Digital Literacy Class: We are going to learn about so many incredible ways to be creative, collaborative, and to communicate. We will focus on computer skills and applications. Some topics you already know about, and you will know better, and other topics and applications will be new to you! Either way, we will work together to find the ones you are able to use best. This class consists of Project-Based-Learning. You will be given plenty of time to learn the skills and applications that you will use for a lifetime. I hope you enjoy the material we will cover. - Mr. S
"Genius Hour is a project in the classroom and sometimes in the workplace where students are allowed to explore their own passions and wonders for a set amount of time, usually ranging from 1 hour per week to 20% of their total class time." - Quote from Wikipedia
Students will spend the next two days (12/21 -12/22) before the winter holiday break working on a variety of projects listed below. You may be as creative as you like, but anything you submit for school must conform to school guidelines for appropriateness. Please check out the following resources and post, for credit, at least two of your activities to the Winter Holiday Padlet created for these projects. You will need to take a screenshot of your project, and include a link, if available, so others can share or remix your projects as the programs allow: Have fun, and good luck! I hope you have a restful, peaceful holiday break and come back in January ready to learn! - Sincerely, Mr. Scribner
1. KANO Projects: Pick one of the projects below and complete it. You will need to take a screenshot and list the link on the Winter Holiday Padlet page for credit. See more information below
Kano: "Anyone Can Make"- Mission Statement: The modern world is filled with billions of machines. 📱 But 1% of 1% of us can open them up, & change them. Now, a new generation is rising. They see this world as something to shape, not just use. Kano is a new kind of computer company. 💡 You make & code our technology yourself, with simple steps, stories, and play. You share your creations with others across the physical and digital world. We work with artists, misfits, technologists, and teachers in 86 countries. 🌍 Together, we'll demystify the modern world – and open up its creative power to all.
2. Tynker Hour of Code Page: Complete one of the projects listed on this page and document your success on the Winter Holiday Padlet page.
Tynker Hour of Code Page (Click Here): With Tynker's revolutionary approach, kids learn to code using visual code blocks that represent real programming concepts. They progress to text languages like JavaScript and Python as they continue to play through 2,000+ interest-driven activities.
3. LearnPython.org: Complete the "Learn the Basics" 12 levels and document your progress by posting a screenshot of the final program you create on the Winter Holiday Padlet page.
LearnPython.org: Whether you are an experienced programmer or not, this website is intended for everyone who wishes to learn the Python programming language
4. Santa Tracker: Explore, play, and learn with Santa's elves all December long! Screenshot and describe some of the activities and post to our Winter Holiday Padlet for credit.
NOTE: You must complete at least 4 of these activities to count as one credit.
SANTA TRACKER by GOOGLE: Leave it to Google to outdo everyone on the list. Enter stage north, the Santa Tracker. As Google puts it, the Santa Tracker is, “an educational and entertaining tradition for the December holiday period.” While this project appears quite jolly on the surface, Santa actually is currently involved in litigation with Google over this tracking system. Expert witness, Rudolph. Either way, enjoy!
5. Bonus: Solve the Breakout EDU Virtual Escape Rooms and send your answers (screenshots of completion) using Gmail to Mr. Scribner (harvey.scribner@techfreire.org) for an extra 50 points of credit for the holidays! HAVE FUN!
Please follow the directions on the Winter Holiday Padlet to add your work! Click the link above and read all directions to receive credit for your projects!
Excerpt taken directly from https://code.org/educate/curriculum/express-course
Computer Science Fundamentals Express is a 30+ hour course designed for 9-18-year-old students (with an option for pre-readers). It can be taught once a week in a tech class or an after school club, integrated as a unit in a longer technology class, or used as an intro unit in a computer science class.
Students learn to create computer programs that will help them learn to collaborate with others, develop problem-solving skills, and persist through difficult tasks. They will study programming concepts, computational thinking, digital citizenship, and develop interactive games or stories they can share.
The course teaches the foundational concepts of programming using drag and drop blocks rather than a programming language such as JavaScript or Python. Blocks are an easier way to get started and many top Universities today begin their classes with block-based programming.
The Express Course combines the concepts taught in our elementary school courses in an accelerated fashion designed for older students.
Step 1: Sign in to your Code.Org Account (See Instructions Below For Information):
SIGN INTO YOUR TECH FREIRE GOOGLE GMAIL ACCOUNT
GO TO CODE.ORG AND CLICK "SIGN IN WITH GOOGLE+"
GO TO CODE.ORG/JOIN AND USE CLASS CODE (See Mr. S)
Step 2: Go To Your "Code Studio" and click on the EXPRESS COURSE
Step 3: Begin working on the online levels. Please use your time to review the UNPLUGGED Levels, but move on to the online material in class. The Express Course should be completed by the end of the marking period, either in class or as homework. Please use your time at home to show your family what you are working on. Your homework assignment is to "TEACH" someone in your family to code!
Good Luck, and Have Fun!
-Mr. S
ACADEMIC/LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Scholars will learn basic computer programming using Code.Org online. Scholars will understand the basic vocabulary used in programming. Scholars will also be able to explain why it is important for everyone to learn to code and how it can provide equity in our society.
STUDENTS WILL ENTER THE CLASS QUIETLY AND BEGIN WORKING!
Scholars will sign up for accounts on Code. Org and begin working through the program online. Scholars will complete their Introduction to Programming by emailing a link to the R2-D2 Star Wars Game they made to the instructor for credit. Scholars will then click on the EXPRESS COURSE and begin working on the Stages found there. These stages will review topics and ideas from the Star Wars levels, and allow Scholars to begin to learn about loops, if-then statements, and how math and algorithms are incorporated into programming.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE TODAY!
"Computational thinking refers to the thought processes involved in expressing solutions as computational steps or algorithms that can be carried out by a computer." - (Cuny, Snyder, & Wing, 2010; Aho, 2011; Lee, 2016)
SYNCHRONOUS WORK:
It is critical in our modern society that students know, and understand the basics of computer science and programming. During the month of December, we will be working on the Express Course created by Code.org. Today you will learn some basics about Computational Thinking and some basic computer science vocabulary by playing the DICE RACE GAME in class.
Please review the following video to learn about why computer science is vital in schools:
Participation in all in-class activities and surveys is vital. You must understand the vocabulary below, complete the Computational Thinking exercise, and play the Dice Race Game to understand the basics of computer science, and why it is important that you learn to code. We are surrounded by devices capable of making our lives easier. Knowing how they work, and how they impact your lives is a critical skill for high school students. Additionally, many careers now involve some form of programming or basic knowledge of computer science. It can be a pathway to a future career or a skill that helps you understand math, logic, science, or other STEM subjects more easily.
(❗️) Sign up for a Code.org Account using your TF Google Apps for EDU and join our online class (Express Course) using a code from Mr. Scribner
Step 1: Sign in to your Tech Freire Google Account
Note: These steps will add you to our class list for the Express Course for the specific class period that you take Digital Literacy. We will be working through the levels of this program all month in December. Please note that there will be levels done together in class, time to ask questions and get additional help, and lessons and levels required on ASYNCHRONOUS days to keep up with the material. Make sure you check Google Classroom to stay up-to-date as we progress through this course together.
ASYNCHRONOUS WORK:
"Block-based coding is a form of programming language where the developer issues instructions by dragging and dropping blocks. This helps to prevent syntax errors and developers do not have to memorize syntax to write code." - codejig.com
"In the context of coding for students, block coding or block programming is an “entry-level activity” that allows students to gain a foundational understanding of how coding works. It also familiarizes them with the sort of computational thinking needed in programming through the use of visual cues rather than pure text." - codakid.com
Please watch "Computer Science is Changing Everything" by Code.org:
Also watch "Why top universities teach block based programming" by Code.org:
(❗️) Go to botlogic.us and create an account (or just click the under 12 button to proceed). Work through the levels until you get past the 4th Level. Take a screenshot of your progress and email it to Mr. Scribner (harvey.scribner@techfreire.org) for credit.
This is a very basic site to learn to build programs using block-based coding. By making the robot move through the maze you are creating algorithms for the application to run. This will be the basis of how programs work in the Code.org Express Course that we are starting this week. Good Luck! - Mr. S
VOCABULARY
Decompose: Break a problem down into smaller pieces
Pattern Matching: Finding similarities between things
Abstraction: Pulling out specific differences to make one solution work for multiple problems
Loop: Repeating a step, or series of steps over, or again.
Algorithm: A series of steps to complete a task
Program: Algorithm is written for a computer or machine to complete a task(s)
Code: Language used to create a program for computers or machines to understand
I am providing videos to help you understand the basic ideas we are learning in class in case you miss the SYNCHRONOUS Class today. Please review the videos below if you need to see the Dice Race Game or Computational Thinking section of the lesson.
