This activity explores what it means for a computer to be intelligent and introduces the topic of what a computer program is and how everything computers do simply involves following instructions written by (creative) computer programmers. Learners interact with a piece of paper that contains rules for playing a perfect game of noughts-and-crosses (tic-tac-toe). The activity contains some thought provoking (and humorous) discussion questions. Explanation, variations, extensions, and resources are included in the PDF.
Grade 9-12 Psychology
Students explore the motivation behind characters' actions in "To Kill A Mockingbird" by creating psychological profiles for characters from the novel.
- Subject:
- Psychology
- Social Science
- Material Type:
- Activity/Lab
- Lesson Plan
- Provider:
- ReadWriteThink
- Provider Set:
- ReadWriteThink
- Date Added:
- 07/08/2021
This lesson focuses on the biggest problem faced by any young programmer - i.e. the LOGIC BUILDING required while solving a particular problem. With programming, the solution to a particular problem lies in the head, but one is unable to convert it into a computer program. This is because the thought processes of a human are much faster than the sense of observation. If this thought process could be slowed down, logic to solve a programming problem could be found very easily. This lesson focuses on converting this psychological thought process in a step-by -step logic fashion that a computer program can understand. This lesson is recorded in a kitchen where the basic programming concepts are taught by giving examples from the process of making a mango milk shake. This lesson teaches the 4 following techniques: 1) Swapping two variables by swapping a glass of milk with a glass of crushed ice; 2) Finding max from an array by finding the biggest mango; 3) Sorting an array by arranging the jars; and 4) Understanding the concept of a function, parameters and return type by comparing it with the blender/juicer. The lesson targets those students who know the syntax of programming in any language (C or GWBASIC preferred), but are unable to build the logic for a program. It can be taught in a class of 45 to 50 minutes.
This lesson is also available in Mandarin Chinese.
- Subject:
- Applied Science
- Engineering
- Psychology
- Social Science
- Material Type:
- Lecture
- Provider:
- MIT
- Provider Set:
- MIT Blossoms
- Author:
- Tanzeela Ali
- Date Added:
- 06/15/2021
This activity aims to stimulate discussion on the question of whether computers can exhibit Ňintelligence" or are ever likely to do so in the future. Learners play a game and try to distinguish between a human and a computer by asking questions and analyzing the answers. This game is similar to the Turing Test, founded by British mathematician Alan Turing. Variations, extensions, background information and further reading suggestions are included in the PDF.
- Subject:
- Applied Science
- Automotive Technology and Repair
- Career and Technical Education
- Computer Science
- Computing and Information
- Education
- Engineering
- History
- Information Science
- Life Science
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Social Science
- Material Type:
- Activity/Lab
- Lesson Plan
- Simulation
- Provider:
- ComPADRE Digital Library
- Date Added:
- 07/19/2024