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Great for Movement Vocabulary Development!

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Great for Movement Vocabulary Development!

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"Leaping Lemurs, Tumbling Toads, Jet-Propelled Jellyfish (oh the alliteration!!) & more surprising ways than animals move"

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Can be tied in with 5 senses as well. Different sounds for different seasons and weather changes.

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Welcome to Noises Online!

Noise isn't always the chatty colleague in your open-plan office, or the sound of your tinnitus when you go to sleep. Though the word 'noise' has acquired a negative connotation, it can be beautiful, such as the sound of the ocean, the rain, or a field in the summer.

The idea behind an online background noise machine like this website, is to make use of the noises you like to mask the noises you dislike. The concept is simple, works extremely well, and does not require expensive equipment, such as active noise cancelling headphones.

Because these noises are available through a web browser, you can pick the sounds you like the best. You can adjust their relative levels to achieve perfectly well-balanced background noise to boost your productivity, increase your focus, deepen your meditation session, or fall asleep at night. The uses of a noise machine are extremely varied!

Noises Online differs from other background noise generators by its pristine audio quality and the variety of sounds available from one single web page. These sounds are original recordings - not stock sounds - taken from my sampling sessions for myNoise, another website of mine. myNoise is probably the best background noise generator on the internet. It offers an unsurpassed number of noises and is second to none for customizing sound. It even takes your hearing thresholds into account! It's complexity and cluttered user interface may discourage the newcomer though. This is how Noises Online came to life: as a much simpler alternative to myNoise, offering the same audio quality through the easiest user interface one can think of.

Noises Online is free to use, but it isn't free for me to maintain. Development and support costs aside, I have to pay the hosting fees and the expenses of using a content delivery network (CDN) which replicates all my audio files to the server nearest to you. This means the website loads as fast as possible. This service has a much higher cost than regular hosting. If you like my work and want to support Noises Online, consider making a donation at myNoise. As I am running both sites, one supports the other. Plus, you will be granted lifetime privileged access to myNoise, which - I am sure - you'll enjoy too!

With passion and love,

Stéphane

Click a pictogram to play its associated sound. Keep clicking to reduce the sound level. As it does so, the pictogram will dim out. If you want to mute a sound, hold the click for one second.

It can take quite a time before a sound has fully loaded. Noises.online uses the highest sound quality, which makes the audio files relatively big. Hopefully, the next time you play a sound, it will load almost instantly straight from your browser cache.

Click the pin icon to generate an URL that embeds all the sounds you have selected. Use this URL to share sounds with your friends.

The URL only embeds the selected noises and their relative level, not the global level, nor the other settings found when you scroll down the page. We want to keep it simple for new visitors when they follow your link. To save the tone and liveliness settings, use the 'User Set' functionality instead (see below).

Settings can be saved using the 'User Set' section. You can assign a name to your set so you can easily remember what it sounds like.

The tone and liveliness settings will be saved as well!

The tone settings change the overall spectrum of the background noise, in a subtle way to preserve the sound quality.

The effect of a particular tone setting will be inaudible when applied to a sound that does not have frequency content where the tone setting is active. For example, the 'Profound' setting boosts the lowest frequencies of the audible spectrum, and will have no effect when applied to the chirping sounds of cicadas.

Liveliness adds modulation to your soundscape. The speed of the modulation as well as its depth depends on every setting. Liveliness works best when multiple sounds are playing together.

In general, faster modulations have a shallow depth, and slower modulations are associated with a deeper effect. The modulation speed varies from six different level snapshots every minute (the 'fast' setting) to one snapshot every two minutes (the 'lethargic' setting).

At the top of the page, a little note provides you with the pick of the week. Click it to load the associated sound.

If you like the pick of the week, save it among your user sets before it's gone!

If you like certain combinations on this site, you will love these links to myNoise, the Mother Ship of all noises on the internet.

By contributing to myNoise, you help keeping Noises Online alive too!

Sounds on this website are streamed for personal use only. Reverse-engineering the Noises Online audio engine code, downloading individual stems, or resampling the generator's audio output are strictly forbidden.
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Help needed? A bug to report? Send an email to stephane 'at' noises 'dot' online
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© 2017-2023 Dr. Ir. Stéphane Pigeon - the signal processing engineer with a passion for sound.

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Online Background Noises * Relaxing Sounds * Noise Masking

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Premium Ambient Noises & Relaxing Sounds * NEW Audio file download * Online & Free * Increase your focus * Boost your productivity * Quieten your mind * Mask your tinnitus * And more!

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One of the librarians at the Doucette Library at Werklund has created different boards of books for each grade level and subject.

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Doucette Library (Tammy Flanders) (tflander) - Profile | Pinterest

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Doucette Library (Tammy Flanders) | The following boards are collections of juvenile resources from the Doucette Library’s collection that support the Alberta Education curriculum.

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Invites children to examine the illustrations in each picture and relate them to current learning or previous knowledge! Fun but educational book.

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For the giggling masses who love Hervé Tullet's Press Here, BJ Novak's The Book With No Pictures , and Bill Cotter's Don't Push the Button comes an interactive new series! This Is a Ball , is a boldly absurd spin-off of concept books, and an audaciously contrarian invitation for readers to practice deadpan delivery: after all, the picture on the cover clearly shows a cube, not a ball. The page that declares a princess is flying a kite at the beach shows an alien holding a balloon in a city...and on and on. What is WRONG with this silly book? Kids will demand to know--and all readers will be howling with laughter all along the way. With strikingly simple text and art, Books That Drive Kids CRAZY! are ideal picks for emergent readers.

The Books That Drive Kids CRAZY! series offers parents, teachers, and storytellers a hilarious script for fun reading time together. Book 2,

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Books That Drive Kids CRAZY!: This Is a Ball

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Books That Drive Kids CRAZY!: This Is a Ball : Stanton, Beck, Stanton, Matt: Amazon.ca: Books

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Kenard Pak has 3 beautiful books about the changing of seasons: Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn; Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter; and Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring.

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Kenard Pak is an author and illustrator originally from Baltimore, Maryland. Much of his work is about memory, nature, and solitude. Kenard has worked as an artist on many animated films with Dreamworks, Walt Disney Feature, PDI, and Laika. He has authored and illustrated the seasonal "Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn" series, and illustrated other authors' books including "Have You Heard The Nesting Bird?", "The Dinner That Cooked Itself", " The Fog", and "The Hundred-Year Barn". Kenard Pak lives in San Francisco. Visit his website at pandagun.com and follow him at instagram.com/kenardpak

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Amazon.com: Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn: 9781627794152: Pak, Kenard, Pak, Kenard: Books

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When the Trees Crackle with Cold: A Cree Calendar

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When the Trees Crackle with Cold: A Cree Calendar

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Story explaining how we are all connected to the seasons and the cycle of nature.

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aljackson@cbe.ab.ca

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"Wonder itself lies at the heart of what is is to be human: it places us directly and transparently in the face of the world in which we live with others." (Hove, 1996, p. 437) Lets share this joy with students!

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Story about a Turtle who takes a walk and takes the 4 seasons to get all the way around his environment. Found in school library!

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Opportunity to build a 'gathering space' in the classroom to support visible literacy and connection to place- grow through the seasons - could be part of shifting traditional calendar time as well.

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Jenn Matiece
Early Learning Specialist
jlmatiece@cbe.ab.ca

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Laurelee Clack
Science Specialist
laclack@cbe.ab.ca

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Provocation: I am nature. Nature is me.

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adapted to place-based - could support language building for emotions connected to lived experiences

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A story about observing the land and making observations and connections to the seasons

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Provocation: "Who is in our Community"
Great opportunities for seasonal connections and conversations- mindful + slow place based walks

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Caretakers of the Land | Calgary Public Library

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Caretakers of the Land is a virtual program for grades K – 6. In this program, Elders, knowledge keepers, authors, illustrators, performers, and Library staff share the diverse perspectives and ways of knowing of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people living in Alberta.

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anchor for place-based learning

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builds connections

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gentle opportunity to shift language to be inclusive of the earth as kin - not 'What' is in our community- rather, 'Who'

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This book is an introduction to the northern lights, what they look like, where they can be seen, what causes them, and traditional stories about them.

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Classroom Management: Movement Code Word

Hey everyone! Do you wish there was a way to get your students to stop and listen before they start moving around? Well, I'm about to blow your mind, there is!

I've been using a movement code word for several years now, and while I've shared this trick before, I thought I would dedicate a whole post to it because whenever I share this on Instagram, I get lots of questions.

What is a movement code word?
In short, a movement code word is a word that you say when you are ready for kids to start moving.

It's a way to ensure that students sit still and listen to your directions before they are allowed to follow them. It helps make sure they don't begin transitioning until it is time to.

Picture this, you're trying to give directions, but as you give them, the kids are busy moving around trying to follow them, as you're giving them. We all know that never works and it's very distracting. By using a movement code word, you give your directions, but the students are not allowed to move until you say the word.

It turns the act of listening and getting ready to transition into a game of sorts. Something that resonates with most kids.

So, how does this look in the classroom?
Here's a sample of how I use the movement code word with my students. In this scenario, the movement code word is "taco." I might say something like this:

"When you hear the code word, you need to take out your whiteboard, marker, and eraser. Then, sit with 'hands and eyes.' Remember, we transition at a level zero. Ready, set, TACO!"

At this point, the students take out their materials and then sit with "hands and eyes" (our way of showing that we are ready to get started).

Why does it work?
It works because it turns transitioning into a game. Students are listening for that one word and once they hear it, they know they get to move. Once they do hear it, they are excited to move. Excited to get started.

What kind of word do I use?
When using a movement code word, use any word you want. I tend to choose silly, random words. I do prefer 2-3 syllable words. Sometimes, I choose two words. Couldn't tell you why, I just do.

I like to have fun with my code words so I tend to choose words like:
-taco
-lollipop
-jellyfish
-nectarine
-applesauce
-Hello Kitty
-cactus pants
-pumpkin guts
-candy cane

Some teachers may prefer to use sight words or vocabulary words. That's just not my thing.

Using silly words is one way that I can mix in a bit of fun to our day. The kids love the words and I like to think that these kinds of words help create more student buy in.

Who chooses the words?
I do. But, that's not to say that you couldn't involve your students. Do what works for you. :)

Where do I display the word?
I keep it simple (my life's mantra). No fancy signs, no magnetic cards with words typed in designer fonts. I take an Expo marker and write the word in the corner of my whiteboard as shown below. That's it.

How often should I change my word?
I change my word once a week. I know myself too well and trying to change the word daily would never, ever work for me. After school on Friday, I change the word so it's ready to go on Monday morning.

How long does it take for kids to learn this procedure?
Like any procedure you teach, there might be some trial and error at first. I say might because each year is different. This was the first year where my students needed a bit more time to get used to a movement code word.

As with any procedure, you need to practice it. More than once. Don't expect to introduce it and have your students follow it without fail from that point forward. Be patient, review the procedure, practice the procedure.

Do the kids get in trouble if they don't wait for the code word?
No. That would be a silly thing to discipline a student over.

If a student (or a few students) forget to wait for the code word (which can be normal when you first introduce this strategy), I simply point out that they are trying to get started without waiting and then initiate a "do over." I stop the students and have them sit with "hands and eyes" (whole brain teaching), repeat the directions, restate the code word, and then we move on from there. Like any procedure, you might need to repeat it several times before kids are able to do it correctly.

Is it too late to start using a code word?
Nope. When it comes to classroom management, you implement strategies as needed.

It may be the middle of the school year, but if your students are still struggling to wait for you to finish talking before they start moving, try this strategy.

Whenever I bring in a new strategy mid year, I just tell my students that it's something I tend to start doing "this time of year." You don't have to tell them that it's a new strategy and that you're curious to see how it goes. Act as if you've always used it and it's now that time of year to get it going in your classroom.

Add a bit of fun.
Once you've established your movement code word routine and the kids have really got it down, have a little fun with it. I like to psych my kids out by calling out fake code words. This keeps the kids on their toes and adds a bit of fun to the procedure.

The fake code words that I call out always sound like the code word of the week. For example. I recently used the code word "stinky socks." I called out "stinky Socrates" and "stinky salami." Doing this makes the kids laugh, and of course they know that I'm trying to "trick" them but it gets them focused on waiting to hear the actual code word.

I don't do this daily, nor do I do it all day long. Most days, I stick with the code word itself. But 1-2 times a week, at one point in the day, I might call out fake words. I'm never opposed to adding some fun and humor to our procedures when I know the kids can handle it.

Final Thoughts
I hope this post has answered any questions you had about using a movement code word. I have found that this strategy has been effective in my classroom over the years. But remember, we all have different teaching styles. This idea may not appeal to you in the least, and that's OK. You may like the idea but see some aspects you'd like to modify to better match your teaching style. Go for it!

If you have any fun code words to share, we'd love to hear them. Be sure to comment below with your ideas.

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classroom management: movement code word

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Classroom Management: Movement Code Word

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Hey everyone! Do you wish there was a way to get your students to stop and listen before they start moving around? Well, I'm about to blow your mind, there is!

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includes heart space and ways we listen to the world as a whole

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Robot movement to link Computer Science and Energy 

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Robot movement to link Computer Science and Energy 

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TheLearningStation - Kids Songs and Nursery Rhymes

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Brain Breaks - Dance Song - Dancing Robots - Children's Songs by The Learning Station

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Connecting to Real Life!

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A Wild Way to Move - Banff National Park [contains flashing images]

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Animal Dance and Freeze | Fun Movement Brain Break | Jack Hartmann

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students love this video which create opportunities around movement and the subnivean zone

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Fox Dives Headfirst Into Snow | North America

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one of many Indigenous perspectives considering water- the importance of water- movement - conservation - stewardship - connection - ethical space

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Great book to pair movement and language!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOt3vrxOAKU

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcp4Pe2hrwA

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Describes the 5 senses and has lots of beautiful and stimulating pictures to stimulate conversations during circle time! :) 

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A book to consider connecting to our natural world through our heart sense. How might we consider that our heart is also a carrier of story?

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Five Senses for Kids | Learn all about the 5 Senses for kids | Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, and Touch

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Book about how all the sounds that remind a granddaughter and her grandmother that snow has fallen.

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A snowy day, a trip to Grandma's, time spent cooking with one another, and space to pause and discover the world around you come together in this perfect book for reading and sharing on a cozy winter day.

One winter morning, Lina wakes up to silence. It's the sound of snow -- the kind that looks soft and glows bright in the winter sun. But as she walks to her grandmother's house to help make the family recipe for warak enab, she continues to listen.

As Lina walks past snowmen and across icy sidewalks, she discovers ten ways to pay attention to what might have otherwise gone unnoticed. With stunning illustrations by Kenard Pak and thoughtful representation of a modern Arab American family from Cathy Camper, Ten Ways to Hear Snow is a layered exploration of mindfulness, empathy, and what we realize when the world gets quiet.

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Ten Ways to Hear Snow [Camper, Cathy, Pak, Kenard] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Ten Ways to Hear Snow

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I Have Five Senses  Jack Hartmann Senses Song

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This outdoor sensory scavenger hunt for kids is a fun activity and great way to explore the world outside. Learn how to plan a zero prep sensory scavenger hunt, or use our free printable to get started!
Kids love being outdoors, playing, learning, and generally having a ton of open-ended fun. They also love sensory play!

In our house, most sensory play is unstructured. Playing with play dough or shaking a sensory bottle. Same goes for outdoor play! We love digging in the garden, spotting fish in the creek, climbing on anything and everything, and generally seeing where the day takes us!

But once in a while, it's fun to offer a semi-organized activity with a clear plan and direction for their play.

Creating outdoor sensory scavenger hunts is a great way to fill your little one's time while on nature walks, while exploring the local park, when gardening, or in between other organized activities (such as outdoor math activities or outdoor water play!)

They help your child to develop an affinity with nature and the world around them. And they're a great excuse to get outside on cold and wet days.

Plus they're incredibly easy to plan and make being in the outdoors fun!

What is a Sensory Scavenger Hunt?

An outdoor sensory scavenger hunt is a fun outdoor adventure involving all 5 senses ... although we've substituted "taste" for "do and move" for safety reasons!

It lets toddlers and older kids explore the great outdoors using sight, sound, feeling, smelling, and moving their bodies.

What makes a Sensory Scavenger Hunt Different from a Regular Scavenger Hunt?

A sensory scavenger hunt is different from regular scavenger hunts as they require children to use all of their senses, not just collect a list of objects.

Some of the things they have to find or experience are just an idea or concept. They're things you can't necessarily 'evidence' or collect, but you can watch your little one do the tasks on the list, and celebrate with them as they complete each one.

As the word "sensory" in the title implies, these scavenger hunts are a great way to familiarize your children with their own senses, and the way they can use their body to interact with the world.

As well as the 5 senses we usually think of when we think of our body, we can also develop some of the 'hidden senses' that are important for our children's development.

These include Equilibrioception (our sense of balance) Proprioception (knowing which parts of your body are where without looking), and Kinaesthesia (our sense of movement).

Putting together one of these is a huge parenting win in that your kids will love it, and it doesn't take too much work on your part.

Read on for our guide to make your own sensory scavenger hunts, including how to make a scavenger hunt with ZERO PREPARATION!

We've also included a free printable sensory scavenger hunt for you to try at home.

How to Create an Outdoor Sensory Scavenger Hunt for Kids

It's incredibly easy to create your own sensory scavenger hunt to try at home (or you could just use our free printables!)

The beauty of making your own is that you can adapt it to your own environment, and the natural features you're sure you'll explore along the way during these outdoor nature experiences.

Prepare a Sensory Scavenger Hunt for Your Child

Each of the activities on your sensory nature scavenger hunt should be related to your child's senses.

We've broken up the senses into 5 categories, and filled each with creative ideas you can use directly, or use as inspiration once you get outside.

Obviously, the sense of taste isn't on this list. We don't want to be encouraging kids to put things they find outside in their mouths!

I Can See...

The sense of sight is the easiest one to plan for and for your little ones to evidence, as most of the things they search for they can then bring and show you.

As well as having actual things for them to find, also consider giving them broader and more creative activities to complete. For example, find something that is a certain color, size, exploring opposites, etc.

Here are a few ideas of things they can search for and explore with their visual sense:

leaves

clouds

animals (ants, worms, dogs, etc)

trees

flowers

rocks

something that is red

something that is moving

something smaller than my hand

a worm as long as mom's foot

A worm as long as mama's foot!

I Can Feel...

Think of different textures for these activities. Remember, they don't all have to be physical objects. Some can be abstract concepts, like the wind on my face.

a smooth stone vs a bumpy stone

some moss

something spiky

something squishy

something wet

something hard

something cold

the wind on my face

the sun on my skin vs the shade on my skin

You could also extend feel to their emotional state, and ask questions about how they feel when doing things outside, and how they feel about things they find:

Show me something that makes you feel happy, nervous, etc

Do something that you love

I feel happy when I go high on the swings!

I Can Hear...

These ones are maybe more tricky for your little one to do. You can help them by encouraging them to stand very still and let their ears do all of the work. Model noises and point them out when you hear them too.

You can also encourage your child to make noise for this one (step on crunchy leaves, break a twig, etc!).

birds chirping

an airplane or helicopter

the sound of a car

an animal noise

squelchy footsteps

the sound when I break a stick

I Can Smell...

There will be fewer of these ideas, but they can change with the season!

a flower

different plants (you can compare!)

a pinecone or tree

the smell of food

a burning smell (a barbeque or a campfire)

the smell of mud or a swamp

grass

Take time to smell the homegrown lettuce

I Can Do...

For these motor skills, you can make the activities as crazy as you want. Seriously, take the opportunity to use up your children's energy and break any nap time resistance before it happens!

(Let's all agree that when parenting little ones, having them worn out by bedtime is great for everyone!)

run a circle around a tree

jump over a rock

kick something

throw a stick

make my body into the shape of a tree

a jump as tall as the wall

roll an acorn as far as it will go

roll over the grass

bunny hop between two trees

Tips for Leading a Sensory Scavenger Hunt

Whatever activity you add to your outdoor sensory nature hunt, make it fun and memorable.

When your kids do the things on the list, be excited and celebrate with them!

It will help you to bond as a family and become a favorite thing to do on a nature walk if you treat it with as much enthusiasm as your kids do.

And don't be afraid to have a hunt in fair weather, as well as snow and rain!

How to Adapt an Sensory Scavenger Hunt

The beauty of an outdoor scavenger hunt is that it can be adapted for kids of all ages, from preschool to adults! If you have kids at different age ranges, you can make it an activity the whole family can enjoy just by making the activities more or less challenging.

For example, when creating a 'sight' clue - instead of finding a leaf, you could ask them to search for a green leaf that's larger than their hand.

You can add quantities to make it tricker too, so find 4 different smooth pebbles, or run 7 circles around a tree with no leaves.

By using lots of open-ended options, like - 'something that is...' you also develop your children's critical thinking and problem-solving skills (plus make it easier for you to adapt to different places like the forest vs. the beach).

When The Scavenger Hunt is Over...

Use the time after your outdoor sensory hunt to discuss what they found, and encourage children to remember all of the things they found. Let them give opinions on the things that liked to feel, and those which they didn't like.

You could collect the textured items and leave them to create outside sensory artwork and pictures back home!

Create Your Own ZERO-PREP Sensory Scavenger Hunt

A beautifully made and printed scavenger hunt is always nice to follow, but there are occasions you'll find yourselves out and about, without a list prepared.

Never fear! It's still incredibly easy to plan and do a scavenger hunt with your kids. Just tell them the items you need them to find or do.

If you need some inspiration, just look around you for things that you can easily spot.

The beauty of doing a sensory scavenger hunt this way is three-fold:

Firstly, this opens the activity to little ones of different ages, as it doesn't rely on being able to 'read' the paper instructions

You can choose scavenger items for your children to find that suit the environment you are in - some printable sheets might ask you to find some moss, and this might not grow in your area. So it saves the disappointment that might be felt by children that are perfectionists!

You can tailor this one to your child on the go too, so if your child is 'struggling' you can give them an 'easy win' quick find to help get them back in good spirits, or if they are bursting with a lot of energy you can tire them out by giving them more 'active' challenges!

Download Our Free Printable PDF Outdoor Sensory Scavenger Hunt!

There are other parenting times when it's nice to have an activity prepared for you and your kids.

If you'd like to try out an outdoor scavenger hunt with your kids, but would rather use a prepared set of "clues", you can use our FREE printable PDF sensory scavenger hunt.

It's perfect for a trip to the park or to help explore the great outdoors.

As a bonus, we've also included a printable blank scavenger hunt too. This one you can adapt for your own adventures!

As an extra idea, you could print and laminate the pdf page and write or draw on the things your kids need to find or do! Keep it in the car with a dry-wipe marker and a 'collecting bag' for no-hassle fun whenever you find yourselves outdoors.

Final Thoughts on Planning an Outdoor Sensory Scavenger Hunt for Kids

We hope you've enjoyed this guide on how to make a sensory scavenger hunt for your kids. We hope that it will make being outdoors in nature more rewarding for you and your little ones.

If you know any other parents who would love to do this activity with their kids, feel free to share the link with them - and let them download the free bonus printable pdf search sheets too!

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Outdoor Sensory Scavenger Hunt for Kids: How to Plan + FREE Printable

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Outdoor sensory scavenger hunt for kids. Learn how to plan a zero prep sensory scavenger hunt, or use our free printable to get started!

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The Five Senses is an educational activity for kids to learn about taste, smell, vision, hearing, and touch.

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can also create a sound map to accompany this book
-can also adapt to offer an opportunity to listen to their hearts- collect an item that spoke to their heart- circle around it and use as living data for interdisciplinary connections.

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Guess the Sound Game | 20 Sounds to Guess

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Krawec asks, What would it look like to remember that we are all related? How might we become better relatives to the land, to one another, and to Indigenous movements for solidarity? Braiding together historical, scientific, and cultural analysis, Indigenous ways of knowing, and the vivid threads of communal memory, Krawec crafts a stunning, forceful call to "unforget" our history.

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A fantastic website that helps you navigate appropriate Indigenous text both in science and other curriculum ideas.

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Books to Build On: Indigenous Literatures for Learning

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You have arrived at an interactive web resource that is designed to assist educators with weaving Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing into their teaching and learning, starting with story. Responding to the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and to current provincial professional standards for education, this resource is intended to help teachers build foundational knowledge and competencies in Indigenous education.

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Story - what the parts need are and how to organize them

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a story about a tree and the animals it supports

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Story about how water is used on Earth

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Ocean pollution and how this affects water systems

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Hour of Code-December 7th-12, 2020-is a time when teachers show students why they should love-not-fear coding and students find out that these activities - often seen as geeky or impossible - aren't. They're actually fun.

Over the next week, I'll share ideas that will get you ready for your Hour of Code. This includes (links won't work until the articles are posted):

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These suggestions go back to the roots of coding. The idea started as a clever way to teach students to think critically and problem-solve. The easiest way was to gamify coding, put students on a digital device they loved, and set them free. One hour, according to Hour of Code, would show them that deep thinking was fun and problem-solving was exhilarating.

I happen to agree. Some of my most gratifying moments are when I accomplish the impossible, unravel a Mobius Strip-like problem, or force myself to do what I've never before done. Hour of Code does that every year for oh many students. But here's my issue: Too often, kids forget that the goal is to practice critical thinking and problem solving, not pursue a career in programming.

Let's reinforce that goal by stepping away from digital device, recognize that these skills - critical thinking and problem-solving - apply to any part of life, even without a computer, iPad, or smartphone in hand. All kids need is their brain which happily, every child carries with them.

Here are some of my favorite unplugged activities:

I admit, when I first received this kit, I didn't get the name- Crazy Circuits with Squishy Circuits. I couldn't get my brain around all those words until I unwrapped the box and pulled the parts out. Then I got it: This had a ton of promise. If you've ever made Play Dough at home or in science class and used it as conductors and insulators-that's the squishy part. When you poke circuits that light up or run motors or a bunch of other stuff into the dough-that's the crazy part. With this relatively inexpensive kit, a wide age range of students learn about seemingly complicated topics such as insulators, conductors, resistance, and parallel and series circuits.

This is ready to go out of the box which means no soldering required.

How to Use it

If you're wondering how squishy dough can conduct electricity, watch this 4-minute TED Talk. Though the video shows how to make the dough, you don't have to do that. Ward's Science sends it as part of the kit. You just attach the circuits, motors, and conductors, and let your creativity flow:
Ages 4 and up
Code.org, the grandfather of Hour of Code offerings, recognizes the importance of critical thinking outside of coding and programming. To reinforce this, they offer a slew of unplugged critical thinking activities to pursue during the Hour of Code week. This includes non-computer activities such as Happy Maps, Graph Paper Programming, Dice Race, Binary

Bracelets, Mad Glibs, Unspotted Bugs, and more. These cover coding topics such as:

These projects variously include a lesson plan, instructions, assessments, a video on understanding the topic and the activity, and more. When you click on the link, it provides lesson plans with preferred age groups and a grid filled with thirty-nine unplugged activities organized by age and concept.

My Robotic Friends is a one-hour introductory non-computer activity where students learn to program a human robot. Break students into pairs and have one student write the steps required to do something (the video suggests stacking cups). The second student (called a robot) takes those directions and follows them exactly to see if they can do what is asked. If they can't, the student who wrote the steps debugs their instructions until they are clear and the robot student can accomplish what was expected. Here's a quick video.

This is a fun and thought-provoking way to discuss sequencing, attention to detail, and debugging problems and is easily completed in one hour though kids may want to take longer.

CS Unplugged is a collection of free teaching materials that teach Computer Science through engaging games and puzzles, many accomplished with cards, string, crayons, and lots of running around. This teacher-oriented website provides everything you need to teach computer science without a computer. If you're thinking that's an oxymoron, then you're exactly who this is intended for. Topics include binary numbers, Kidbots, Sorting networks, Error detection and correction, and Searching algorithms. Each topic variously includes unit plans, lesson plans, teaching videos, curriculum integration activities, printables, and programming exercises-all without a computer.

This is one of the original unplugged websites and includes a link to the classic offerings if you're looking for those.

In this one-hour artistic project, students "code" their own art with pixels by learning about coordinates, the purpose of pixels, and how to create drawings by setting pixels to different colors. The lesson first teaches the basics of computer graphics before setting students loose to create their own Color by Pixel program. There are four parts, each covering a specific topic. The lesson plan includes class discussion, vocabulary, questions, examples, and step-by-step directions.

This is a great introduction to graphic design for art students interested in that side of art.

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It's easy to conflate coding with computers but its core is problem-solving and critical thinking. These existed before digital devices and will prevail if an EMP Pulse wipes out everything with electronics. Remind kids that their brains are bigger than computers, more resilient than digital devices, and more portable than any other type of assistant.

More on Hour of Code
Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.

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Hour of Code-December 7th-12, 2020-is a time when teachers show students why they should love-not-fear coding and students find out that these activities - often seen as geeky or ...

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Letter writing between students becoming environmental activists and the Earth

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Rosie’s Walk. Let’s Talk Science put together a great activity for introducing computer science using the book.

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How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk @StoryTimeWithMsMelange #readaloud #girlscode

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https://www.gettingsmart.com/2018/03/18/early-learning-strategies-for-developing-computational-thinking-skills/

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As our technologies have rapidly developed and manipulating those technologies has emerged as a key college- and career-ready skill, teaching students how to program, question, and manipulate digital devices has become commonplace in our schools. But coding is the application of learning. Before students can effectively perform these tasks, they must understand the concepts behind that application.

Computational Thinking is the prerequisite skill for understanding the technologies of the future. It is a thought process, rather than a specific body of knowledge about a device or language. Computational thinking is often associated with computers and coding, but it is important to note that it can be taught without a device.

For that reason, computational thinking can be a part of any classroom, including the classrooms of our youngest learners in the primary grades. And, I would argue, it is quickly becoming a necessary foundational skill for students. By explicitly teaching, and allowing space for the development of, computational thinking, teachers can ensure that their young students are learning to think in a way that will allow them to access and understand their digital world. Teaching computational thinking, in short, primes students for future success. Furthermore, it can be integrated into existing routines and curricula.

Core Components of Computational Thinking

BBC outlines four cornerstones of computational thinking: decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms. Decomposition invites students to break down complex problems into smaller, simpler problems. Pattern recognition guides students to make connections between similar problems and experience. Abstraction invites students to identify important information while ignoring unrelated or irrelevant details. Lastly, students use algorithms when they design simple steps to solve problems.

At first read, it's challenging to imagine kindergartners solving algorithms. However, each of these cornerstones, at their core, dovetails nicely into the active learning and thinking that happens in grades K-2. Children in the primary grades want to play. They aren't afraid to take risks. By utilizing the natural inclinations of young children to explore and play, and by encouraging problem-solving skills, we can move students' thinking forward. Computational thinking encourages playful thinking, but gives it structure so that the skills students are learning can be transferred to more complex tasks later on.

And it's probably even easier than you might think to invite your youngest learners to join you as inventors and problem-solvers and jump into the world of computational thinking! Here are some ideas for getting started.

Strategies for Incorporating Computational Thinking in Early Learning Classrooms
Teaching Decomposition
Teaching decomposition to young learners means that students are invited into problem-solving scenarios. Teachers share the complex, multi-step problem and facilitate conversations that help students to break it down. While students at these ages are not always developmentally ready for multi-step directions or problems, they are ready to be exposed to models of adult thinking. In doing this, students begin to develop a framework of strategic, computational thinking.

I deas to Try: Teachers might describe a scenario, such as planning a birthday party, that involves multiple steps. This type of task can quickly become overwhelming without an organized to-do list of smaller, more approachable challenges. Students can help to break down the larger task, and the teacher can help to draw or write a visual representation of their thinking, giving students a mental map of how to solve similar problems in the future.
Teaching Pattern Recognition
Pattern recognition, as a cornerstone of computational thinking, begins with the basic ABAB pattern creation that is taught in the primary grades and extends to more complex layers of thinking. Pattern recognition invites students to analyze similar objects or experiences and identify commonalities. By finding what the objects or experiences have in common, young students can begin to develop an understanding of trends and are therefore able to make predictions.

Ideas to Try: To teach students to recognize patterns, you might begin by investigating trees. What do all trees have in common? They all have a trunk. They all have roots. They all have branches. While there are many differences between types of trees, these components are present in all trees.

Next, work with your students to create a collage of trees. Notice how they all have trunks, roots, and branches. Then, talk about how the trunks differ from one another. Some are thick, while others are thin. Some are brown, while others are white. Talk about how the roots and branches differ.

To extend this thinking, invite your students to draw a picture of a tree, labeling the trunk, roots, and branches. Emphasize that while your class' trees might look different from one another, they are alike in their core components.

Finding patterns simplifies tasks because you can use what you already know. By teaching students to recognize patterns, their awareness of the world around them expands. This helps them to use the patterns they have identified to solve future problems and make predictions about the world.
Teaching Abstraction
Abstraction is focusing on the information that is relevant and important. It involves separating core information from extraneous details.

Ideas to Try: In primary classrooms, teachers naturally teach kids the concept of abstraction with literature as they identify the main idea and key details. To take this one step further, teachers can encourage students to hunt for information, clues, or treasures by giving them a goal as they approach a book or even an experience. As students listen to a speaker during a school presentation about dental hygiene, a kindergarten class might be hunting for details about brushing your teeth. By teaching students abstraction, they are able to sort through all of the information available to identify the specific information they need. This is an invaluable skill as students read larger texts and are presented with more and more complex information.
Teaching Algorithms
Algorithmic thinking involves developing solutions to a problem. Specifically, it creates sequential rules to follow in order to solve a problem. In the early grades, kids can learn that the order of how something is done can have an effect.

Ideas to Try: To present this idea to students, you might ask them to think about making a sandwich. What should we do first? Second? What if I put the cheese and lettuce on my sandwich before I add the mayonnaise? Conversations about sequence and order develop the foundations of algorithmic thinking.

To get students thinking in algorithms, invite them to design the path from their classroom to the gym by detailing a series of steps. Then, let them try it out! Additionally, invite students to think about their morning routine. What steps do they take to get ready for school each morning? How would the order impact the outcome? Asking students to consider how inputs change the outcome encourages them to be reflective in their thinking and to make changes to their plan to achieve the desired result.

Linking our Youngest Minds to the Thinking of the Future

Teaching young students computational thinking strategies goes far beyond increasing their comfort level with computers. It's much deeper and more profound. We live in a world with Smartphones and Smarthomes, and understanding how devices work allows us to approach technology as a partner to help us solve problems. Computational thinking allows students to be active, rather than passive, users of technology. The manner in which we understand the technology that surrounds us, and the way we ask questions about these devices, will become a significant differentiator in the 21st-century workforce. Those who can do it successfully and efficiently will be better placed for both professional and long-term life success. Preparation for this can and should start with our youngest learners.

For more, see:
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Early Learning Strategies for Developing Computational Thinking Skills

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We live in a world with Smartphones and Smarthomes, and understanding how devices work allows us to approach technology as a partner to help us solve problems. Here's how we can start giving kids these skills sooner rather than later.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy6ButamVs8

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Digital Moment (formerly Kids Code Jeunesse)

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What is computational thinking anyway? • KCJ

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqHL589xV88

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Joe Madsen
Science Specialist
jlmadsen@cbe.ab.ca

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https://www.csunplugged.org/en/topics/

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The CS Unplugged material is open source on GitHub, and this website's content is shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. The CS Unplugged is a project by the Computer Science Education Research Group at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Icons provided generously byicons8.

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https://www.thingstoshareandremember.com/snow-pants-first-printable-sequence-chart/

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Share & Remember | Celebrating Child & Home

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It may be March but it's still winter in Wisconsin! We have snow on the ground yet so outdoor play requires snow pants, coats, boots, mittens and hats. If you live where it snows, you know the drill. Perhaps you've said, "Snow pants first!" a million times.

Helping my group of eight get ready to play outside is a big task. Even with help, getting everything on can be overwhelming for the child too. There's quite a few steps and sometimes a process for getting each item on.

In an effort to help children learn the steps and minimize everyone's frustration, I made a visual reminder of the steps to getting ready to go outside. Mine is personalized, with actual pictures of my child care children putting on their coats and snow pants, but this version works for everyone. Just print, laminate if desired and post near the closet. Show it to your children and talk about what comes first, second, third, and so on.

Snow Pants First Printable Sequence Chart

Download Get Ready to Play in the Snow Sequence Printable here.

The numbered photo chart helps children gain independence dressing themselves. Often I find they can do it, they just put things on in the wrong order which leads to frustration since they may need to start over if they forgot to put on snow pants first.

I have boots listed as second because it's easier to bend over and put on boots without having the bulk of a coat. Then the coat and hat afterwards so if the child uses the flip-coat-over the-head method, they won't lose their hat or get caught on mid flip. Gloves are always last.

I can't help every child at once so I let the older ones do as much as they can on their own while I help the younger ones. Then I start helping with zippers and more complicated things like putting snow pants elastic over boots, tucking mittens under the coat cuffs and getting things comfortable.

It's not a cure-all but it can help if you teach children to look at the chart, think and then put on their things in this order. And that's what we want children to do - think and dress independently!

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Snow Pants First Printable Sequence Chart

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Snow Pants First Printable Sequence Chart helps preschool children learn to independently get ready to play in the snow.

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https://studio.code.org/catalog?grade=kindergarten

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Anyone can learn computer science. Make games, apps and art with code.

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https://lightbot.com/hour-of-code.html

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Sarabeth Asis
Specialist, Teaching and Learning with Technology
saasis@cbe.ab.ca

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Coding with young children - a free app for tablets

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With ScratchJr, young children (ages 5-7) can program their own interactive stories and games.

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A book that talks about seasons and building a creating a positive relationship with nature.

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A great little book that tells of the life cycle of a dandelion (computer science) through action words and concrete poems.

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A book that reminds us to use our 5 senses in less common ways in our every-day lives.

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Describes the life of a garbage truck using our 5 senses.

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Makes the connection between baking and compute coding!

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A fun book that fits the concepts of coding and computer science into the every-day life of a girl named Pearl and her trusty robot.

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Krista Jensen
Early Learning Specialist
knjensen@cbe.ab.ca