Coding in the Classroom
Kamryn Blanchard
What is coding?
Coding is a new technology that schools in more than 180 countries are using to teach students more about computers because there is a huge increase in computing jobs and not enough students going to college for computer sciences. It's being used in K-12 classrooms.
coding for Beginners:
The easiest way to get started coding is to use the Hour of Code website.
Using the Hour of code website:
1. Watch the "how-to" vide on with your students on how to code.
2. Choose a tutorial to use: There are StarWars, MindCraft, and Kodable themes you can chose from and each tells you which grade level it would work best for.
3. Have each child select their tutorial and provide them with headphones and a computer or iPad/tablet to use to create.
4. Let them all go ahead and code. Some will finish early, some will not. Work with the students who are confused and provide them with assistance.
Example of Coding:
The Grinch: Saving Christmas with Code
Grinch Code Activity: https://hourofcode.com/grinch
More Hour of Code activities: https://hourofcode.com/us/learn
Tutorial for Coding grich activity:
Benefits of Learning Coding in School
- Programmers are in high demand.
- Learning to code leads to a competitive advantage.
- Programming knowledge helps kids better understand the world around them.
- Coding is fun and satisfying.
- Coding improves creativity.
- Coding improves problem solving.
- Coding instills persistence.
Activities in the classroom using coding
Build your own fuzz
Teachers can use this coding activity for all grade levels, even pre-readers, by getting them to use a computer or tablet to make their Fuzz look like a character in a book or someone they know by identifying character traits in their readings. Lesson plan link available on website: https://www.kodable.com/hour-of-code
For grade levels Pre-K to 4th grade.
Objectives/Standards:
Materials:
Vocabulary:
Choose a dragon, then embark on a quest for treasure. Blast through obstacles and gain cool power-ups as you journey through a mystical jungle.
Learn sequencing, loops, conditional logic, and debugging skills along the way. For grades 2+.
Standards:
