3

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

LESSON NAME:

Computational
Thinking
Lesson time: 4560 Minutes : Prep time: 10 Minutes

Main Goal: Introduce the Computational Thinking

model as a way of preparing real-world problems for
digital representation.

OVERVIEW:
With nothing but paper and markers, students will learn the four steps of computational thinking. After a brief introduction,
students should be split into groups where
they will have to create directions for other
students to draw a specific monster (from a
catalog of pre-selected monsters). The entire
task must be decomposed, then teams will
analyze all monsters in the catalog for patterns, abstract similar details from the monsters, then use that information to create an
algorithm (directions) for another team to
draw a certain monster.
Teams will then switch algorithms with
another group and draw the monster based
on what that algorithm indicates. Is the
drawing what the original team intended?

OBJECTIVE:
Students will
Learn the four steps of computational
thinking

Use teamwork to solve complex problems

MATERIALS:
Monster Catalog (1 per group)
Blank pieces of paper (3 per person)
Markers, pens, or pencils (1 pack per group)
Scissors
PREPARATION:
Print monster images for each group.
Monster faces should be on traditional
paper, while monster parts are printed
on transparencies (Or students can trace
monster parts on tracing paper. Or monster parts can be printed on traditional
paper and then cut out.).
Gather monster images, scissors & markers
for each group.
Write vocabulary words on the board or
project them with document camera.

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

VOCABULARY:
Computational ThinkingA method of
problem-solving that helps computer scientists prepare problems for digital solutions
AbstractionRemoving details from a solution so that it can work for many problems

DecomposeTo break a hard problem up

into smaller, easier ones
PatternA theme that is repeated many
times
ProgramInstructions that can be understood and followed by a machine

AlgorithmA list of steps that allow you to

complete a task

Computational
thinking helps
make light work
of difficult
problems.

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

REVIEW:
This review segment is intended to get the class thinking back to the last lesson. If you are
covering these activities out of order, please substitute your own review subjects here.
Class Participation Questions:
What does it mean to repeat a block of code?
When might you use an if block?
Elbow Partner Discussion:
Can you think of a reason that you would want an if/else block, instead of just the if?

INTRODUCE:
Today, our class will become a group of elite teams of computer scientists. We will each
complete a real-world mission to come up with an algorithm that we can use to program
our solution. Here is a brief overview of your mission (should you choose to accept it):
We have been selected to help identify some monsters found on the planet Zuron. We need
to describe these things based on descriptions that we already have of certain eye-witness
accounts. There are quite a few monsters to describe, and it may seem challenging, but Im
going to give you some tools to help you out.
To be successful in this operation, we will practice a method called Computational Thinking.
Computational thinking uses four steps to help solve lots of different kinds of problems.
Many people believe that computational thinking is all about getting solutions ready to run
on a machine. Thats true, but it also helps make light work of difficult problems.
Computer scientists often find that theyre in charge of programming solutions to things
that people have only ever dreamt ofthings that have never been created before. Facing
a problem that has never been solved can be scary, but with these simple tools, anything
is possible.
Step 1) DecomposeWere not just talking about zombies here. Instead, were talking about
breaking a big, bad problem down into something much more simple. Often, big problems
are just lots of little problems stuck together.
Step 2) PatternsSometimes, when a problem has lots of little pieces, you will notice that
the pieces have something in common. If they dont, then they may at least have some
striking similarities to some pieces of another problem that has been solved before. If you
can spot these patterns, understanding your pieces gets much easier.
Step 3) AbstractionOnce you recognize a pattern, you can abstract out (ignore) the
details that make things different and use the general framework to find a solution that works
for more than one problem.
Step 4) AlgorithmsWhen your solution is complete, you can write it up in a way that allows
it to be processed step by step, so that the results are easy to achieve.

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

ACTIVITY: MAKE A MONSTER

Each group gets a Monster Catalog. Each monster needs to be categorized based on the
information that they are given in their Catalog. First, students will look at the monsters to
see what they all have in common, then they will abstract out the differences to create a list
of instructions that anyone can use to re-create one of the monsters from the packet . . .
without knowing ahead of time which one they are making!
Getting someone to draw these monsters without seeing them can be quite challenging. And
if you look at the whole task, it may seem impossible. That makes this the perfect project for
computational thinking.
1) DecomposeWhat needs to be done to make the monster?
Depending on the monster, it may already look like its decomposing, but now we need to
decompose this task! Lets break it up into smaller tasks, each will seem a little easier on
its own. You may want to do this as a class together to get everyone on the same page.

Example:
Sort monsters by face shape
Look for similarities in those monsters
Make a list of features to identify
Use identified features to create a new monster
D
 escribe your new monster to your teammates in a step-by-step way and let them
try to put it together
2) PatternsWhat do those monsters have in common?
What are some things that all of the monsters have? What are things that are similar
between monsters of certain groups?

Example:
All monsters have heads
Zombus Vegitas has a Vegitas mouth
3) Abstraction Whats different? Take it out.
One monster may have Wackus Eyes, while another has Spritem Eyes, but they both have
eyes. That means we could say that This monster has __________ eyes and later we
would be able to fill in the blank based on whatever monster well be drawing.
Example:
Create a list of all the different features that the monsters with the details abstracted out of
the sentence.
The monster has a
head.
The monster has
eyes.
The monster has a
nose.
The monster has
ears.
The monster has a
mouth.

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

4) AlgorithmHow can you put this together to make a series of instructions that your
classmates can follow?
 Now, each group should arrange their steps into a list that other groups can use to
recreate a monster.
Example:
Create a list that you can fill out for your artist.

Draw a

Wackum head.
Draw Vegitas eyes.
Draw a Wackum nose.
Draw InHideum ears.*
Draw a Spritem mouth.
*InHideum means the Monster is missing that feature.
Students should test their algorithm to see if it draws the correct picture. Then, let students
switch algorithms with another group, and draw the monster based on the algorithm
(without seeing the original picture.) Did they create the right monster? Students can
play this over and over again, choosing to have classmates recreate monsters that already
exist, or describing new ones.

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

ADJUSTMENTS:
K-2: Try doing exercise as a class instead of small groups. Using transparencies with the
features printed on them (eyes, ears, nose) will make this much more manageable.
3-5: Give students help when it comes to breaking down the problem and abstracting out
details. It may be necessary to do a sample with them.
6-8: Allow students to struggle for a while before offering suggestions. Let them fail
a few times and let those failures provide the feedback they need to get it working.
This age will likely enjoy the activity more if they are drawing the features, versus
overlaying transparencies.

STEPS:
1) Identify a problem.
2) Break the problem down into little pieces.
3) Abstract away details to identify a pattern that seems to be true for several pieces.
4) Format each of the monsters as a list of instructions for drawing/building.
5) Try solutions to make sure they work.
6) Trade instructions so other groups can put all of the pieces together into one complete
work of art.

RULES:
1) If the monster is missing a feature, the category of that feature is InHideum.
2) The category of the head shape determines the first half of the monsters classification.
3) The second half of the classification is determined by the category from the majority
of other features.
If there are equal amounts of features from multiple families, then categorize based
on the eyes.

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Monster Catalog

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Classified Monsters

This is the Zombus Vegitas, so called

because of its Zombus head classification
and its dominance of Vegitas features.

Zombus Vegitas

This is the Franken Wackus. Notice his

Franken head shape and majority of
Wackus features.

Franken Wackus

This is a monster from the Happy Spritem

family. Her head has a distinct Happy
shape, while her facial features are of the
Spritem categorization.

Happy Spritem
8

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Heads

Zombus

Franken

Happy

Vegitas

Wackus

Spritem

Vegitas

Wackus

Spritem

Vegitas

Wackus

Spritem

Vegitas

Wackus

Spritem

Eyes

Ears

Nose

Mouth

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

10

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

11

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

12

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

13

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

14

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

15

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

16

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

17

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

18

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

19

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

20

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

21

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

22

LESSON 3: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Align marks here

23