Re: [MWForum] Procedures are our friends

[KENT.SALL@xxxxxxxx]

1) How soon do you introduce children to procedures, and how do they 
react?

        In first grade and they love it!  There are shrieks of excitement 
the first time they realize that the turtle can move. We use Microworlds 
for many drawing and writing assignments in Kndg and first grade but only 
introduce commands and procedures towards the last half of the year.  I 
would be interested in getting copies of Carole Corley's lessons for K and 
pre-K students. Or from anybody for that matter.  

2) Do your students tend to write small procedures and use them as
subprocedures of larger procedures, or do they tend to write longer
procedures ("a whole hodgepodge of instructions")?

They (the students) tend towards whatever we have been directing them at. 
However, not being a real programmer I am not always sure how to break up 
a larger idea into smaller procedures.  Sometimes it is obvious but then 
often I feel like I am just making it up.  If there are some general 
guidelines I am open to suggestions. 

 From a trouble shooting point of view the smaller the better is my motto 
and the students are beginning to see this as well.

3) When your students are developing their own projects, do they tend to
start with a big idea and break it into small pieces 

If we have been good about requiring our students to work with smaller 
procedures they usually continue on with it.  If they get lazy and start 
hodge podging it together they usually will soon realize they beauty of 
the smaller procedures.

Kent