Hour of Code

This is my favorite time of the year! Welcome to the Hour of Code. For the second year in a row, all Pond Cove students and staff will learn/practice coding. We are using a variety of tool to teach this important skill. As we move through the 21st century, the need for computer programmers and coders is increasing. The jobs of the future will involve more and more programming and engineering.

All students in Kindergarten through 3 grade are starting their coding sessions with some non-tech coding. We are using a lesson from CSEDweek.org. During this lesson, students program a "robot" (their teacher) to arrange a stack of cups in a certain pattern. It is a great introductory lesson to coding. For the full lesson please follow the link below. During our Coder Express night this year we will have a non-tech coding station that will feature this activity. Have your students/children try to code you!

https://csedweek.org/files/CSEDrobotics.pdf

Kindergarten students are using the free app Kodable. It is a great introductory coding app. Students need to save a group of fuzzballs that are stranded on another planet. Click the icon to download the app.



First-grade students are trying the new free app The Foos. In this app, students use fun creatures to learn to code. Click the icon to download the app.

Second-grade students are using the free app Scratch Jr. This is the iPad version of the amazing computer program Scratch. We have been using the website http://www.scratchjr.org/teach.html to teach students the app. Students have also been trying to solve the challenge of making a character move across the screen. Think you can do it? Click the icon to download the app.

Third-grade students are working with the latest version of the free app LightBot. This year's version features a purple Lightbot in an attempt to appeal to more girls. It has been a big hit so far. This app starts to introduce the concepts of Procedures. This is a great way for students to be introduced to more complex coding. Click the icon to download the app.

Fourth-grade students are doing all of their coding at Code.org. We have created log-ins, focusing on digital citizenship and avoiding the over-share. Students can choose from Minecraft or Star Wars coding, or can even create snowflakes with Anna and Elsa from Frozen. Give it a try at your home by clicking the icon to the left.

All of our coding prepares us for our favorite event of the year: The Coder Express! This night is a chance for all students and their families to dress in pajamas, come to the Pond Cove Cafeteria from 6-7 pm and have Cookies, Hot Chocolate, and Coding. Students will teach their families what they have learned and by the end of the evening, all attendees will know how to code. If you would like to join us this year, please fill out the survey (linked below) or visit our website http://capeeteam.org/.

As always if you have any questions please let me know. Happy Coding and I will see you at the 2nd annual Coder Express!

Coder Express Survey