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Going with the Flow: Flowcharting your way into code.

By: Stephanie Racine MT

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Stephanie Racine, Master Teacher

  • Experience
    • Ponaganset Middle School, Foster, RI
      • 6th Grade: DM
      • 7th Grade: CS IM
      • 8th Grade: AC
      • PLTW Master Teacher - 4 years (IM, AC, EE, AR, GA)
      • Gateway Teacher for ALL Modules (except Flight & Space and Medical Detectives)
      • Launch Lead Teacher
    • FLL Lego Robotics Competition Coach - 5 Teams last year
    • 3D Printing Club

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  • Contact Info
    • Email: sracine@fgschools.com; sracine@cox.net
    • Phone: 4016177543
    • Twitter: @scienceracine
    • Instagram: @stemracine

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Agenda

  1. Review what the shapes in a flowchart correspond to in coding.
  2. Practice reading a flowchart and creating the code for it.
  3. Practice making a flowchart from code.
  4. Discuss where students are going to see this in the PLTW curriculum
    1. 1.7 Step 50
    2. 2.4 Step 21, 28, 32
    3. 3.1 They will create their own before they begin coding.

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Flowchart Poster

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Flowchart Practice #1

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Flowchart Practice #2

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Pacing Issues?

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Helpful Resources

Flowcharts are diagrams that visually represent the steps of an algorithm.

In this activity, students will look at code and turn the code into a flowchart.

In this activity, students will read the flowchart and create the code from it.

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This link will take you to a document that lists which assignments I combine when I teach and all the locations were students are given code, but in flowchart form.

The document linked provides a list of additional supports that you might find useful.

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INTRODUCTION

Do your students during the planning stage skip over making the flowchart and go directly to coding? If so, you are not alone. My students do this even though that is not part of the design process I expect them to follow. They only make their flowchart once they finish their coding. I am attempting to change this by providing more support upfront with flowcharting. This will hopefully make them feel more comfortable and follow the planning process in the correct order.

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Flowchart Symbols

Always start and end the flowchart.This lets the programmer know where to begin and end coding. (Example: On Start, On A Button, On Forever, etc)

OVAL

RECTANGLE

This shape is for commands. If you have actions that you want the program to do, you would use a rectangle to designate that action, (Example: show LED, Show String, etc)

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Rhombus/Diamond

This shape is for conditions. Any time you are coding with Yes/No questions, you need this shape. (Example: If/ Then blocks, etc.)

arrows

This shape is A signal to move to the next step.It is a visual representation of the order of the code.

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Practice #1 Tips

It’s up to you on how you want to teach this. I spend a lot of time in the 7th grade on flowcharting, so that I don’t have to spend as much time on it in the 8th grade. Of course that is dependent upon how much they remember.

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FIRST STEPS Flowcharting

Make the Flowchart Infographic a Poster

Model Flowcharting

Practice, Practice, Practice

This will be a visual reminder for your students

As you work through the code, no matter how basic it is, flowchart it.

The more you have your kids do this, the better they will get.

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Think About This As You Work

Contemplate the following:

How are you currently presenting this topic?

How are your students receiving this content?

What activities have been difficult? For them? For you to teach?

What things can you change to improve your student’s understanding?

What do you still need to do to get where you want to be?

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Thanks

sracine@fgschools.com

401-617-7543

Ponaganset Middle School

7 Rustic Hill Road

North Scituate, RI 02857

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Do you have any questions?

    • Twitter: @scienceracine
    • Instagram: @stemracine

https://calendly.com/sracine-2/ac

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