Introduction to Intermediate Level Logo

Author: Merci R. Montoya
School or Affiliation: Carlsbad Municipal Schools, New Mexico

Date: 1994

Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8, 9

Subject(s):

• Computer Science

Purpose: To enhance and foster higher-level thinking skills

Students who have already gained some familiarity with the concept and usage of Logo as a computer language are now able to extend their skills beyond the initial exploratory stage. In so doing, students gain the ability to do the following:

• organize their ideas (using outlining and/or flow-charting)
• gain skills necessary to review/edit/change their work
• increase their working knowledge of the Logo computer language
• become more familiar with the computer as a tool
• become more familiar with the concept of files and their organization

Objectives: Write a program to draw a 3-dimensional frame house

1. Sketch the house on plain paper

2. Transfer the sketch to graph paper

3. Outline the steps necessary to draw the house on the computer

4. Revise the outline to include specific details for the program

5. Use each of the topics (in the outline) as procedures

6. Convert each topic into specific Logo commands

7. Write the Super-Procedure which controls the sub-procedures

8. Try the program

9. Revise the program to correct syntax or procedural errors

10. Save the program on disk as a file

11. Revise the final program to become an 'Auto-Start' program... whereby the user can specify the filename and the house will be draw automatically.

Materials:

• Plain paper
• Graph paper
• Pencil, eraser, ruler, protractor and compass
• Logo language
• Any Apple II series computer, IBM compatible, Commodore 64 or MacIntosh
• Diskette for saving program

1. Introduce the project

a. Demonstrate previous projects using projected image on the overhead (if overhead monitor not available, set up a demo self-running program on each computer the students will have access to)

b. Hand each student hand-outs explaining the project

1. What the program should do

2. Steps in writing, editing and trying the program

c. Explain the tools necessary

2. Work on the project

a. Allow time for students to work on the project
* actual time is flexible based on

1. length per session

2. number of possible sessions

3. Function as a moderator during the project

a. assist with ideas

b. make observations

c. point out possible solutions when student appear stuck