Computational Thinking: STEM Literacy in a Digital Age

Introduction: What is Computational Thinking?
It is a process that can be used to develop and implement solutions to big complex problems. Simply, it is a set of skills that are used to solve problems. These skills are:

• Pattern Recognition: Looking for similarities or trends; patterns, matching, identifying and classifying
• Decomposition: Breaking something down into smaller parts; breaking larger actions into smaller, easily completed steps
• Abstraction: Focusing on what's important, ignoring what is unnecessary; thoughts and ideas
• Algorithmic Design: Create a step-by-step instructions to complete a task; following a specific order of actions or sequence. Instructions, plans, recipe

All these work with everyday problems and are also part of the process of learning to read.

Pattern Recognition

Activities:

• color or shape scavenger hunt
• "that word sounds like....." (rhymes)
• sorting activities
• fitting shapes into the correct holes
• matching games
• spot the difference
• learning days of the week and months of the year, counting

Literacy Link:
English is printed and read left to right. this pattern is called print awareness.

Decomposition

Activities:

• be a chef: follow directions to make your lunch
• break it down: explain tasks as you do them (laundry, dishes, making the bed, etc.)
• draw a map of your house or yard
• write a shopping list
• find a story's beginning, middle and end
• answer: What did you do today?

Literacy Link:
Letters and sounds are the building blocks of syllables and words. Breaking sentences into words and words into syllables is the decomposition of language.

Abstraction

Activities:

• used recycled materials to make something specific
• play "What noise does this animal make?"
• draw a picture of your family
• what is today's weather?
• play "I Spy" so that only 1 object could be it
• draw a map your your house or yard
• music: how does that song go again?
• what is the plan for today?

Literacy Link:
​Each letter has a specific shape. Identifying these shapes as letters is called letter recognition.

Algorithm Design

Activities:

• draw a map
• make patterns with colored blocks, pompoms, etc
• turn a picture into a color by number
• write a shopping list or a recipe
• make up your own dance routine
• do a dot-to-dot
• build a pirate ship from blocks or LEGOs
• cook or bake following a recipe

Literacy Link:
Telling a story and sequencing an order of events is a narrative skill. Guessing what may come next in a sequence is an important component.