# U2 Day 7-9: PD Discussion Topic **URL:** \ **Category:** Unit 2 Best Practices\ **Created:** [August 31, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777 "2015-08-31T19:18:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dani](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/dani/32/285_2.png) [@dani](https://forum.code.org/u/dani)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/1 "2015-08-31T19:18:46Z")
How can use of many different types of tools and widgets on the computer make students better prepared to create their own programs? How can you encorporate that as a focus of this lesson? ---
**Author:** ![aivie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@aivie](https://forum.code.org/u/aivie)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 11:11am UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/2 "2015-10-08T11:11:16Z")
There are a great deal of really helpful apps and widgets now more than ever before for students to apply in their everyday learning. Whether its to create their own apps and games or an invention of other interest-- it’s only a matter of them knowing where to go to find the resources needed to implement the learning desired. I can use the Cornrow lesson as an example of mathematics and physics used to meticulously braid hair while preserving a cultural tradition. ---
**Author:** ![jonesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@jonesa](https://forum.code.org/u/jonesa)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/3 "2015-10-10T03:09:32Z")
Using widgets inspire students to think about how the can make learning something easier by creating their own tool for success. ---
**Author:** ![nbarak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac8455/32.png) [@nbarak](https://forum.code.org/u/nbarak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/4 "2015-10-14T20:57:39Z")
I didn’t think of incorporating that focus into this lesson however I have been discussing with students different apps and technology tools that are geared to specific audiences to make their life easier, more enjoyable etc. I thinking exposing students to tools and widgets will help students narrow in on how they can use technology in innovative ways. ---
**Author:** ![mulvihillj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@mulvihillj](https://forum.code.org/u/mulvihillj)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/5 "2015-10-16T13:38:28Z")
I like to use different apps and widgets to get the students thinking about how they could improve upon a design, maybe try to make it more user friendly. I also like to show them source code for sites so they can see what all goes in to creating these types of tools. ---
**Author:** ![marling\_a\_90](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/marling_a_90/32/1000_2.png) [@marling\_a\_90](https://forum.code.org/u/marling_a_90)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/6 "2015-10-17T15:51:36Z")
Students using different tools or widgets makes them better prepared for the HTML unit and for the Scratch unit because I want students to create a webpage or app where they will use a tool they like on it. ---
**Author:** ![chapina](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/chapina/32/29_2.png) [@chapina](https://forum.code.org/u/chapina)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/7 "2015-10-17T16:41:19Z")
By updating widgets and the technology you use in a virtual classroom environment, you can keep evolving the students thinking. I have to keep myself educated on new technology so I can pass along to my students the most innovative ways to apply technology in the real world. ---
**Author:** ![amber\_inscoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@amber\_inscoe](https://forum.code.org/u/amber_inscoe)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/8 "2015-10-18T17:36:39Z")
Using tools and widgets on the computer can add novelty to the lesson. This can help the students better understand how to create programs by giving them hands-on experience. ---
**Author:** ![amber\_inscoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@amber\_inscoe](https://forum.code.org/u/amber_inscoe)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/9 "2015-10-18T17:37:04Z")
Does anyone have any tools and widgets to share? ---
**Author:** ![carlos\_baez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@carlos\_baez](https://forum.code.org/u/carlos_baez)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/10 "2015-10-20T17:57:58Z")
They are ready to work using tools that they have available on their daily life ---
**Author:** ![jmmorgan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/51bf81/32.png) [@jmmorgan](https://forum.code.org/u/jmmorgan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 10:14pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/11 "2015-10-20T22:14:44Z")
The more tools that the students know how to use will allow them more options for solving problems. ---
**Author:** ![holly\_eckard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/258eb7/32.png) [@holly\_eckard](https://forum.code.org/u/holly_eckard)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 12:42pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/12 "2015-10-23T12:42:22Z")
Using different tools and widgets is great because there are so many available that you can often find one that the students find engaging. It makes learning fun and makes it easier to grasp the concepts being taught. ---
**Author:** ![tply](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed655f/32.png) [@tply](https://forum.code.org/u/tply)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/13 "2015-10-23T15:27:04Z")
The students love the interactive tools. Any chance to get on the computer and any chance to be visually stimulated is a success. ---
**Author:** ![jeffrey\_freeman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@jeffrey\_freeman](https://forum.code.org/u/jeffrey_freeman)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 11:31am UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/14 "2015-10-24T11:31:39Z")
Most of the interactive items have been great. My kids did not get into this one however and moving them through it was slow and met with indifference if not resistance. ---
**Author:** ![ljbrooks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7feea3/32.png) [@ljbrooks](https://forum.code.org/u/ljbrooks)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/15 "2015-10-24T23:20:07Z")
This was not a very easy unit to teach to me. However, mu students loved it. They were able to use the design tool for cornrow braids and explain the mathematical concepts of it. ---
**Author:** ![tocchiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@tocchiz](https://forum.code.org/u/tocchiz)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/16 "2015-10-25T17:44:32Z")
The more they use the computer, the more comfortable they will be when we start programming. ---
**Author:** ![webb\_jl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@webb\_jl](https://forum.code.org/u/webb_jl)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/17 "2015-10-26T20:48:09Z")
The more students experiment with other programs and applications, the easier it is for them to learn new ones. ---
**Author:** ![jreyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b2d939/32.png) [@jreyn](https://forum.code.org/u/jreyn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/18 "2015-10-26T21:08:42Z")
The students can use these widgets as a jumping-off board for future apps that they create. They can see the good and the bad of these here, and use that knowledge to improve their own projects. ---
**Author:** ![lizzy\_quinanola](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/lizzy_quinanola/32/143_2.png) [@lizzy\_quinanola](https://forum.code.org/u/lizzy_quinanola)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/19 "2015-10-27T17:59:01Z")
Coming from a math teacher’s perspective, I think the Virtual Bead Loom & Cornrow Curves teach valuable math skills. In the context of computer science, these math skills will be extremely helpful in designing games, because students need to understand translation to make things move, rotation to make things turn or have an arc-ed trajectory, and iteration to code things more effectively. ---
**Author:** ![oaks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@oaks](https://forum.code.org/u/oaks)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 1:08am UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777/20 "2015-10-28T01:08:00Z")
Using a variety of tools provides different learners strategies that might work for them. [Next page](https://forum.code.org/t/u2-day-7-9-pd-discussion-topic/1777.md?page=2)