How I Taught Third Graders Binary Numbers • Hacker News Board

Re: How I Taught Third Graders Binary Numbers

#11

Post by andrewcooke » Tue, Jun 14, 2011, 12:07 PM UTC

corin_ wrote: post #10

Maybe overly pedantic, but I don't like http://www.exploringbinary.com/wp-content/uploads/27.decimal... For the tens you're counting lines of blocks, and for the ones you're counting blocks, so it doesn't match up. Maybe if the ones were lined horizontally so you're still counting vertical lines, they just happen to be 1 block tall instead of 10 blocks tall.

yes. this confused the heck out of me. the units need to be horizontal, or (when using physical objects) the multiples could be piled on top of each other. as it is, it's just misleading.

Re: How I Taught Third Graders Binary Numbers

#12

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jun 14, 2011, 1:08 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: How I Taught Third Graders Binary Numbers

#13

Post by geekzgalore » Tue, Jun 14, 2011, 1:09 PM UTC

win_ini wrote: post #5

A slight variation that I read years ago using only the socratic method (the teacher only asked probing questions) to teach third graders binary arithmetic. Interesting how he weaved aliens into it. http://www.garlikov.com/Soc_Meth.html Edit: If I'd read to the bottom - I would have seen the author also references the above post.

The socratic method seems to be more effective and intuitive. I was about to paste the same reference.

Re: How I Taught Third Graders Binary Numbers

#14

Post by brokentone » Tue, Jun 14, 2011, 4:12 PM UTC

cormullion wrote: post #9

There was a cool computer game called the Zoombinis that we used to play at home. One of the puzzles taught binary arithmetic using strange characters that had two expressions. There's a picture here: http://www.computingwithkids.com/column/20011026.asp The addition went up to 15 I think. You had to aim the pinballs at the group that would 'overflow' and jump in the river. There were some very challenging puzzles in…

Man, Zoombinis, those were the days. A few friends and I all "played" it in our elementary days; however I am convinced that the lessons I learned there about binary numbers, problem solving, and spacial and mathematical efficiency stick with me to this day.

As was written in this article, many students apart from CS never fully understand number bases, which is unfortunate. I applaud this attempt and others (Zoombinis, etc) to teach some of these basic concepts at an early age.