Day 2: Breaking Down Problems

Hello Techies!

Welcome to Day 2 of our computational thinking journey!

Today we're exploring Decomposition - the process of breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts.

Today's Activity: Kitchen Algorithm

What You'll Need:

• A simple recipe (making a sandwich, fruit salad, or trail mix works perfectly)

• Basic kitchen ingredients

• 15-20 minutes together

How To Play:

1. Choose a simple food item to prepare together.

2. Ask your child: What steps do we need to take to make this?

3. Help them break down the process into very specific steps.

4. Write down or draw each step (even the tiny ones like: open the bread bag).

5. Follow the steps exactly as written.

6. Enjoy your creation together!

Make It Fun:

• If they forget a step, follow instructions literally (e.g., if they don't mention taking the bread out of the bag, pretend to spread peanut butter on the bag!)

• Use sticky notes for each step and arrange them in order

• Take photos of each step to create a visual recipe book

Why This Matters

Decomposition is essential in computational thinking and coding. When programmers create software, they break big problems into smaller, solvable pieces - exactly what your child is practicing today. This skill helps with:

• Tackling overwhelming tasks confidently.

• Planning and organizing thoughts logically.

• Understanding how complex systems work.

Quick Tip: Apply decomposition to other daily routines like getting ready for bed or cleaning up toys. Ask: What are all the little steps that make up this big job?

Tomorrow we'll explore another exciting computational thinking skill. Until then, keep breaking down those problems!

Your Tech Partner,

Dr. Ijeoma Ndu

By the way, I had fun playing the pattern games with my 5-year old yesterday.

This is Day 2 of our 5-day Computational Thinking Without Screens series.

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