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!