Hour Of Code
Middle School Activities
Students will choose an everyday hero from their own life and build a story or game using code that gives their hero superpowers.
Type of Activity: Student-Guided
Devices: Computers, Chromebooks, Macs
Length of Activity: 45-90 minutes
Recommended Ages: Middle School
Learn about computer science and Scratch and then use sequencing, events, and loops to animate a name.
Type of Activity: Student-Guided
Devices: Computers, Chromebooks, Macs
Length of Activity: 45-90 minutes
Recommended Ages: Middle School
Code a Dance Party to share with your friends. Featuring Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes, Lil Nas X, Panic! At The Disco, Jonas Brothers, and many more!
Type of Activity: Student-Guided
Devices: Computers, Chromebooks, Macs
Length of Activity: 60 minutes
Recommended Ages: 6+
Let's use code to join Anna and Elsa as they explore the magic and beauty of ice. You will create snowflakes and patterns as you ice-skate and make a winter wonderland that you can then share with your friends!
Type of Activity: Student-Guided
Devices: Computers, Chromebooks, Macs
Length of Activity: 45-60 minutes
Recommended Ages: 8+
Type of Activity: Student-Guided
Devices: Computers, Chromebooks, Macs
Length of Activity: 45-60 minutes
Recommended Ages: 6+
Discover the basics of Python without any word or explanation. Our silent teacher will give you several series of challenges that will lead you to guess some rules and learn from your own mistakes.
Type of Activity: Student-Guided
Devices: Computers, Chromebooks, Macs
Length of Activity: 45-60 minutes
Recommended Ages: Grades 6+
Type of Activity: Student-Guided
Devices: Computers, Chromebooks, Macs
Length of Activity: 50-60 minutes
Recommended Ages: Middle School
Act as the "computer" as you read and interpret the programs to find the right trajectory and win the challenges. You will have to focus and use your intuitive abilities to understand some core concepts of programming.
Type of Activity: Student-Guided
Devices: Computers, Chromebooks, Macs
Length of Activity: 30-120 minutes
Recommended Ages: Middle or High School
Conditionals with Cards - Unplugged
Learn about algorithms and conditional statements in this fun unplugged activity using a deck of cards.
Type of Activity: Teacher-Guided
Devices: None - unplugged
Materials: playing cards (1 deck per team)
Length of Activity: 30-60 minutes
Recommended Ages: Middle or High School
Go Beyond an Hour of Code in GUSD
Students have the option to take computer science in high school. If they are interested in computer science, they can sign up for the Computer Science Academy at Christopher High School. Applications to the academy will be sent out for 8th graders when counselors visit and when students select their elective.
Ongoing list of many Hour of Code Activities tracked by TClark
Note: many of these are self-guided and could be a great substitute lesson if students have access to Chromebooks
If you would like to continue computer science, either with your class or individual students on their own, you can check out online tutorials from a variety of sources:
Khan Academy: learn to create websites with HTML and CSS, and create art and drawings with JavaScript
Scratch: make fun and creative projects using the Scratch Creative Computing
App Inventor: create apps for your phone or tablet!
Google CS First: A free computer science curriculum that makes coding easy to teach and fun to learn. Or just complete more Hour of Code Activities
CodeCombat: Gamified programming
Tynker: Many Hour of Code Activities
CodeHS: learn a myriad of programming language using CodeHS, or just complete more Hour of Code Activities
Blockly Games: solve puzzles
Code Studio: solve puzzles, or just complete more Hour of Code Activities
Codecademy: learn how to create websites with HTML and CSS, or how to use Python or JavaScript