The sophomores in Intro to Programming recently learned about the Problem Solving Process by designing aluminum foil boats that could support as many pennies as possible. Groups had two rounds to work on their boats, with the goal of trying to hold more pennies than they did in round 1. Students had to identify different strategies they could use to solve this problem.
Many might think about computer science as being all about computers, but first and foremost computer science is about solving problems. Typical problems can range from programming/coding to app design. This lesson was a fun introduction to the open-ended, collaborative, and creative problem-solving that students will use throughout the year.
