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Computer Science Education Week is not just the Hour of Code! Even if your students have experience with computer science, you can still celebrate this week by doing something special or different. Here is a compilation of suggestions!
Computer Science Education Week is not just the Hour of Code! Even if your students have experience with computer science, you can still celebrate this week by doing something special or different. Here is a compilation of suggestions!
1. Invite industry professionals to your classroom (or explore careers). Have volunteers discuss their backgrounds and careers and then give feedback on student projects or support a special activity.
2. Play interesting CS videos: See curated playlists. Additionally, check out these great video series:
- CS concepts
- how the Internet works
- Flocabulary videos: algorithms, programming, conditionals, for-loops, events, robots, what is the Internet?, Katherine Johnson (ask CS team for your login credentials)
- BrainPop video about Ada Lovelace
3. Teach an intersession! (written as part of MyCS but perfectly appropriate for any course!)
4. Lead physical computing projects: This is a great time to break out the Bee-Bots, Dot and Dash robots, Finch robots, Spheros, Makey Makeys, micro:bits, and Circuit Playgrounds! Here are some resources for these devices. Ask the CS team to check out class sets of physical computing devices!
5. Pose debugging challenges: Discuss the history of the Grace Hopper and how she coined the term “bug” after pulling a moth from a computer in 1947.
- About Grace Hopper: video / 5 facts article / Wired article / biographies: 1 / 2 / 3
- Tips for Debugging
- Scratch: debugging challenges / solutions / Scratch studio / quick challenges
- Creative Computing: 4 levels of Debug It activities / studios: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
- App Inventor: Flashcards debugging challenge: beginner / intermediate / advanced
6. Choose a fun Hour of Code tutorial: Here are some suggestions for students who already have some experience with CS:
- Scratch: Make Music / Make It Fly / Pong Game / Video Sensing (all found here)
- App Inventor: HOC Tutorials / Math Blaster / additional tutorials / maker cards / drills
- Khan Academy: Drawing with Code (JavaScript) / Hour of Webpages (HTML/CSS) / Hour of Databases (SQL)
- Vidcode (JavaScript): Code the News / Climate Science & Code / Video Greeting Card
- AgentCubes: 3D Frogger Game (blocks-based)
- Blockly Games (blocks-based)
- Code Combat (JavaScript or Python)
- Code Avengers (JavaScript, HTML/CSS)
- CodeHS: Learn to Code with Karel the Dog / Code Graphics with JavaScript
7. Teach an unplugged activity: Unplugged activities are a great way to teach CS concepts in a fun and different way. Some suggestions include:
8. Create additional opportunities:
- Showcase student work to teachers and students in other classes. Solicit their feedback and provide an opportunity to improve projects.
- Host an event for families (e.g., CS project showcase, after school Hour of Code).
- Organize a field trip (e.g., Computer History Museum, tech company).
- Invite older (high school, college) students to speak to your students.
- Distribute pairs of CS students to other classes to facilitate Hour of Code activities.
Visit csedweek.org/learn for more options!
Visit csedweek.org/learn for more options!
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