By: Ryan Unterschultz, STS Teacher
At STS, our creative computing scope and sequence enhances learning in K-12 as we work together to develop the anticipatory, adaptive and agile skills of these global citizens.
Recently, students in Grade 1 explored the computational thinking concepts of decomposition and algorithms. First, they reflected and discussed how other areas of their learning were broken down into their parts, such as story writing, numbers in math, and the PYP Approaches to Learning skills. After this review, they took on the challenge: decomposition of a device - old handheld games and phones. Using their hands, screwdrivers, flashlights, and wearing safety goggles, the students “decomposed” their device step by step.
Throughout the process, children thought about the sequence of this activity, referring to the writing strategy of “First - Next - Last” that they have been exploring this year. Following the hands-on activity, they took their "First-Next-Last" pictures and were able to orate or write the events they experienced, applying this basic algorithm.
