[etoys-dev] Fwd: Calculus discovery by and for young people

[David Corking]

On Wed, Jan 26, 2011 at 8:18 PM, Edward Cherlin wrote:
> We have the offer of a calculus book for elementary grades.
http://lists.squeakland.org/pipermail/etoys-dev/2011-January/006025.html
...
> http://mathman.biz/html/chapters.html

Existing Etoys projects probably cover some of Don Cohen's ground. I
can't help recalling the well-known drive-a-car project already in
Etoys and Sugar
http://dobbse.net/thinair/2008/12/drive-a-car.html
Alan Kay's approach to differential equations with a simple geometric
series also strikes me as similar:
http://dobbse.net/thinair/2008/12/growth-and-polygons.html

At a brief (and all too cursory) first impression, Don Cohen's
approach seems to be based on what a student can discover with pencil
and paper. These are good things. Yet, to me, one strong appeal of
calculus is its dynamic applications, which can be revealed
(numerically if not analytically) to students who build their own
animated Etoys.

Don Cohen's 'map to calculus' examples could surely be translated into
Etoys, either as simple e-books or slideshows or in a more interactive
fashion.  There may be more value in a hybrid approach, that brings in
existing or novel etoys projects and lesson plans along the journey.

(I have copied this to the squeakland mailing list
http://lists.squeakland.org/mailman/listinfo/squeakland
)