Gearing Up for and Participating In ... The Hour of Code

Lately, we have hit the pause button on our library sleuthing skills and tuned into our tech problem-solving skills to participate in the Hour of Code! Our library classrooms have been transformed into computer labs and our students into programmers. Using Chromebooks in our classes, we are able to get students engaged in coding games available from code.org. Students are now getting programming experience through special games available on the Hour of Code site that emphasize sequencing and order, conditional statements, and other habits of mind used when designing code.

Our kindergarten, first, and second grade classes are having fun with the game Kodable available on code.org. They get to tell the Smee character the right steps to navigate his way through the path in order to get to the next level. Each level requires students to provide step-by-step ordered instructions to the Smees, with each level getting progressively more complex.

In third, fourth, and fifth grade, students are challenging themselves to complete code in the Minecraft and Moana games. There are many opportunities to be creative and silly in Minecraft Designer, the code.org game where students are in charge of designing how their chickens and other characters will behave and what they will do. The Moana game, also available from code.org, has been a timely hit with many students as well, and provides students the opportunity to practice spatial skill-building by completing action-oriented and specific tasks.

 

Code.org/learn is a free site that you can use at home and has a wide range of games that introduce coding skills in a fun learning environment. Check it out!