Grade 3: "Coding on a Grid"
(From: Mathology)
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This Mathology lesson plan can be accessed in both English and French by logging into your Mathology.ca/Mathologie.ca account and searching for "Geometry Activity 17: Mapping and Coding: Coding on a Grid"
Writing codes to describe paths on a grid
C3. Coding: solve problems and create computational representations of mathematical situations using coding concepts and skills
• Coding Skills: C3.1 solve problems and create computational representations of mathematical situations by writing and executing code, including code that involves sequential, concurrent, and repeating events
• Coding Skills: C3.2 read and alter existing code, including code that involves sequential, concurrent, and repeating events, and describe how changes to the code affect the outcomes
E1. Geometric and Spatial Reasoning: describe and represent shape, location, and movement by applying geometric properties and spatial relationships in order to navigate the world around them
• Location and Movement: E1.4 give and follow multi step instructions involving movement from one location to another, including distances and half‐ and quarter‐turns
How to use directional language and write code
Use directional language to move an item on a grid
Write code to move an arrow on a grid, avoiding obstacles
Share my code and thinking with my classmates and teachers
Understand that there are many different paths and code that can be written from a start point to a finish point
Math Mat 23: Colour Tile Grid
Colour Tiles
Math Mat 1: Thinking Space
Exit Ticket
Practice
(All Line Masters, Math Mats, Exit Tickets and Practice sheets can be accessed by logging into your Mathology / Mathologie account)
Code
Visualize
Flip
Slide
Turn
Perspective
Orientation
Reflect
Rotate
Students may benefit from prior experience with:
describing relative position using positional language (e.g., beside, above, below, left, right)
identifying transformations (i.e., slides/translations, flips/reflections, turns/rotations)
describing location and routes on a grid, considering perspective
using mathematical language to describe a series of steps
Have students think about how they would use directional language to move the dog from Start to Finish. Point out that the red squares are blocked so the dog must go around them, and moves cannot be diagonal.
Have volunteers share their codes (e.g., move 3 squares down, 2 squares right, 2 squares down, and 3 squares right, then flip the dog) while other students follow the codes on the map.
Use this as an opportunity to introduce or review transformational language. When a student says, ‘slide or move,’ introduce the word translate . When a student says, ‘turn,’ introduce rotate . When someone gets to the end and says ‘flip’ so that the dogs face the same way, introduce reflect .
Make a list of the command words that students used.
Give each pair Math Mat 23: Colour Tile Grid and some Colour Tiles.
Encourage students to record their codes on Math Mat 1: Thinking Space.
Have them draw arrows and record ‘Start’ and ‘Finish’ on the grid as shown.
Teacher Moves
Probing Questions:
Which command did you use most often?
How can you check that the steps are in the correct order?
Could you change the order of any of the steps?
Which command word did you use so the arrows ended up facing the same way?
Do students visualize a pathway from Start to Finish before they start, or do they work step by step?
Are students counting squares or jumps? Are they trying to move diagonally?
Are students using transformational language (e.g., slide, flip, turn) and directional language (e.g., up, down, left, right) in their codes?
Are students able to correct their thinking when steps are out of order or their instructions are incorrect?
Go on a gallery walk to see the different obstacle courses created. If time permits, place some of the courses at a Math Centre for students to try.
Have students share the strategies they used to check a code (e.g., moving a finger along the path, or visualizing the movements of the arrow).
Ensure students understand that the codes should focus on movement from square to square, not on counting squares.
Discuss the types of codes (pathways) that are more straightforward (e.g., those that go for longer stretches without changing direction) and those that are more complicated (e.g., those with more zigzag movements).
To allow students to show what they have learned in this lesson, go to the Exit Ticket and/or Practice. (Log into your Mathology / Mathologie account to access)
Highlight for Students
Steps must be followed in the correct order to get the desired outcome. Sometimes steps can be switched without affecting the outcome.
Codes include a command word, a direction, and an amount (e.g., translate 3 squares right).
Accommodations: Provide students with arrow cutouts that they can manipulate on the grid. Or provide a direction key showing up, down, left, and right to remind students of directional terms.
Extension: Place more Colour Tiles on the grid to create a more difficult obstacle course.
All assessments, in the moment feedback/prompts, and independent tasks can be accessed by logging into your Mathology/Mathologie account.
SEL Self-Assessments (English) and Teacher Rubric
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