OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

Students will incorporate the use of microbits to help them understand how to utilize parentheses. This will help reinforce the idea that order matters when solving equations or generating equivalent equations. The microbits can be used at multiple times throughout the year to help students understand the importance of sequencing involved in coding and math.

Meta description

• Subject Area: Computer Science, Mathematics
• Grade Level : 3-5, 6-8
• Computer Science Domains:
  • Computing Systems, Algorithms and Programming
• Computer Science Principles:
  • Collaborating Around Computing, Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems, Creating Computational Artifacts, Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts
• Materials:
  • Micro:bit, Computer
• Considerations:
  • Some students struggle with the idea of order when evaluating math expressions. Coding requires specific sequencing and the use of parentheses can be seen with ovals around certain steps. It is important for students to communicate their thinking by showing their work. Make sure students are writing down their steps and showing their work before moving on to the microbit activity part.

Lesson Plan

Overview

Students will incorporate the use of microbits to help them understand how to utilize parentheses. This will help reinforce the idea that order matters when solving equations or generating equivalent equations. The microbits can be used at multiple times throughout the year to help students understand the importance of sequencing involved in coding and math.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

Pre-Test Questions:
Does order matter when evaluating or solving equations?
Can you write different expressions and, when evaluated, get the same result?

Post-Test Questions: Which operations produced the same result?
How does the idea of order in math relate to coding?
What were some of the obstacles you faced when trying to recreate/prove your answer or solution with the microbits?
Right now we are solving simple expressions or equations. What would happen if you did not pay attention to the order or sequence when writing code?

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to evaluate numerical expressions and prove their answers using microbits. Students will be able to generate equivalent expressions using the microbits and apply two different sets of code to achieve the same answer. Students will be able to determine a solution or solve a one-step equation and successfully check their solution using the microbits.

CATCH/HOOK

Video Games - What’s your favorite game? How does it work?
After asking your students about their favorite video game and coming up with ideas on how the video game works, discuss what would happen if there was a mistake in the coding. What if when you tried to jump, the code was accidentally written to duck down? How would this affect the game? Do you think the programmer double-checked his/her work?

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

This is an activity that I would use multiple times throughout the school year. The first time would be to address evaluating expressions and checking work. The second time I would use this activity would be creating equivalent expressions or identifying whether two expressions are equivalent. The third time this activity would be used would be to substitute a solution to determine if it makes a true statement or not and by checking work when solving equations.

Supplements

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REVIEW

This activity would be utilized multiple times throughout the year to emphasize the important of order and checking your work.

STANDARDS