COMPUTATIONAL THINKING IN THE CLASSROOM

In simplistic terms, computational thinking is the concept that

bigger problems can be broken down into smaller problems.
It is an invaluable concept that helps students make
connections where they might not have seen any before. It
gives students strategies to solve problems in whatever
subject they may be working on.

I explained computational thinking in my third grade class to

help them understand the Distributive Property. I let them
know that it is the ability to break down a large problem into
much smaller problems. For example, they may not know
what 12x12 is, but they can break it down into smaller parts
like 12x10 and 12x2 and then add the two products. By
breaking larger problems into smaller parts, students are able
to more successfully solve math problems. Using
computational thinking is an invaluable skill that I tell them
they will go back to over and over again.