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The nature of coding cultivates 21st century competencies that are crucial in science such as critical thinking and collaboration. Coding offers many affordances, however within Science, it can offer opportunities for students to visualize concepts and interactions that might otherwise seem abstract while they exercise their coding skills. Coding environments therefore naturally lend themselves to becoming engaging spaces for students within a science classroom.
Changes in the Environment and Living Things
Changes in the Environment and Living Things
Students can use ScratchJR to animate a story about how environmental changes impact animals and how they adapt to their environment. A sample animation can be viewed here.
Coding concepts: Sequential, Loops
Air and Water in the Environment
Air and Water in the Environment
Adapted from the Science North lesson on Air, Water & Us: A ScratchJR Adventure, students can use ScratchJR to animate a story about how living things depend on water and air. A sample animation can be viewed here.
ScratchJR needs to be downloaded on electronic devices and projects cannot be publicly shared.
Coding concepts: Sequential, Loops
Growth and Changes in Plants
Growth and Changes in Plants
Students will explore how abiotic factors (e.g., light) affect plant growth. A Micro:bit with an external light sensor can be used to code a program which displays different output signals depending on the presence or absence of light. Such activities can be used as part of larger science projects where students learn to collect data and hypothesize effects of factors affecting plant growth. A sample Micro:bit code can be explored here.
Coding concepts: Conditionals
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