Author Archives: bwilliams1
LQ: How can I improve my letter algorithm?
Today we are going to try to improve our algorithms for drawing letters in Textease.
PLEASE make sure you are keeping all of your instructions on a page along with the pictures they draw – soon we will print and I will want to see what you have done.
Steps for success today:
- Complete a letter
- Add instructions at the end so that your turtle is ready for the next letter (you will need pu and pd)
- Do another letter
- Tidy up algorithm, label it, **label parts
- Set up a procedure to type a letter
- Use setfillcolour command (see Textease help) **What can you do about letters with holes?
- Make a letter flower by repeating your letter: repeat 6 R rt 360/6 end
- Shadow letter
LQ: How do I write algorithms to solve problems?
Let’s start with a challenge! Have a go at Blockly Maze How far can you get?
Next we will look at LOGO using Textease Turtle.
- Choose a letter, for example the first letter of your name.
- Draw it as a bubble letter on squared paper using straight horizontal and vertical lines that always join dots.
- Have a go at writing an algorithm (set of instructions) to make your turtle draw the letter.
Steps to success…
- LOGO instructions: fd 20 bk 20 lt 90 rt 90
- Remember lt means “turn left” not “go left”
- Plan your instruction on your paper
- Need a space between letters and numbers
- Select instructions (double click – red squares) then turtle/play button
- Try out often to test, then debug
Extension – draw a letter with a hole, eg A, R, O, D, B, etc
- Use pu (pen up) and pd (pen down) if you need to get somewhere without drawing a line
Amazing Pic Collages by Year 6
Collaborative project evaluation
LQ: How can I improve my work? How can you improve yours?
Over the last few weeks, we have been working on Google Apps on projects, working in pairs or threes by sharing documents and communicating online.
Is this an effective way to work? What skills have we developed?
Please fill in the survey below to show me what you have learned from this project. I will also be looking at your projects of course!
Collaborative Project Evaluation
Success steps:
- Log on, find work, add info, edit and improve
- Share project with the class (so they can comment)
- Look at other people’s presentation and make positive, encouraging comments and suggestions
- Reflect on your achievements in this project by filling out the online evaluation
Year 5 WW2 collaborative project
LQ: How can we collaborate on Google Apps?
How can we use comments helpfully? How effective is sharing?
Steps to success:
- Log in!
- Create a document
- Share a document
- Send and reply to comments
- Write information about your project
Year 6 collaborative project
Year 6s using Google Apps to work together on the same document but on different computers by creating a presentation and then sharing it with their partner.
Year 6 Collaborative project
LQ: How can I use j2e/Google Apps tools collaboratively?
Steps to success:
- Log on to j2e/Google Apps
- Create a document and share with group
- Send check emails
- Search for information and add to page
- Work together on the same document
Y3 j2e poster
How can I search safely and efficiently?
The information we are after is on the Internet somewhere, but how do we get to it quickly…?
There is a lot of other stuff on the Internet – silly things, advertising, harmful pages, wrong information, distractions… How can we make sure we stay safe from these things?
Here are some techniques to make sure you get to information quickly and safely.
- Use more than one key word
- Use “kids” in your google search to find websites written for children
- Use known, trusted websites like BBC, Woodlands Junior School – start to build up a knowledge of trusted sites
- Use children’s search engines (see here for some examples)
- Know what to do if you find something unsuitable or upsetting – tell an adult
Here are some searching techniques to extend your information finding skills. (Taken from www.code-it.co.uk by Phil Bagge)