SMEC 23 - March 6th, 2022

Teaching Mathematics through Coding Skills in Scratch

Abstract

Learning Algebra in Mathematics has been a struggle for many students. Finding the connection with real-life situations and how to apply those rules in different contexts was still a question to many. Using Scratch environment, many rules can make more sense and can be put into practice. The students’ enthusiasm and engagement in applying algebra or geometry concepts while coding is exceptional. It is important to note that this sort of STEM activity can help the students develop computational thinking which has been recognized as the 5th C to acquire 21st-century skills.

During this session, we will be discussing innovative ideas of how to apply concepts in Mathematics using coding skills in Scratch. Scratch is an engaging coding program that teaches the students how to design their animated projects based on coding concepts. The student will need to develop a sequence of code blocks to demonstrate a certain idea or to solve a problem. This sort of activity improves the students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills especially when they need to debug and fix a code. The topics being discussed in the session will be of good use for Math teachers from elementary to middle school. The participants will engage in hands-on activities on Scratch and will develop their projects using mathematical equations. Projects might include directions, drawing shapes, using variables, and others. It is also important to note that there are available resources to support the teachers which will be shared during the session to support lessons in Mathematics. 

Resources for:

Flowcharts

Scratch Problems

SMEC23 Presentation

For more information about the conference: