[Edu-sig] Python and pre-algebra

[Vern Ceder]

Welcome Mary.

Mary first posted her question on my blog post about ISTE, so I sent her
here, thinking of the work that many of you have been doing. In addition to
Kirby, Andy Harrington has been looking at Python and algebra and I know
there were others.

I hope some of us can help you out.

Cheers,
Vern

On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 12:50 AM, kirby urner <kirby.urner at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Hi Mary --
>
> Many subscribers to edu-sig have developed interesting approaches over the
> years.
>
> There's a lot of interest in turtle art and/or turtle graphics.  There's
> this tendency to divide algebra from geometry, whereas some teachers think
> it's important to keep lexical and graphical connected.
>
> To that end, my pre-algebra tends to focus on numeric sequences that have a
> clear geometric meaning (like triangular and square numbers, but I also take
> it into volume and growth sequences in space -- polyhedral numbers some call
> these sequences).
>
> You'll get the flavor my approach from the Oregon Curriculum Network web
> site, this page in particular, and this essay in particular:
>
> http://www.4dsolutions.net/ocn/cp4e.html
>
> http://www.4dsolutions.net/ocn/numeracy0.html
>
> I'm guessing others will chime in.
>
> Python's 'How to Think Like a Computer Scientist' literature, a free
> syllabus, is not inconsistent with developing skills in algebra.
>
> If you want to be more serious and formal about "object oriented" and link
> in a notion of "math objects", I recommend spiraling through the same or
> similar material with that in mind.
>
> They may not be ready for vector objects tomorrow, but perhaps the day
> after.
>
> Polyhedrons are stellar objects because they're both abstract and concrete
> in their properties and behaviors.
>
> Algebra and geometric shapes are good friends, or should be, starting with
> such as V + F == E + 2.
>
> Kirby
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 4:15 PM, <mary.dooms at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> I teach 6th grade math and Python was suggested as a way to apply
>> pre-algebra concepts in a programming context. My programming background
>> consists of one C++ programming class. How do I begin? Are lesson plans and
>> small programs available, for example, where students could write and "drop
>> in" a script that includes integers and the output would not only calculate
>> it, but see the relevance of it in a real world situation?
>> *
>> *
>> *Or, perhaps, the program controls a "wheelchair" robot and students
>> would write scripts to drive the robot at a certain speed considering the
>> slope of a ramp?*
>> *
>> *
>> *As you can see, I am a novice, but I see great potential and am willing
>> to learn.*
>> *
>> *
>> *Thanks,*
>> *
>> *
>> *Mary*
>>
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>>
>
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-- 
Vern Ceder
vceder at gmail.com, vceder at dogsinmotion.com
The Quick Python Book, 2nd Ed - http://bit.ly/bRsWDW
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