Integrating computer science and mathematics in middle school with alice (abstract only)

ABSTRACT

The Adventures in Alice Programming project at Duke University has created a variety of Alice curriculum materials for integrating computer science into other disciplines at the K-12 level, focusing on both computer science topics and animation topics. For example, one of our new animation tutorials shows how to attach multiple camera views to an object to move with the object through a virtual Alice world. Our newest curriculum materials focus on integrating computer science into middle school mathematics. Our math related tutorials guide users on programming math projects from scratch, and our math challenges are partially built programs for students to complete. We use topics that are attractive to middle school students. For example, we have created a wizard world math and programming challenge that is an eight-level game. Each level in the game is titled similarly to courses one might take in the school Hogwarts in the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling. Students must add code related to either a math or computer science concept in order to complete a level and move to the next level. Since 2008, we have taught extensive multi-week Alice beginner workshops every summer to K-12 teachers, teaching over 200 teachers. Our new curriculum materials are mapped to both the CSTA and the Common Core Math standards, and are available for free at www.cs.duke.edu/csed/alice/aliceInSchools along with teacher lesson plans.

Index Terms

• Social and professional topics

  • Professional topics

    • Computing education

      • Computing education programs

        • Computer science education