davidbau.com

Pencil Code: Lesson on Lines

Here is a first lesson on Lines using Pencil Code. It shows how to use functions by introducing five commands that can be used to create drawings by moving a turtle. It shows how to test functions and build them into a program, and it shows how to save them on your own website. It is about five minutes long.

You can teach by just showing the video, or by using the video for ideas on what to talk about in your class.

When teaching this material, expect it to take about an hour for first-time programmers to understand how to create a program and to create two or three of their own programs. Be sure to encourage students to draw out a plan ahead of time. Have them put in the effort to create a program that accurately follows their written plan. A sheet of graph paper can help.

Rachel Nicoll put together a terrific worksheet to hand out to kids that guides them through a few exercises. There is also an outline for teachers and a reference page to print out that you can use as a handy one-page guide. Posted by David at November 5, 2013 07:32 AM