Start it off with Coding

Coding is the way to start!

We used code.org - Hour of Code - to get our grade 6 students learning about how to use block code, which is important for when they start coding the Lego Mindstorm EV3's. It is a free app that you can sign your class up for easily, and we assigned them the 'Express Course' to get them going. It is a fun and engaging way to get students to start coding. One of our students has even gone further, and over the summer, he designed his own app and video game! We asked our IT coach for our board to come in a give us a hand getting started - his help was invaluable! If you aren't sure how to get started, that might be the way for you!

In our second year of coding, we decided to up our game and started a Coding Quest in our school. You can sign up for Coding Quest at The Learning Partnership, which is a free STEM program, that combines coding with curriculum in provinces across Canada. Once you sign up, you will start using SCRATCH programming, which is also free, and allows students to create using coding. The culminating project is an inquiry-based educational video game that students create and share in an arcade format! Once we have completed our Coding Quest in the 2018-2019 school year, we will upload some of our project pictures and any tips we have! A big shout out to our colleague Jonathan Pratt for all his help in starting us on our coding journey - if you need help, be sure to contact your TELTs or IT department for guidance and assistance.