Activities
Lead an Hour of Code or another classroom activity to inspire students, expose them to computer science, or deepen their understanding. View activities by grade level:
Plan Your Activity
Select a curated activity from the grade level pages, or explore more activities at csedweek.com.
Use this lesson plan outline to help you plan.
Read these teaching tips for introducing CS.
If students finish early, ask them to complete another activity or help their classmates.
At the end of class, celebrate and reflect! (You can use this exit slip.) Have students showcase their work.
If you want to make certificates for students, visit the Certificates page. It’s fast and easy!
When Your Students Come Across Difficulties
Preempt frustration by explaining that CS is challenging and students should expect errors (“bugs”). Brainstorm tips for debugging. See a list here.
Tell students, “Ask 3, then me.” Prompt them ask three peers, before asking an adult.
Encourage students and offer positive reinforcement: “You’re doing great, so keep trying.”
It’s okay to say, “I don’t know. Let’s figure it out together.”
Devices
Consider what devices you will have. Some activities do not work on tablets.
Many of the curated activities require no devices at all!
It’s perfectly fine, even encouraged, to have pairs of students share a computing device. We call this pair programming. (See more information.)
You may want to provide headphones or ask students to bring their own.
inspire
Explain what computer science (CS) is and why it matters.
One definition: “computer science is using the power of computers to solve big problems”
See this page for more information and a great video.
Show videos illustrating the relevance and inclusive nature of computer science.
Two resources to encourage and support girls of color getting involved in CS: Girls Who Code and Black Girls Who Code