Primary Programming

I’ve asked myself many times if teaching programming or coding to my elementary age students was actually worth it.  When I stepped back and looked at what it taught, I knew I could continue teaching coding because of the opportunity to gives students to problem solve, create, think, and plan. 

1.                     Scratch:  I fell in love with Scratch 6 years ago when I fist saw it.  I’ve made no secret through the years of writing this newsletter that I’m a fan! I remember the first time I used it in the classroom had students just complete simple codes that made a cat dance.  It was almost as amazing as the first time I had to write a program in a BASIC computer class that made a countdown clock.  (It doesn’t take much to impress me.) That first introduction to Scratch evolved into 4^th graders completing a computer generated retell of a story. Because of the resources available Scratch is still my favorite site to use for programming.  If you want to start slow, like I did, check out the Scratch Teachers Resources page.  My favorites are the Scratch Cards. When I first started using Scratch it was a download now it is web-based.  It looks like Lego bricks that you put together.  The bricks trigger different actions and the combinations of the bricks can create some amazing projects.

2.                     Kodable:  This is a free app that students can use to learn to program.  Kids can learn computer logic, sequence, loops, functions and debugging with the Kodable app.  They claim that this is great for beginners and it designed for younger students.   The skills gained in Kodable help students become better prepared for coding with more options like Scratch. 

3.                     Daisy the Dinosaur:  This is a free app where kids can learn the basics of programming.  Like many of the other programming sites for kids, it is a drag and drop block interface.  Solve the app’s challenges, and Daisy will dance across the screen.

4.                     Hopscotch:  This is the same company that made the Daisy the Dinosaur app.  This is another free app. Hopscotch allows you use characters to complete the tasks that you write in your code. The characters leave a trail behind as they move, so you can have them create shapes, letters, or numbers.

5.                     Why Teach Coding??- “Learning to write programs stretches your mind, and helps you think better, creates a way of thinking about things that I think is helpful in all domains.“-Bill Gates

Have a great weekend!