Hours of Code 2017

In early December students began exploring coding skills. We utilized the site code.org and learned to code with millions of people around the globe. It was a busy week filled with new discoveries, problem-solving, creating, and confidence building as problems were solved. Tere also was a lot of FUN!

"Our vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science," code.org

Click on the video below for a wrap up of our learning.

Here is a hyperdoc students in grade 4-6 used. This year we called it Hours of Code because so many students continued beyond the one hour.

My google doodle

Grade 4 Projects Grade 5 Projects Grade 6 Projects
Technology Essential Questions:
What are the fundamentals of computer programming?
How are algorithms used in coding?
How can you use computer programming to complete a task?
How is computer programming useful in real life?
How might you use computer programming in your future career?


2016 Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Curriculum Framework:
3-5.CT.b; 3-5.CT.d

Hour of Code is Complete

The Hour of Code may technically be over but students at both Steward and Proctor School are still enjoying coding.
Enjoy this video of all the problem solving moments of engaged learning we had this month.

Hour of Code

The students have enthusiastically begun The Hour of Code!

One of the coding activities had the students write the code for their own Flappy Bird Game, Stars Wars Game, or Minecraft Game.

Have some fun playing our games. Remember the rules may not be what you think they should be!

Mrs. Klipfel

Flappy Bird

Noah

Flappy Bird

Andrew

Flappy Bird

Jack

Flappy Bird

Sarah

Flappy Bird

Ava

Flappy Bird

Megan

Flappy Bird

Ben

Flappy Bird

Trey

Minecraft

Lincoln

Stars War

Avery

Flappy birds

Gabe

Minecraft

Alice

Flappy Bird

Matthew

Minecraft

Enjoy the reaction of Mrs. Murphy's Class after they finished their first Hour of Code.

Hour of Code Student Work

Here are a few examples of programs students created during the Hour of  Code. 

Beware!

 Up is not always Up

and

 Left is not always Left.

Enjoy!

Matt's Program

Tom S's. Program

Daniel's Program

Tom M.'s Program

Hour of Code

Do you want to watch students actively engaged in their own learning?

Do you want to see students solve complex problems based on what they learn from their failures?

Do you want to see students explore computer science?

The Answer~

Introduce the Hour of Code!

"During Computer Science Education Week, which runs from Dec. 7 to Dec. 13, more than 184,000 schools and programs worldwide will host Code.org’s “Hour of Code,” an initiative to show K-12 students that computer science can be fun."

The laptops, iPads, and computers were very busy this week as students at Steward School and Proctor School joined others around the world solving problems while working on the Hour of Code. 

Students in grades 2 and 3 began with the Classic Maze with "Angry Birds" chasing the Pig.

Students in grades 4 and 5 were given the option of "Minecraft", "Star Wars" or "Frozen".

MassTLC sent us this poster and pins for everyone!

The Challenge was to work to complete the program and then to go on and create your own game.

Daniel accepted the challenge. Click the picture below to play his game.

Here is a little picture collage of all that was happening this week~ 

View on Flipagram

Hour of Code

The Hour of Code has been an amazing opportunity for all students!

We started the week full of anticipation only to discover the internet wasn't working Monday morning at Proctor school and the Hour of Code site had too many visitors and crashed.  We didn't give up.  After our internet was restored, we went to plan B and worked on one of the other programs offered on the site working with java script.  Everyone was thrilled.

As 21st century learners, students need opportunities to create, design, and problem solve. The Hour of Code provided all of these and more. Students need to use digital tools that expand their thinking.We talked about perseverance and staying with a problem to its solution. Even when we make a mistake, we think of how to solve the problem.  We try again and perhaps again and again.  I wish you could have been there to hear, as well as see the excitement when "Congratulations" was on the students' screens.  Very powerful and confidence building.

Click to visit the code website.  Try an Hour on your own.

President Obama was the man of the Hour of Code for us. He even wrote code.

MassTLC Education Foundation Project Manager Rachel Nicoll was kind enough to bring us some I Love Computer Science buttons.

Take a peek at our week coding.

Happy Holidays from Girls' Coding Party

We had our last Girls' Coding party!
The night began with a skype visit from Cathy Moya who works for Microsoft in Washington. We discovered her through Skype in the classroom.  Cathy shared a lot about her background and her job with the girls.  Her enthusiasm for her job was very evident.  Cathy encouraged everyone to love what they do.

After the visit, The Girls' Coding Party created some holiday cards using the program Scratch. Try Holiday Card Tutorial to create your own.  Be sure to click on all the different sprites to see the actions that are embedded in the cards.  Don't forget the green flag at the top to see some actions as well.  Happy Holidays!

How did you do that?

Decking the National Christmas Tree with Codes of Jolly

Decking the Trees with Codes of Jolly:

Taken from the White House blog:

This year, the White House Christmas tree got a digital upgrade. For the first time in history, girls across the country used code to light up the state and regional holiday trees through Google’s Made with Code program. In his remarks at the ceremony, the President highlighted how the trees has entered into the 21st century:

"We still have school kids involved, too. But this year, they’ve given all the state and territory trees surrounding the National Christmas Tree their first digital upgrade. Young women from all 50 states used their computers -- using their coding skills to control the colors and patterns of the lights on the trees. So thanks to those wonderful students. It is incredibly impressive. It’s actually one of the few things that Tom Hanks cannot do."

The Girls' Coding Party spent time decorating a tree for Presidents Park in Washington D. C.

My personal tree creation made with Code,

Google’s Made with Code Initiative:

Beginning on December 2, girls can head to www.madewithcode.com to code a design for one of the 56 state and territory trees. Girls can select the shape, size, and color of the lights, and animate different patterns using introductory programming language and their designs will appear live on the trees.

Girls can code the trees throughout the month of December, and visitors can see and code the designs live in Washington, D.C.

Girls Working on creating their own designs.

Mrs. Boucher is enjoying the girls' work.

Click below to see the Tree designs the girls submitted.

This tree will be shown as the Massachusetts's holiday tree on December 11, 2014 around 9:07 pm live in Washington D. C.

Girls Coding Party Guests from Masco High School

The Masconomet High School technology teacher, Mrs Richard, and 3 of her students, Paige, Elena, and Caroline, came for a visit with the Girls Coding Party.  They shared the projects the high school girls have been working on using technology. Proctor School girls were very impressed with their creative work.  We spent time solving puzzles, watching animated videos, reading their magazines, and having a fun time together.  Their work is inspiring!

Mrs. Richard talks about her girls' program at the High School.

Click on the picture above to see the amazing projects the girls at Masco have created.

The girls also spent time working on another Hour of Code Program titled Flappy Code.  Using code to program their selected player through a maze of their own creation, the girls created their own games.

This is an example of an active coding work space.

Here are some the the girls' Flappy Games made with code.

Have fun!
Click on the link below and Press "Run".
Click or tap the screen to move Flappy to the target.

Victoria's Flappy Game

Ainsley's Flappy Game

Faith's Flappy Game

Nina's Flappy Game

Maddy's Flappy Game

Emma's Flappy Game

Create your own Flappy game. You can change all the visuals and all the rules, even the gravity. When you're done, click Finish to let friends try your game on their phones.
Leave your game link in comments below.  We would love to see what you have created.

Next week begins The Hour of Code.

Made With Code

Girls in Grades 5 and 6 had the opportunity to meet on Monday night to work with each other on a program called Made with Code.
We began the workshop with a skype visit from Audrey Lawrence who works for skype.  Audrey told the girls how she had an interest in math and science and in college discovered the world of coding.  She talked about the changes she has seen since she graduated college and how things are becoming more mobile.  Do you remember the program The Oregon Trail?  Audrey enjoyed this program as a young girl.

Using code the girls made a bracelet for the first letter of their first name.

Coding Yeti to make him dance!

What is code? Read our ideas.

Double Click on the wall below and add your ideas.

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