Hagan Loves The New Tynker App.....Perfect For Hour Of Code & Beyond!
Hagan and I have been having so much fun learning more about coding. There are several apps that can be used but we really love one that we downloaded on our iPad this last weekend. This one is new to us, but definitely not a new coding program or resource. It is from the people at Tynker. Last year I introduced all of the students to coding and terms like HTML, programming, and of course....coding. The young people had an amazing time using Tynker, along with several other websites and apps. I put together the Coding. For the next app from Tynker, download it from iTunes....It is free and they also have a paid version for $4.99. Hagan just loved created his very own heros and villans. It was so fun to program the different characters throughout the game to move, hide, wait, and many other actions. Finding this new coding app and visiting the resources we have been using gets us even more excited for a wonderful event coming up in December.
BBC to release Doctor Who online game to teach kids how to code - Irish Innovation News Siliconrepublic.com
In a visionary move poised to teach more and more kids how to code, the BBC is about to launch a new online game called ‘The Doctor and the Dalek.’ The game has been engineered to complement the UK’s coding curriculum for schools. The move is part of the BBC’s Make it Digital initiative to inspire a new generation of kids to get creative with coding, digital technology an programming. “It’s an excellent example of how a hugely popular BBC show can give fans something extra, whilst also introducing wider audiences to increasingly important skills, such as coding and programming,” said Danny Cohen, BBC director of Television explained. The game will be available for free online at bbc.co.uk/cbbc from tomorrow, 22 October. The game – aimed ideally at 10 year-olds – is based on the Unity engine and features the current Doctor Peter Capaldi’s voice. Each puzzle unlocks an achievement that helps the Doctor build the Dalek back to full strength. John Kennedy
How learning to code might improve writing skills | Tech Learning
Look, I'd like to point out straight away that I'm not a pedant. I'm happy to blithely split infinitives whenever the opportunity presents itself. I avoid the avoidance of ending a sentence with a preposition because, as Sir Winston Churchill said, "that is the kind of English up with which I will not put". However, one thing I do insist upon is that people say what they mean, even if they don't mean what they say. Take a sentence like "Being a lover of good food, the meal was excellent." Here's another example, which I saw in a station: Sign seen in a station. It conjures up a comical and unintended image, but again, we can work out what the writer was trying to say. The reason we were able to rescue the writer in each of these cases is that we're not stupid. There are skills involved in writing a computer program that ought to be very helpful when it comes to writing in general: Have a plan There's no point in just starting to write a load of code. Be explicit Be economical Be purposeful
This Is Why Students Need to Learn Coding
January, 2015 Coding is becoming one of the essential literacies in the 21st century education. There is a growing demand now for teaching students how to code. In his wonderful TED talk titled "Let's teach kids to code", Scientist Mitch Resnick made this beautiful analogy : When kids learn to code , it enables them to learn many other things, opens up many new opportunities for learning. It's useful to make an analogy to reading and writing, when you learn to read and write it opens up opportunities for you to learn so many other things, when you learn to read you can then read to learn, which is the same thing with coding, if you learn to code you can code to learn. To further highlight the importance of teaching kids coding skills, I am sharing with you this beautiful visual titled" Rise of Coding". Source: Online College.
Excellent Free Resources from Google to Teach Kids Coding and Computer Science
February 23, 2015 Google Computer Science First is a free program launched by Google in 2013 to help students enhance their computer science education through a variety of after-school, in-school, and summer programs. All clubs are run by teachers and volunteers. The materials provided by Google CS First are free and available online and each of these materials include lesson plans to help you use them with your students. These materials include: 1- Music and Sound Play musical notes, create a music video, and build an interactive music display. 2- Fashion and Design Learn how computer science and technology are used in the fashion industry while building fashion-themed programs, like: a fashion walk, a stylist tool, and a pattern maker. 3- Storytelling Use computer science to tell fun and interactive stories. 4- Art Create animations, interactive artwork, photograph filters, and other exciting, artistic projects. 5- Friends Create projects for a friend! 6- Game Design
Code Monster from Crunchzilla
<h2>Code Monster gets kids excited about programming. It is a combination of a game and tutorial where kids experiment with learning to code. <p> Code Monster use Javascript. Please enable Javascript if you want the play with the Code Monster. Otherwise, Code Monster will not be able to play with you. How to Play | Lesson Sections | About | FAQ | Terms of Use | Privacy | Contact | © 2015 How to Play Code Monster teaches kids and adults a little about Javascript programming! It's easy to play. Click on the Reset button if you really mess up your code and want to start over on a lesson. Code Monster saves what lesson you are on, so feel free to stop at any time and come back later. Have fun! Jump to a Lesson Section About Code Monster from Crunchzilla is an interactive tutorial for kids that focuses on action. Projects start with simple boxes and colors, rapidly progressing into exciting experiments with simple animation and fractals. Code Monster is based in Seattle, WA. Sure! Terms of Use
Hour of Code Suggestions by Grade Level
Here are ideas of apps and websites that teachers in my PLN used successfully in the past during Hour of Code: Kindergarten Start kindergartners with problem solving. BotLogic–great for Kindergarten and youngersCode–learn to code, for studentsDaisy the Dinosaur—intro to programming via iPadHow to train your robot–a lesson plan from Dr. 1st Grade Code–learn to code, for studentsEspresso Coding–for youngersHopscotch–programming on the iPadPrimo–a wooden game, for ages 4-7Scratch Jr.Tynker 2nd Grade Code–learn to code, for studentsEspresso Coding–for youngersGoogle Spreadsheets–decode and fill in color coded pictures (like the popular gingerbread house, penguinpicture, or shapes and pictures)Hopscotch–programming on the iPadTynker 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade Middle School Here are general ideas. Here are a few more general suggestions from my PLN last year: 2. compare and contrast code to poetry3. More ideas? Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-8 technology for 15 years. Like this: Like Loading...
Coding with Ozobots
Calibrate Your Ozobot What does this mean? Ozobot’s “eyes” (the sensors) are very sensitive to the surrounding light. So much so that, if the paper changes or if you go closer to the window, it affects how Ozobot sees what’s underneath. Challenge 1: Coding with Ozobots Use your Ozobot reference chart, and your Coded Practice Sheet. Mini challenge: In any of the slots, mark (blue, black, blue) and (red, black, red) and (blue, green, blue). Place Ozobot on the line and see how the Ozobot understands the colors. Write the correct code on the sheet. Challenge 2: States of Matter Each group was given chart/butcher paper, a challenge card, markers, and an ozobot. Each group was given a copy of the story, and were to fill-in the proper ozobot codes for the correct state of matter. Challenge 3: Mapping Skills Each group was given a challenge card.
