Code.org Setup
Code.org has self paced lessons that provide good foundational exposure to coding concepts. Lessons are engaging and are generally easy to follow with minimal help from the teacher. They are puzzle based and sequenced to scaffold learning. Teachers can create Code.org accounts for students. They will be able to monitor student progress on the teacher dashboard and find solutions to puzzles to help students who get stuck. Ideally, the teacher will provide some regular instruction to reinforce computer science concepts (at least 30 minutes once a month) and encourage students to work at their own pace at regular times, as self start, fast finishers, or as extension activities.
Step 1 - Create a teacher account
https://studio.code.org/users/sign_up
Use your district email (sign-in with Google).
Step 2 - Create student accounts
After signing in to your teacher account, add a classroom section and assign the appropriate course.
3-6 students - follow creating a section for personal email login. Students should use sign in with Google and join with a code. (DO NOT use the add with Google Classroom process - it has been problematic.)
K-2 students - follow picture or word login process.
Step 3 - Introduce login process and lessons to students
Have a link to your class section easily accessible to students (i.e. in Google Classroom, on a class website, or have students create a bookmark). Find your class link in your dashboard by clicking on code in the Login Info column. You can also review complete lesson plans for the different courses your assign.
Step 4 - Provide regular opportunities (at least 30 min. per month) for every student to complete levels. Don't have it exclusively available for "fast finishers" or it may not reach ALL students.
Code.org's primary mission is that "every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science."
Complete curriculum with lesson plans can be found HERE
Step 5 - Monitor progress on the teacher dashboard and provide help to students who get stuck.
Step 6 - Provide periodic whole class instruction (i.e. Unplugged lessons) to reinforce core concepts.
There are usually 4-5 unplugged lessons per course. Complete curriculum with lesson plans can be found HERE
Cross Curricular Alignments: https://curriculum.code.org/csf-20/standards/
FAQs
If student sees this screen when trying to login with Google, follow the steps below.
First, have them try to login on the left side of the login screen and using their email and password (might be their old password). If that doesn't work, you will need to contact support@code.org to receive a reset link for the student account. (NOTE - student can't click "Forgot your password" because they cannot receive emails from outside the student domain.) Additionally, the request needs to be made from a verified teacher account. The process to do that is described here: How to verify a teacher account. (You can get the student info to me and I can help - phyer@alpinedistrict.org). CAUTION: when you receive the reset email, just forward it to the student. DON'T OPEN or click the link - it only works one time and if you click it then it won't work for the student.
After the password is reset - then have the student click on their name in the top right corner and select "Account settings"
Scroll down to the "Managed Linked Accounts" section and click the "Connect" button on the Google Account row.