day, but hey, if
they're programming I'm happy (at least in that low-stakes but mostly
high-motivation environment). It's always nice to get feedback, and
especially pretty feedback. These activities can act as  a "hook."

-Lloyd

On 6/7/05, dave at lakegregoryics.com <dave at lakegregoryics.com> wrote:
> Has anyone here had experience teaching Python to Elementary School
> children 9 to 12 years of age? This kids are part of a gifted students
> elective program (upwards of 120 students) in the area where I live. I
> am in the planning stages of a 3 part series (18 weeks) covering
> beginning Python and would appreciate hearing about any experience
> and/or advice you might have.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Dave Lanham
> LGICS
> 
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