Grades 1-9 Math + Coding Workshop

4 October 2021, (c) George Gadanidis, Western University

A. WHAT’S NEW?

grades 1-9

Coding across all grades, in algebra (and beyond)..
Some more sophisticated mathematics.
A focus on the beauty, aesthetics and wonder of mathematics.
Social-emotional learning skills.

GRADE 9

De-streamed classes.
Research and tell a mathematics story.

B. BIG PICTURE – part 1

START WITH CODE THAT WORKS

Have students execute the code to see its output
Ask them to alter the code to model the different intervals in the table
Ask: how does the code do what the table does?
Ask them to share what they understand and what they have questions about
Have students try to answer one another’s questions
Don’t be in a hurry to explain

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE THE EXPERT

Make “understanding” their “problem”
For example:
- Print and post the code on a whiteboard
- Draw arrows to the parts that students are unsure about
- Students may use sticky notes to write/post descriptions of what the code sections do
The more you explain the less they will think about it

C. INEQUALITY PUZZLES

The following is a set of activities I did in June during virtual visits in grades 6-8 classes.

1. PUZZLE #1

Go to https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/540216861/editor/
Run the code. The output is shown below.

1.1

A. Alter the code to get the following output.

B. Alter the code to get the following output.

1.2

Alter the code in other ways and notice the effect.

What part of the code do you understand?
What part of the code do you have questions about?

2. PUZZLE #2

Go to https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/540229313/editor/
Run the code. The output is shown below.

2.1

A. Alter the code as shown below.

Predict how the output will change.
Run the code to test your prediction.
Explain the result.

B. Alter the code as shown below.

Predict how the output will change.
Run the code to test your prediction.
Explain the result.

C. Alter the code to get the output shown below.

D. Alter the code as shown below. [Notice that “and” changed to “or”]

Predict how the output will change.
Run the code to test your prediction.
Explain the result.

2.2

Alter the code in other ways to get similar results.

What have you learned about about inequalities and their graphs?
What else do you want to know?

3. PUZZLE #3

Go to https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/507100358/editor
The code and the output as shown below.
Run the code.

3.1

A. Alter the code to get the output shown below.

B. Alter the code to get the output shown below.

3.2

Alter the code in other ways and notice the effect.

What more have you learned about about inequalities and their graphs?
What else do you want to know?

4. PUZZLE #4

Go to https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/540225499/editor/
Run the code.
The output is shown below.

4.1

A. Alter the code as shown below.

Predict how the output will change.
Run the code to test your prediction.
Explain the result.

B. Alter the code as shown below.

Predict how the output will change.
Run the code to test your prediction.
Explain the result.

C. Alter the code as shown below.

Predict how the output will change.
Run the code to test your prediction.
Explain the result.

4.2

Alter the code in other ways to get similar results.

What more have you learned about inequalities and their graphs?
What else do you want to know?

5. SHARE

5.1

Think back to the 4 puzzles above.

What surprised most you mathematically? Why?
What new ideas, concepts or relationships did you better understand? Explain.

5.2

Share your favourite inequality experience with family and friends.

How will you share your experience so others may also:
- Experience mathematical surprise?
- Better understand a math idea, concept or relationship?
Ask:
- What surprised you?
- What did you learn?
- What else do you want to know?
Back in class:
- Share and discuss your sharing experience.
- Share and discuss comments of your family and friends.

D. BIG PICTURE – part 2

GET READY TO BE SURPRISED

I’ve spend many, many days in grades 1-10 classrooms co-teaching with math + coding
A common event is teachers telling me to look at a student whose engagement and understanding surprises them

CODING OFFERS ADVANTAGES

Coding models mathematics concepts & relationships dynamically
It makes abstract ideas feel tangible
It affords agency
It offers a low floor and a high ceiling
Coding has the potential to change what mathematics can be done and who can do it.

scratch, scratch JR, python … ?

No all coding languages offer the same affordances.
It’s not so much an issue of transitioning from one language to another, or from block-based to text-based.
It’s more an issue of which language is most appropriate for the task and setting.
Some students will need language options and extensions, and sometimes you will be surprised by which students they are.

E. MORE MATH + CODING

F. BIG PICTURE – part 3

DON’T TEACH CODING, TEACH MATH

The pressure around us is to teach all kids how to code
Mathematics education is about offering all students access to the structure, beauty and wonder of mathematics
Coding is a great tool to think with, especially when we have good conceptual structure of the mathematics

G. RESOURCES

UNDERSTANDING MATH + CODING

MATH + CODING PUZZLES

READINGS

Computational Modelling in Elementary Mathematics Education – Making Sense of Coding in Elementary Classrooms (May 2018). Read the White Paper by CT CoP members, George Gadanidis (Western University) and Beverly Caswell (Robertson Program, OISE/UT).

Integrated Mathematics + Computer Science – Grade 10: Reforming Secondary School Mathematics Education (April 2018). Read the White Paper by CT CoP members, George Gadanidis (Western University) and Jeff Cummings (Wellington Catholic DSB). See the Grades 1-3 lesson studies.

Coding in the Ontario Mathematics Curriculum, 1-8: Might it be transformational? Read the March 2021 report at http://mkn-rcm.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CL-mkn-v3.pdf