Collaborate. Create. Construct. CODE.
A "Primary" or first step perhaps?Collaborate. Create. Construct. CODE. It is a different type of literacy. Coding. If you're interested in "Finding the Benefits of Code" for your classroom check out the link.
These iOS apps are free of charge and work on many skills associated with computer programming and computational thinking. They all look at the following and more: programming/reading literacies, problem solving skills (debugging), "If this then that" (IFTTT) analysis, and Mathematics. Starting Early - Ages 4 - 10+ ScratchJr Platform: iPad Cost: Free! With ScratchJr, young children (ages 5-7) can program their own interactive stories and games. In the process, they learn to solve problems, design projects, and express themselves creatively on the computer. Cargo-Bot Platform: iPad Cost: Free! Cargo-Bot is another game that teaches coding skills. On each level, the objective is to move coloured crates from one place to another by programming a claw crane to move left or right, and drop or pick up. The game was actually programmed on an iPad, using a touch-based coding app called Codea, which is based on the programming language Lua. Elementary students will learn the logical thinking required to eventually do "real" text-based programming using Lua -- but Lua is not for young learners. For elementary students, stick with Cargo-Bot. Daisy the Dinosaur Platform: iPad Cost: Free! From the makers of Hopscotch, Daisy targets the youngest coders. The interface is similar to Hopscotch but much simpler. There is only a dinosaur to move and only basic functions to use, but for your younger students, this is an excellent introduction to programming. Teachers Checkout These Resources: http://www.scratchjr.org/teach.html |
"Coding" Resources:
CODE BC - BCs Coding Resource Hub 20 Resources for Teaching Kids How to Program & Code 3 Steps to Becoming a Coding Teacher! Learning to Code Becomes Learning to Learn |
Taking it to the next "Intermediate" level -
Or ready for a whole new world of learning?
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Scratch is a project from MIT.
Mr. Wiebe highly recommends checking out their website: http://scratch.mit.edu/ What is it exactly? Checkout: https://scratch.mit.edu/about "With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively — essential skills for life in the 21st century. Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It is provided free of charge." Teachers checkout: https://scratch.mit.edu/educators/ |
You can also sign up for Code.org
Teachers checkout: What is Code.org? https://code.org/about The tutorials are fun, visually engaging, and teach the basic concepts of computer science using a simple, guided, game-like experience. Learn to code from Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Angry Birds, and Plants vs. Zombies! :-) |
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The fantastic Hello Ruby Blog.
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Upgrade Your Typing Skills:
Along with being a great coder comes the need for great typing skills. Please check out the following for "typing" practice. https://www.typingclub.com/ http://www.typingweb.com/ http://play.typeracer.com/ http://www.ratatype.com/ |
