Computational Thinking PO2/PO3
This coding activity can be completed using using Scratch or Tynker . It is more purely mathematical than coding, if your students have already done the Polygon challenges then they will be well aware of how to use coding blocks to control their actor to draw shapes. The purpose of this activity is for the students to expore, test and develop their understanding of trigonometry using coding to enable them to draw certain triangles successfully. No doubt some students will adopt a “brute force” strategy to work out some of these challenges, however a little knowlege can go a long way to help them to solve these challenges. The properties of a right angled triangle for example could help, as could 3,4,5.
As an extension we have created a generalised triangle drawing program using Scratch, that will have its own post at a later point. However if you wish to inspire your students to have a go at investigating the ACOS formula, then this resource will help. Make any triangle.
If you have not used Scratch before then the following video tutorial may help you to become a little more confident with its learning potential. Scratch Tutorial
If you want to use Tynker to do this project and you are not a confident user of Tynker then these tutorials may be of use to you. The lessons illustrated here also apply to the blocks in Scratch and as such will work on Scratch too.
Loops, conditionals and variables – Part 1
Loops, conditionals and variables – Part 2
To use this resource, simply make a copy of this resource and rename it so that you become the owner of it then adapt it to meet the learning needs/intentions of your students/planning. If you want us to make more of this kind of resource please contact us at david@dakinane.com and we will make more resources to share with you, related to your need.
