Coding
How to Start
Beginners:
If you have never heard of coding or have never tried it before, the best place to start would be to head over to the code.org website. Better yet, watch this video, or that video to get an idea of what coding is and how it is used in our lives. There will no doubt be questions about why coding should be taught in elementary school and whether it is necessary at such a young age. I wrote a blog post in advocacy of coding as a form of inquiry, which may help re-frame the skill in a non-content light. After this, the best thing to do is to download a few apps and go through the code.org tutorial on your own. After this basic introduction into logical-mathematical thinking behind it, you can take your learning even further by completing the next courses on code.org or begin to make your own projects from Scratch. If you would like to learn more about coding, have a read through some of these articles that examine the how and why behind coding in schools. Alternatively, have a look at some of the coding applications you can sink your teeth into and test them out according to your purpose. |
Intermediates: After learning the basic concepts of coding through code.org, you'll probably want to move onto programs that offer more flexibility, freedom and creativity. This is where Scratch and Hopscotch come into play. When introducing Scratch to yourself and your students, I recommend moving through the video tutorials first. Afterwards, you can print out the Scratch Cards and have a play around with applying those skills. Next, you might want to explore some of the Starter Projects, where you and your students can look inside and try to replicate and innovate off of some other people's codes. To continue adding and manipulating variables off other's work, head over to the Explore Projects section and look for new skills you'd like to learn. After a solid foundation has been laid in coding skills and concepts, it's time for students to make their own projects from Scratch. The challenge for many is not finding a way for students to create their own games or stories, but to find a way to tie it into the curriculum. If you have any ideas for how we can further find ways to embed coding in the elementary curriculum, please add them to our collaborative document above. In my opinion, coding in elementary is about exposure, empowerment, creativity, inquiry, scientific processes, logical-sequential thinking and cause-effect relationships. Don't get caught up in the coding itself. Find the skills, attitudes and experiences within it. Jeffrey Wrensen has created a great site for lessons, projects and ideas that I would highly encourage you to check out. Please add any ideas as to how coding could be used in the elementary to our collaborative document. |
Examples in Action
Developing an Early Childhood and Coding Curriculum by Pana Asavavantana
Coding With Legos by Cary Hart
Math, Music and Coding by Mindy Slaughter
Integration and Inspiration = FUN by Pana Asavavantana
An Inquiry into Coding in the PYP by Reid Wilson
My Robotic Friends by Pana Asavavantana
Coding With Legos by Cary Hart
Math, Music and Coding by Mindy Slaughter
Integration and Inspiration = FUN by Pana Asavavantana
An Inquiry into Coding in the PYP by Reid Wilson
My Robotic Friends by Pana Asavavantana
More Videos
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