Academy Curricular Exchange
Columbia Education Center
Miscellaneous

TITLE:   Computers Only Do What They Are told

AUTHOR:   Daniel Swomley, Hanover School,
          Colorado Springs, CO.

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:  (7-12) Computer Classes
          (This may be adapted to any class.)

OVERVIEW:  Most students have difficulty following
directions and few students have ever had the opportunity to
give directions. They do not realize the importance of being
precise.

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this activity is to help students
realize the need to be precise when programming a computer.

OBJECTIVES:  As a result of this activity, students will:
1.   Appreciate the importance of following directions.
2.   Appreciate the difficulty of giving precise directions.
     3.   Confirm objectives 1 and 2 by writing and
          debugging a short computer program.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:  Four different geometric designs as
described in the activities section.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:  This activity can be used in
introductory programming using any computer language. It
should take place before any programming is started.

Make four different geometric designs, each on a separate
sheet of paper. The first should be quite simple (such as a
hexagon). The following three should be of increasing
difficulty with the fourth involving circles, lines, curves,
and any other components you desire. Make enough copies of
these figures for each student in the class.

1.   Pick one student in the class to go to the chalkboard
     and one student to sit facing the back of the room.
2.   Hand out the first geometric design to each student in
     the class and do not allow the student at the board to
     see it.
3.   Have the student facing the back of the room (without
     looking at the board) give directions on how to draw
     the figure to the person at the board. Have that person
     draw along with the directions.
4.   Repeat this procedure with the remaining three
     geometric designs. Allow other students to take turns
     drawing and giving directions. If the assignment
     becomes too difficult, allow the person giving
     directions to look at the board.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  Have students write a simple program
in the language being taught. When debugging the program,
make sure the student understands the computer only did what
it was being told.

Click here to return to OFCN's Academy Curricular Exchange
Click here to return to OFCN's Academy
Click here to return to OFCN's Main Menu