Re: about logo and mw ex

["Gary McCallister" <mccallis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have taught third graders Logo in the past (and am gearing up for another
round in about a month).  I usually start out with a little song I wrote called
"Seeds".  This song talks about how some seeds grow in the ground and some in 
my
mind.  I then ask them how could something grow in their mind, and we talk 
about
that a little bit.  

Then I ask them how growing things is like creativity (art, music, dance,
sports).  We discuss that issue also.  Then I tell them we are going to plant
some seeds in their mind.  If they take care of the garden they are going to
grow things in their mind: thing like language (turtle-talk),art, music,
mathematics, computers, design, story-telling, animation, computer games and 
and
even into robotics.  

This provides a theme that I try to visit each period by talking about that
days "seed".  The first seed I usually teach is forward-backward some distance,
and right-left some degree, if there is time.  I usually even end the lessons
(whether that be a week, a semester, or a year)with a graduation; a show and
tell of what they have grown, and I give them all a copy of the recorded song. 
You are welcome to use the song as a poem if you want, just recognize the 
source
as it is copyrighted.  I won't inflict this on the group.  Write me if you'd
like to see it.  

As we go along I try to point out each day why what we are learning is
important, but I think it is more important to make it applicable to their 
world
and what they want to accomplish than to explain why it is important in the
grown up world.  And I have found most kids want to create.  




Gary McCallister

http://www.onemanmormonbluesband.com
semi-serious and quasi-comic music for the non-disciminating consumer