3. Block drawings
We work together in pairs: one student will give the commands and the other student will carry them out and make a drawing by coloring the squares.
Your students will:
- Translate real-life problems into programs
- Learn that interpretation is often possible
- Learn to translate ideas into code
STEP 1
Preparation
Provide the practice sheets, empty papers and markers or pens.
Work per 2.
STEP 2
To work
In this exercise, the computer student of each group will have the robot student draw a block drawing without having seen the drawing. There are 5 commands you can give: one block to the right, one block to the left, one block up and one block down. Finally, you have the command "color the box".
For example:
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You always start at the top left. So:
-move one block to the right
- color it in
-move 2 blocks down
-move one block to the right
- color it in.
We translate these commands into code, into arrows.
Take page 1 of the practice sheets. Now write a random arrow code on the board and let your students translate these codes into real drawings in the 4x4 grids on their sheet.
Take page 2 of the practice sheets and draw a drawing in a 4x4 grid on the board. Now it is up to your students to convert it into arrow code!
On page 3 your students work together in pairs. One translates a drawing into code and the other then draws it on a 4x4 grid.
STEP 3
Discussion
Could you also do this exercise with real blocks?
Differentiate !
Do you see repetitions?
Do you see patterns in the drawing? Then you might be able to write shorter code