Every year I hear from people who are transitioning into new roles like tech coach, tech integrator, STEM integrator, and other similar roles. Last week I answered two such emails.
What those readers always ask are ideas and tools for teaching programming beyond obvious resources like Code.org. That’s why this week I’m sharing some resources to learn programming and teach programming. These are resources that anyone can access, even if they have no prior programming experience.
Logo
Logo is a programming language that was developed for students in 1967. It is the language that provided my introduction to programming when I was in elementary school. The logo is still around today and is the basis for many other tools you may have heard of, such as Scratch and Snap.
last week i wrote a short blog post highlighting Gary Stager’s Collection of Modern Logo Resources for Teachers. Go there to find lots of recommendations to read on how to use Logo as a teaching tool. You can also get a free copy of the Turtle Art Tiles Project Guide.
blackbird code
Blackbird is a free platform designed to introduce students to the principles of coding even if you have no prior experience teaching coding. Yo I tried it with my students at the end of the 2020-21 school year and we liked it.
Blackbird teaches students how to write JavaScript. There are five theme paths that you can use to guide your students in Blackbird. Regardless of which one you choose, the student’s focus and process is the same. Students start with a simple activity that causes a dot or line to appear on the screen. Students then see a split screen lesson that shows them some short instructions on the left side of the screen and a code editor on the right side of the screen. It is in the split screen environment that students write their first lines of code.
Blackbird makes it easy for you as a teacher to test all the lessons your students will do. All you have to do is log in to your teacher and then click “learn” to see what your students will see. You can complete each and every lesson yourself and use all the help tools, such as ‘show’, that your students have access to when they log in to Blackbird.
Blackbird’s video descriptions can be seen here and here.
MIT App Inventor
If you want to create a fully functional Android app, MIT App Inventor is the place to start. He MIT App Inventor works in your web browser (Chrome is recommended). The only download required for App Inventor 2 is the optional emulator. The emulator allows people without Android devices to send text messages with their apps on their desktops. If you have an Android device, the emulator is not required and you don’t need to worry about installing it. MIT provides excellent support documentation and curriculum for new users. here is my walkthrough on how to use MIT App Inventor.
For the younger students
daisy the dinosaur is a free iPad app designed to introduce young learners to some basic programming concepts. The app asks students to create commands for Daisy the Dinosaur to carry out. There is a free play mode where students can make Daisy do whatever they want. But to get started, she might want the students to work through the beginner’s challenge mode. Daisy the Dinosaur asks students to enter the commands in the correct sequence for Daisy to complete the tasks correctly. Daisy the Dinosaur can be used with students as early as kindergarten.
scratch jr is based on the Scratch program which has its roots in Logo. ScratchJr uses a drag and drop block programming interface. In ScratchJr, students can program stories and multimedia games. To program a story or game in ScratchJr, students select the background setting for each frame in the story. Then, in each box, students select the actions they want their characters to perform. Students put together programming pieces to make characters move and talk in their stories and games. Go to the teaching page on the ScratchJr site for ideas on how to use ScratchJr in your classroom.
This is a Google Street View screenshot of the outside of where I attended sixth grade (Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer topped the charts that year) and was introduced to Logo. The building is still there, but it is no longer used as a school.. Is the building where you attended primary/elementary school still standing?
Self-paced courses you can start today
I have three self-paced courses that you can start today and finish at your own pace.
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