The Hour of Code

The week of December 9-15 is Computer Science Education Week. This is a great time to begin or continue to allow students to become creators with technology instead of merely users. Of special focus this year is the idea of "The Hour of Code". The link connects to an introduction of the topic as well as resources and ways to integrate an hour of programming into your curriculum during Computer Science Education Week. For additional ideas, read 7Ways to Start Learning How to Code Right Now for Free.   or visit code.org, a great resource for independent student learning as well as resources for teachers to integrate computer science and programming into the curriculum is also supporting "The Hour of Code" with lessons and classroom ideas.

Maximizing Google 

 

One of Google's most popular tools is YouTube. As students become more and more media entrenched, research is showing that many are visual and auditory learners. YouTube videos can be found to teach everything from drawing or playing an instrument to, yes, even learning to code! Depending upon the age of your students, and access to YouTube, you could either allow them to find code videos that interest them or spend some time finding grade and content level appropriate tutorials to provide to your classroom. 

You can begin by using a video to introduce the students the idea of coding (answer the "why" before you begin):

 

and then find or use tutorials. There are options for different languages and platforms, depending upon student interest and access to devices and software. To begin, it is best to find a series of tutorials that break down information into manageable steps, usually less than 10 minutes.
 

 

Featured Apps

Two different approaches to coding can be used based upon the app that you choose. For a gaming experiencing that teaches the fundamentals of coding, Cargo Bot by Two Lives Left is a puzzle game where you teach a robot to move crates. Sounds simple, but you are actually learning to "code" the robot to move the crates. Reviews are good, but with the feedback consistently stating that there is a jump in difficulty of stages from the  introduction to the application, this app is probably not for young elementary.



An educational review by blogger Lauren Good, recommends two apps for younger students (K- 8). Kodable, recommended for K-2, is more of a logical sequencing introduction than actual coding, but a good age-appropriate introduction to the concepts.




 For children 8 - up Good found the app Hopscotch very creative as a visual programming tool. There is an introductory tutorial to teach the basic programming necessary to use the app. From there, the user creates the projects allowing begining to more advanced as the individual progresses. All three of the apps are free in the iTunes store.

Getting the Most Out of Your Learning Platform

 

 Moodle does include an HTML both for creating course assignments and in many of the assignment submission options. A great way to introduce student to the concept of HTML code is to have them practice embedding images and/or vidoes using the embed codes (which are by default HTML). While videos can be found on YouTube or TeacherTube, Moodle also provides step-by-step written instructions on the Docs help page.

Edmodo has an app available in the app store called LearnStreet. Within the LearnStreet app there are coding courses as well as projects. As is usually the case in Edmodo, there is support built in with user connections as well as help documents. The support blog is a good place to begin. 

Twitter Friday Follow 

 

 

 

 

Library News

 

Today, the world mourns the loss of Nelson Mandela. President Barack Obama expressed it well when he said "He no longer belongs to us. He belongs to the ages." While there are numerous books written about Nelson Mandela, I recommend his autobiography. History will review his accomplishments and contributions, but listening to a person share their gives a more intimate portrayal. Found in the AHS library collection, as well as collections around the world. It isn't a quick read, but well worth effort. The history is one of not just one man, but a country at a pivitol point in history.