Blog 9: Extending Coding Concepts to Desmos

 I have really enjoyed working with Scratch for the past few weeks, a lot more than R or Python, to be frank. I actually think html is more straightforward and something that I will use in the future. But as great as Scratch can be, or as versatile R is, it is still difficult to cover linear equations and functions as a subject with code. This is where I think Desmos shines. 

So, for the last two blogs, I will be looking at how far Desmos can go within the Grade 9 curriculum. 

I have curated two lessons from the Desmos Teacher catalogue that give students a chance to practice and explore linear equations graphically and algebraically. Both games are also more educational versions of potential simple computer games. The first lesson called Coin Capture reminds me of Super Mario, where the coins are arranged in such a way where players have to jump, run, or fall in specific paths to catch them all. 

The same can be said for Land the Plane, where students have to come up with the correct initial trajectory for a plane in order to have it hit the runway correctly. This game/lesson also helps students think about motion in two dimensions; a physics topic. 

These Desmos activities also allow students to compete and compare their results with their peers, as well as forcing them to think about why their solutions work rather than just doing it. 

Here are the two lesson activities:

Coin Capture:

https://teacher.desmos.com/activitybuilder/custom/5bcdf906c1d7660b58d8b866

Land the Plane:

https://teacher.desmos.com/activitybuilder/custom/582b81f4bf3030840aacf265