MBMS Science Teachers
The 2015 Hour of Code is coming soon...
As you already know, next week is Computer Science Education Week and the 'Hour of Code' is a nationwide initiative to introduce millions of students to one hour of computer science and computer programming.
Thank you for joining in!
Besides all the incredibly useful and cool things you can do with coding skills,
"We believe it helps nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. Furthermore, by starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path." Code.org
Below you'll find some instructions that can help you make the Hour Of Code a success in your classes.
Prep for "Hour of Code"
Make available the links to the HOC lessons in eBackPack
- Paste the links into the "Instructions" field.
Star Wars: https://studio.code.org/s/starwarsblocks/stage/1/puzzle/1
Minecraft: https://studio.code.org/s/mc/stage/1/puzzle/1
Frozen: http://code.org/api/hour/begin/frozen
Angry birds: http://studio.code.org/hoc/1
Flappy Bird: http://studio.code.org/flappy/1Download from App Store
Lightbot: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/lightbot-one-hour-coding/id873943739
More challenging HOC activities (May not work well in Safari iOS):
Program a virtual robot!: http://code.org/api/hour/begin/robomind
CodeCombat: http://codecombat.com
Codecademy: https://www.codecademy.com/courses/hour-of-code-en/0/1
TouchDevelop: https://www.touchdevelop.com/hourofcode2
Download from the app store
Tynker: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tynker-learn-programming-visual/id805869467?ls=1&mt=8
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Gravity Tilt 10 minutes. Follow the tutorial to learn how to program objects to move when you tilt your screen (in the Physics directory).
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Kaleido 10 minutes. Follow this tutorial to learn how to make a project with a kaleidoscope drawing effect (in the Hacks directory).
Tynker Teacher's Guide: https://www.tynker.com/courses/mobile/tynker-app-teacher-guide.pdf (Don't include this link in eBackPack instructions)
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- Make it worth 0 points or give them some extra credit points. It's up to you!
- Turn off "Turn-in" unless you give them extra credit. They can turn in their HOC certificates that they are issued after completing an activity.
- Turn on Gradebook Sync if offer extra credit.
Try the activities yourself. They're challenging and fun for all ages!
First - Inspire students - show them the video below
Second - Get your students excited - give them a short intro
Most kids don’t know what computer science is. Here are some ideas:
- Explain it in a simple way that includes examples of applications that both boys and girls will care about (saving lives, helping people, connecting people, etc.).
- Try: "Think about things in your everyday life that use computer science: a cell phone, a microwave, a computer, a traffic light… all of these things needed a computer scientist to help build them.” Write their responses on the board!
- Or: “Computer science is the art of blending human ideas and digital tools to increase our power. Computer scientists work in so many different areas: writing apps for phones, curing diseases, creating animated movies, working on social media, building robots that explore other planets and so much more."
- See tips for getting girls interested in computer science here.
Third - Begin your Hour of Code!
- Copy the Hour of Code assignment that you created, located in your "My Files" folder, into the shared class folder directly before each class period begins. (We don't want students to begin early.)
- Have your students partner up and work on the activity together!
Tips!
When your students come across difficulties
- Tell students, “Ask 3 then me.” Ask 3 classmates, and if they don’t have the answer, then ask the teacher.
- Encourage students and offer positive reinforcement: “You’re doing great, so keep trying.”
- It’s okay to respond: “I don’t know. Let’s figure this out together.” If you can’t figure out a problem, use it as a good learning lesson for the class: “Technology doesn’t always work out the way we want. Together, we’re a community of learners.” And: “Learning to program is like learning a new language; you won’t be fluent right away.“
What to do if a student finishes early?
- Students can try another lesson. Have them either click on another link in the eBackPack HOC assignment or go to http://www.code.org and pick another lesson.
- Or, ask students who finish early to help classmates who are having trouble with the activity.