Title/Topic

Computer Science Education Week

Objective

Students will —
• Practice creating algorithms that describe real-world directions
• Learn to think about solving a problem many different ways
• Think about creating more “efficient” solutions to problems
• Learn to find patterns in processes

Activities/Procedures

Overview: Our activity is a set of 20 self-guided puzzles that teach the basics of computer science for users with no prior experience. In each puzzle, students write a program that gets a character through a maze. The activity uses Blockly, a visual programming language that has blocks you drag and drop to write programs. The activity includes instructional videos before puzzles #1, 6, 10, 14, 18, and a wrap-up video after the last puzzle. The characters in our activity are from the popular kids’ games Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies.

Even though students will be using blocks to write code, they will be able to see the code they write represented in Javascript, a text-based language.

As much as we designed this activity to teach basic computer science, we’re aiming for students to walk away thinking that computer science is fun, approachable, and relevant to their lives.

Our activity is one of the lessons from our free K-8 Intro to Computer Science Course. If you and your students enjoy our Hour of Code activity, consider teaching the whole course.
Do Now: Game of Simon Says demonstrating knowledge of left, right, move forward (by how many steps), turn right and left (90 degrees) etc. using the syntax of the computer program as well as knowledge of right and left particularly for the lower grades. Students will then be seated and log into the computers Google Chrome program (ideally) while the instructional leader will play the first video for the class found at (Complete worked out solutions are attached under documents here) Lower grades may need assistance logging in and locating the colon and correct direction of the backslash.

  1. Having trouble with Hour of Code videos? The Code.org tutorial videos are hosted on YouTubeEducation.com (not YouTube). This works even in schools that block YouTube. If it doesn't work for you, you can use the "Show Notes" tab to read instructions instead of watching the video.
  2. Having trouble opening the game website? Try out lightbot instead at . This one works in any operating system.
  3. Don't have a computer or the projector is on the fritz...fuzz Family Frenzy Kodable is designed for use with plain paper, the fuzzFamily Frenzy is an introduction to programming logic for kids 5 and up. A teacher should explain the game, then students program a partner to complete a simple obstacle course.

At the High School (Monday) and Middle School (Tuesday) AP Computer science and Biomed tech students will present a video and demonstrate how to code using Blockly and Java through an angry bird and zombie game. When they visit the middle school they will also begin by introducing their team as well as talk briefly about their computer programming experiences as well as the biomedtech program at the high school.
K-1 and classes not hosted in a computer lab will project the activity on the board and have students guide the activities. The code can be dragged and dropped on your Promethean board if you have one. If you are in a classroom with a grid block carpet you can place objects on the mat and have students give instructions for you to navigate to them modeling the movement of the angry bird to the pig. You can also link their movement in Simon Says with the instructions for the angry bird. You can usually make it through activity 5 or even as high as 7 in a normal class period.
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Grades 2-12 hosted in a computer lab I suggest pair programming. When students partner up, they help each other and rely less on the teacher. They’ll also see that computer science is social and collaborative. The three rules of pair programming in a school setting:

  1. The driver controls the mouse and keyboard.
  2. The navigator makes suggestions, points out errors, and asks questions.
  3. Students should switch roles at least two times a session.

I am comfortable allowing students to have the volume on low. This allows for more student collaboration. Just check in around puzzle 5 to make sure they watched the video and demonstrate on the teacher board how to use the loop.
I have seen second graders make it through level 12 in a normal class period, and I have seen high school students complete all 20.
What to do if a student finishes early?

  • Students can try Hour of Code activities made by other providers at the “1 hour” tab.
  • Students can continue on with similar puzzles created by Code.org at . Code.org’s Hour of Code activity is one of the lessons in our K-8 Intro to Computer Science Course; learn more about that course at .
  • Or, ask students who finish early to help classmates who are having trouble with the activity.

Have students shut down computers about 5 minutes before the end of the class period.
Closure: Ask students what they have learned today, what they would like to learn more about, and what they are going to tell their parents they did today. If they don't come up with it on their own... let them know that today they were computer programmers, emphasize the importance of planning ahead to make the bird move (algorithmic thinking) and if they made it to game 5, how they were able to take a shortcut (using a loop/repeat command) to make it easier and shorter (more eloquent).
If students want to progress further at home a variety of activities are found for free at
Assessment

  • Check for understanding throughout the activity by walking around the room and assisting students in need
  • At the beginning make sure students distinguish right and left
  • Watch for students progressing rapidly by skipping to higher level activities. Each completed activity will have a yellow dot indicating completion along the top of the screen. The activities are sequential and have videos along the way to guide instruction

Students will be awarded a certificate when they have completed the activity