Re: view MW@ project in the WEB

[Theresa Overall <theresa.overall@xxxxxxxxx>]

You definitely want to avoid making it feel like Logo is a test  
they're taking with only a few "right answers". Keep it open-ended  
and discovery-oriented. When you're encouraging them to  
"investigate," what does that entail? Maybe have them share what they  
did to investigate (moved the third line to be first, changed the 250  
to 400, changed the word "flower" to be "leaf") and what the results  
were. It's okay to have results that end up being a message from the  
computer or an ugly mess of a picture. Those are very valuable  
investigations. A group discussion on possible explanations as well  
as ideas of things to try next (again, keeping it open-ended without  
judgment as to right or wrong) could have some very interesting and  
thought-provoking learning.
I'd say most anything you're doing to avoid lecture-style teaching is  
actually a good thing. Keep it up! And have fun.
:>Theresa


On Jan 9, 2008, at 4:58 PM, Patrick Edmondson wrote:

> Hey,
> I found some students can't put into words what they can do.
> Maybe the procedure with a necessary line missing. Ask what is  
> missing and why it is important.
> I also had success by describing a finished product, with some  
> hints or procedures supplied, then leave it open ended for how they  
> acheive the goal and have them describe why they did what they did.  
> I use to let other students videotape the explanations for grading  
> later, reinforcing both groups, and a library of examples.
> Patrick Edmondson
> mystere2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> What's so funny 'bout Peace, Love, and Understanding?
> www.thestripproject.com
>
>
> On Jan 9, 2008, at 4:20 PM, Russell, Ken wrote:
>
> > Hello, Logo people!
> >
> > I'm teaching 6th and 7th graders Logo programming. I only have  
> > these students a few hours a month, so it is a little slow going,  
> > but fun!
> > It's not realistic to teach these students programming using a  
> > lecture style, so I have been trying to think of other ways to do  
> > so. One way I came up with is to give them a programming project  
> > where the instructions and programming are provided, have them  
> > follow the recipe, then ask them to investigate and explain how  
> > the programming works by writing a description
> > For example, I had my students do the "Grow A Garden" activity:
> >
> > http://www.openworldlearning.org/mia/resources/grow_a_garden.pdf
> >
> > Now I plan to ask them to complete a worksheet where they explain  
> > how the programming works. Here is a link to the worksheet along  
> > with my answers:
> > http://www.bham.wednet.edu/studentgal/HCLP/random-garden- 
> > explanation.pdf
> > ***First and most important question:***
> >
> > I'm pretty new to logo, are my explanations of the programming  
> > code correct???
> > Second question:
> >
> > What do people think of this method? Has anyone tried something  
> > similar? Do you have suggestions on how to build programming  
> > skills in logo and still keep it fun?
> > Thanks for your input!
> >
> > Ken Russell
> > Bellingham Schools
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dr. Theresa Overall
Assistant Professor
University of Maine at Farmington
Secondary/Middle Education Department
office: Education Center 220
phone: (207) 778-7049
email: theresa.overall@xxxxxxxxx