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Dash and Dot are robots that can sense, act and think! Students use block coding on four different iPad apps to control their robots. The durable and child friendly robots are a safe and easy way to...

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Computational thinking for Early Elementary

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Computational thinking for Early Elementary

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Makeblock is an educational programmable electronic robot kit building platform that helps you to learn STEM or DIY robots. Robot kits include mBot, mBot ranger, ultimate etc

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https://santatracker.google.com/educators.html

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https://www.thefoos.com/webgl/

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Dot and Dash Task Cards for Hour of Code

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Dot and Dash Task Cards for Hour of Code

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http://hourofcode.makewonder.com/grades-2-5.html

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Check out www.ignitemyfutureinschool.org

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Log into Discovery Education to hear Nina and the Neurons explain coding.

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Log into Discovery Education to hear Nina and the Neurons explain coding.

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https://tinyurl.com/ybp45nq9

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Here is a list of unplugged lesson ideas from Code.org
https://code.org/curriculum/unplugged

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We've compiled a list of all of our unplugged lessons for you to use in your classroom. Now you can teach the fundamentals of computer science, whether you have computers in your classroom or not!

We refer to lessons in which students are not working on a computer as "unplugged." Students will often work with pencil and paper or physical manipulatives. These are intentionally placed kinesthetic opportunities that help students digest complicated concepts in ways that relate to their own lives.

Unplugged lessons are particularly useful for building and maintaining a collaborative classroom environment, and they are useful touchstone experiences you can refer to when introducing more abstract concepts. Each of these activities can either be used alone or with other computer science lessons on related concepts.

Ages 4+, English only

Course

Lesson Plan

Concept

Video

Loops

Impacts of Computing

Course C

Sequencing

Loops

C.15 - Binary Bracelets
*Supplies: Markers. Optional - 18 black/18 white beads, 1 pipe cleaner per student
Binary is extremely important in the world of computers. The majority of computers today store all sorts of information in binary form. This lesson helps demonstrate how it is possible to take something from real life and translate it into a series of ons and offs.

Binary

Impacts of Computing

Digital Citizenship

Course F

Variables

For Loops

The following lessons are organized by concept and can be found in earlier versions of our CS Fundamentals courses. Additional resources you may want to consult as you plan to use these lessons include:

Digital Citizenship
Crowdsourcing

*Common Sense Education has a full Digital Citizenship Curriculum that includes many unplugged activities.

Functions

Functional Suncatchers
In this lesson, students will make a suncatcher out of string, beads, and a special charm. The students will follow a series of repetitive steps, then be asked to identify certain sets of "skills" that are duplicated several times. Once those skills are defined, they will be called from a main program and the whole beautiful process of creation will be recorded on a single sheet of paper. The final program will be geared toward the entire class, whatever their type of string, beads, and charms. To effectively allow for this, students will need to "abstract out" the details of their specific materials and create vague terms for an individual's supplies. This use of generic placeholders is a wonderful introduction to variables.

Lesson Video
See Lesson in Action
Activity Answer Key Assessment Answer Key

Algorithms

Dice Race
In this lesson, students will relate the concept of algorithms back to real-life activities by playing the Dice Race game. The goal here is to start building the skills to translate real-world situations to online scenarios and vice versa.

Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking with Monsters
With nothing but paper and markers, students will learn the four steps of computational thinking. After a brief introduction, students should be split into groups where they will have to create directions for other students to draw a specific monster (from a catalog of pre-selected monsters). The entire task must be decomposed, then teams will analyze all monsters in the catalog for patterns, abstract similar details from the monsters, then use that information to create an algorithm (directions) for another team to draw a certain monster. Teams will then switch algorithms with another group and draw the monster based on what that algorithm indicates. Is the drawing what the original team intended?

Persistence

Building a Foundation
New and unsolved problems are often pretty hard. If we want to have any chance of making something creative, useful, and clever, then we need to be willing to attack hard problems even if it means failing a few times before we succeed. In this lesson, students will be building a structure with common materials. The structure will be tested on its ability to hold a textbook for more than ten seconds. Most students will not get this right the first time, but it's important they push through and keep trying.

Abstraction

Mad Glibs
Abstraction is one of the most important skills for a computer scientist to understand. It simplifies problems and prevents unnecessary repetition. A good coder uses abstraction just about every time she creates a program. This activity will have your students analyze stories for differences so that they can abstract them away. Those abstracted stories become templates for fun and crazy new ones.

Variables ​

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We've compiled a list of all of our unplugged lessons for you to use in your classroom. Now you can teach the fundamentals of computer science, whether you have computers in your classroom or not! We refer to lessons in which students are not working on a computer as "unplugged."

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A computer coding game is a really fun way to introduce the basic concept of computer coding to young kids. Even better if you make it a superhero computer coding game! Plus you don't actually have to have a computer, so it's a cool tech-free idea. This homemade coding game was pretty easy to set up and can be played with over and over again with any type of pieces. Use superheroes,LEGO, My Little Ponies, Star Wars, or whatever you have to learn a little about programming.

Superhero Computer Coding Game. No Computer Required.
SUPERHERO CODING FOR KIDS!
Use basic programming ideas to help Batman avoid the bad guys and get the jewels! You have to get him to move on the right path around the obstacles using basic programming commands. Plus it's an awesome STEM activity. STEM is science, technology, engineering, and math.
MAKE A COMPUTER CODING GAME BOARD
Let's get started on your computer coding game board
SUPPLIES:
I didn't even use a ruler! Amazon Affiliate links below.
Poster Board
Post It Note or Business Card Sheets {we have used these too!}
Superheroes LEGO Obstacles {or whatever you have!}
I used the size of my post it note pads (had 4 separate little pads) to determine the size of the squares to make the grid. Then I went ahead and laid out the tape using the pads lined up for reference to create a pretty straight line with the tape. Obviously if the tape is creasing and folding, you aren't straight! I wasn't going for perfection but a simple grid that was mostly straight. You can also use a marker and ruler.

HOW TO PLAY A SUPERHERO COMPUTER CODING GAME
CODING COMMAND CARDS
We used three commands. Forward. Turn Left. Turn Right. We did not label each sticky note but took the bottom one from the pile. You can cut cards and label each one with the appropriate action. Both ways are pretty reusable.
COMPUTER CODING GAME OBSTACLES
If you don't put obstacles on the board for your chosen character, you will not have a lot of fun commands to program. Set up obstacles in any of the squares. An adult can do this for kids. You can scan to make sure a route is available.
HAVE AN END POINT OR FINISH TO THE GAME
Remember the game can be different each time! You choose the obstacle placement and the finish. We chose a cluster of jewels to be our finish point. Multiple kids can play with multiple characters and multiple finish points. I used Wonder Woman and a separate set of jewels.
CHOOSE A STARTING POSITION
You can also choose to have your character start facing different directions, forward, facing left, or facing right!
WRITE THE CODE
Start the game. Write the code! You want ample space to lay the code out in front of you. You may have to overlap the cards. What is the shortest or most efficient route to get to your finish point. Lay out forward, left turn, and right turn cards as you move. You can not turn and move forward in one command. They are two separate commands. Move your character as you go.

ADVANCED VERSION: Do not move your character as you go and plan the commands out in your head and place them out on the table. Then move your character through the series of command and see if you got it right!

There are endless possibilities with this homemade computer coding game. You can even create your own special cards such as your character can push an obstacle as his/her move! Play it over and over again with a new route each time. Although this game is fun with a couple players, it can also be a great independent play game. Great rainy day activity!

Superhero Computer Coding Game for Kids

We are participating in the 28 Days of Hands-On STEM activities for kids! Check out the homepage to see a list of all the great STEM activities you can look forward to this month. Looks like some amazing ideas!
MORE STEM IDEAS FROM THIS SERIES. Click on photos.

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Computer Coding Game No Computer Needed Superhero Activity

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A computer coding game is a really fun way to introduce the basic concept of computer coding to young kids. Even better if you make it a superhero computer coding game! Plus you don't actually have to have a computer, so it's a cool tech-free idea.

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Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3

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Scratch is a free programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations.

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Lesson Ideas: https://www.scratchjr.org/teach/activities

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

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Code Monster gets kids excited about programming. It is a combination of a game and tutorial where kids experiment with learning to code.

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https://www.primotoys.com/

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Floors is no longer available for download starting January 1st, 2017. Read more here.

Pixel Press Floors is changing the way we experience mobile games by letting anyone be the creator, publisher and player of their own video game. With the Pixel Press creator platform, you can literally draw your own video game - no coding required.

Welcome to Pixel Press Floors

Have you always wanted to create your own video game but never knew where to start?

Pixel Press Floors offers a revolutionary and simple way to create & play games - create on paper with "Draw-on-Paper" and take a picture of it, create directly on the screen just like you would on paper with "Draw-in-App", and then share & play games created by you and the entire community in the "Arcade".

Device Support: Creating directly from paper with "Draw-on-Paper" and "Draw-in-App" is now supported on all iPad's 2+. Playing the "Arcade" is available on all iPads and iPhone 4s+ and iPod 5th Gen+.

Bring your video game ideas to life, simply by drawing!

Pixel Press Floors is changing the way we experience mobile games by letting anyone be the creator, publisher and player of their own video game. With our creator platform, you can literally draw your own video game - no coding required.

By recognizing the shapes ("glyphs") you draw on paper or in the app using our "Draw-in-App" tools, we instantly turn your level blueprint into a game that can be tested, designed, played - and most importantly, published to the "Arcade" where others can enjoy your level and you can track how many times it's played.

How it Works

What do I need to create?

> Pixel Press Floors app - You'll need an iPad to "Create-from-Paper" and play - and you can create directly in the app just like you would on paper using touch or a stylus with our "Draw-In-App" tools.

> Paper, Pencil & our Sketch Guide (optional) - Print the free Sketch Guide at home (visit projectpixelpress.com to download the PDF) and take a picture of what you create with your iPad's camera.

How do I create?

The glyphs you draw (for example an "x" is a spike and a "+" is a coin) are transformed into gameplay objects. From there you can apply a design to the element, test it, and play it. It's that simple, and once you learn the glyphs, you'll be creating like a pro.

Full instructions on how to create can be found in our Sketch Guide and How-to Videos at projectpixelpress.com.

Turn your drawings...

> Run & jump Mario-style gameplay
> Play and create your own games for free - optional in-app purchases to unlock new tools like enemies and new power-ups
> Create with 14 creator glyphs: terrain, moving blocks, ladders, portals, monkey bars, power-ups, coins, super coins, falling blocks, spikes, exploding blocks, start and end position, pits & fire balls, and keys
> Featuring two original themes to create from, "Save the Parents" and "Fiddleheads: Stones of Eden"
> Publish your levels to the Arcade and see level leaderboards, times played, and level likes
> No ads
> Retina support
> Supports iOS 7 MFi Controllers

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Floors is no longer available for download starting January 1st, 2017. Read more here. Pixel Press Floors is changing the way we experience mobile games by letting anyone be the creator, publisher and player of their own video game. With the Pixel Press creator platform, you can literally draw your own video game - no coding required.

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Lately I have been thinking about how to integrate technology and visual arts in the classroom in a more visual way. The A in STEAM is an equal participant and sometimes it is seen as an afterthought. So I am focusing on ways to create STEAM lessons wherein the artistic product is just as important as the process itself.

I have been playing around with the idea of using robots to create artwork in the classroom. There are many examples of how machines and technology assist artists in the creation of their masterpieces, so what about using the robot as an artistic tool, like a marker or paintbrush?

In this article, I will discuss our classroom adventures with our robots, Dot and Dash, and provide a round-up of links/ideas for creative play.

Dot and Dash by Wonder Workshop

My art classroom recently received 2 very special robots named Dot and Dash from Wonder Workshop. You can find them . These robots can be controlled and coded using Wonder Workshop's 5 Apps that are free and available for phones and iPads.

We were so excited to open the boxes in class! My middle school students instantly fell in love with them. When you turn them on, they immediately interact with their surroundings! They speak, dance, sing, act like light swords, move, laugh, and accumulate Robot IQ the more you work with them. Instantly, the students treated them as our class pets or mascots.

Our ultimate mission was to figure out how to create artwork with them. We focused on Dash because this robot moves and we were able to navigate it. Some of the attachments that helped us in our quest, were the LEGO-compatible connector pieces that come with the robots. We brainstormed how to attach a marker. How could we use this attachment best? What could we put on it to help Dash hold a marker? What would Dash's artwork even look like? How much could we, as artists, control?

We are in the process of experimenting further, but the next day, a student brought in a LEGO arm/hand from an old set to observe Dash's artistic abilities. A small group of students set out to test this and the results were amazing. Using Wonder Workshop's Blocky coding app and Wonder app, Dash began moving around the paper with marker in hand. You can see our progress during these Dash and Dot activities in the image below.

Dot and Dash Project Links

Dot and Dash can also work with Makey Makey. Dash can actually use a Makey Makey to play the drums! Check out this wonderful YouTube video . The "Dash & Dot Show" have many episodes showing the amazing things that these little friends can do!
Here Are Some Other Dash and Dot Activities

Wonder Workshop's Play Ideas

9 Cool Coding Projects For Kids Using the Dot and Dash Robots from Wonder Workshop

Dash Draw from Wonder Workshop

Makerspace For Education Dot and Dash Student Challenges

The Digital Scoop: Dot and Dash

Helpful EducationCloset Links

"Coding & Music Notation for the Hour of Code" by Dyan Branstetter

"A STEAM Wishlist: 5 Tools for Creative Play" by Brianne Gidcumb

"Designed to Code"

How can robots be used for Creative Play? Let us know in the comments below!

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Using Robots to Create Art: Dot and Dash Edition

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Lately I have been thinking about how to integrate technology and visual arts in the classroom in a more visual way. The A in STEAM is an equal participant and sometimes it is seen as an afterthought.

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Dash and Dot Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nM3WsevvfM

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Puzzlets is a physical bluetooth acessory for your tablet or computer used to play Puzzlets-specific games. Each game focuses on a traditionally "challenging" STEAM subject, such as coding, math, or color theory. Recognizing the value of innovative thinking, as a result teachers are incorporating hands-on-play in their lessons and classrooms all over the country.

Introduce interactive games for kids with Puzzlets for developmental, digital, and intrinsic skills. Built upon 21st Century Skills and Habits of the Mind, Puzzlets is the only hands-on gaming system included in CSforAll.

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Puzzlets - Award-Winning EdTech Product from Digital Dream Labs

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Puzzlets is a physical bluetooth acessory for your tablet or computer used to play Puzzlets-specific games. Each game focuses on a traditionally "challenging" STEAM subject, such as coding, math, or color theory. Recognizing the value of innovative thinking, as a result teachers are incorporating hands-on-play in their lessons and classrooms all over the country.

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https://www.raspberrypi.org/resources/learn/

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Raspberry Pi Hardware Guide | Raspberry Pi Learning Resources

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Got a Raspberry Pi? Great! Let's get started by making sure you have all the cables and accessories you will need, and showing you how to plug them all in.

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Join over 150,000 schools in delivering the best Computer Science education for your students. All the curriculum, tools and resources you need to support your students on their path to coding success.

Tynker Curriculum Grant

FREE access to full curriculum for up to 30 students for the school year. Learn more

Built for Educators

With award-winning lesson plans, automatic grading tools and easy student management, getting started is as easy as 1-2-3!

Hands-on Learning

Students learn through videos, puzzles and hands-on coding in our interactive self-guided courses with over 5,500 learning modules.

No experience required!

You don't have to be a coder. Simply assign ready-to-use interactive lessons for students to complete by themselves!

100% Safe and Secure

Student data is secure and owned by your district. Tynker is COPPA, FERPA, and SOPIPA compliant. Please refer to our privacy center to learn more.

Tynker Curriculum Grant

FREE access to full curriculum for up to 30 students for the school year. Learn more

Over 1,600 contact hours of standards-aligned computer science curriculum for grades K-12 with immersive lessons, teaching materials and automatic grading.

Elementary School

A strong foundation with block coding
31 Courses | 990 Hours

Icon and Block Coding

200 STEM & PBL Projects

Pre-reader Experiences

Digital Citizenship

Creative Coding

Game Design

micro:bit & Lego® WeDo

Augmented Reality

Intro to AI

Explore curriculum

Middle School

Real world programming made fun and easy
19 Courses | 1,000 Hours

Block and Text Coding

300 STEM & PBL Projects

Intro to Coding

Web Development

Python

JavaScript

MicroPython

Augmented Reality

Intro to AI

Explore curriculum

High School

Career and college readiness with AP CS and more
12 Courses | 1,200 Hours

Real-World Text Coding

Python

JavaScript and p5.js

Web Dev with HTML/CSS

Art Effects with p5.js

Data Science

AP CS P with Python

AP CS A with Java

AI/ML with MediaPipe

Explore curriculum

Grade-specific and self-paced, Tynker's interactive K-12 coding curriculum lets students learn by creatively applying coding concepts to core subjects. The curriculum includes over 50 programming courses with over 1,600 contact hours.

Over 150,000 schools teach programming using Tynker

Student data is secure and owned by your district. Tynker is COPPA, FERPA, and SOPIPA compliant. Please refer to our terms of use to learn more.

Tynker offers a variety of free and paid training programs based on your needs. Whether or not you have coding experience, we'll help you earn PD credits and develop the skills you need to support a K-12 coding program at your school.

We created the Blue Ribbon Training Program to help bring computer science to all. Select educators receive exclusive training, tools, and support designed to help them become coding experts. In return, our Blue Ribbon educators commit to making the coding movement a reality across the globe.

How Coding Helps Children Build Resilience and Persistence
View Article

Tynker for Schools: Thank You and Happy New Year!
View Article

How does Tynker Support Learning in Other Areas?

Tynker easily lends itself to supporting all areas of learning. Schools are using Tynker as a way for students to demonstrate their understanding of other subjects such as science and math. Tynker's lessons support and enhance Common Core State Standards.
View Common Core mapping here.

What are Students Creating?

Students are creating all sorts of amazing projects. Check out some of our favorites in our Kid Creations gallery.

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Coding for School: Teach K-12 Students to Code | Tynker | Tynker

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Tynker's free coding courses, lesson plans, easy-to-use tools, comprehensive coding and STEAM curriculum, and educator resources make it easy to implement a CS program for K-12 students.

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Programming for kids, made with love. Easy to follow lessons focused on student outcomes so you can teach your students to code.

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Daisy the Dinosaur: https://tinyurl.com/l29aju9

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This app really does teach the basics of computer programming, which is really cool, and it is simple enough for very young kids, BUT...kids have to be able to read well to learn to play it. It would be nice if the app had an option to read the instructions to you, so younger kids could learn it independently. The character, Daisy Dinosaur, seems to be for very young kids, and the instructions are certainly simple enough for them, if only they didn't have to deal with the frustration of using early reading skills to stumble over the words. I think Daisy is a bit too cutesy for older kids, but they would feel more confident in reading the instructions. If parents don't mind reading the instructions though, the commands are easy to read for beginning readers, and kids as young as 5 or 6 could play it once they learn how.

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‎Learn the basics of coding with Daisy the Dinosaur! Built by the creators of Hopscotch. This free, fun app has an easy drag & drop interface that kids of all ages can use to animate Daisy and make her dance on their screen. Kids will intuitively grasp the basics of objects, sequencing, loops and e...

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https://makeymakey.com/lessons/lesson-plans-lego.pdf

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Teachers guide https://www.playosmo.com/static/downloads/teachers_guide.pdf

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This binder was originally developed for business educators. It has been expanded to include coding resources for any teacher, any subject, any grade level.

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https://csfirst.withgoogle.com/en/hoc2017#

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Teach Computer Science & Coding to Kids - CS First

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Teach computer programming and coding to your kids with the free CS First curriculum. Students can create fun, interactive projects. Sign up and get started today!

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https://www.tynker.com/ide/?p=5817dc1caf923106748b4596

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Turn on the background scrolling to sync with tilemap scrolling

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LEGO System A/S, DK-7190 Billund, Denmark. Must be 18 years or older to purchase online. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure, DUPLO, LEGENDS OF CHIMA, NINJAGO, BIONICLE, MINDSTORMS and MIXELS are trademarks and copyrights of the LEGO Group. ©2020 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved.

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Coding for Kids | Game-Based Programming | CodeMonkey

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CodeMonkey is a leading coding for kids program. Through its award-winning courses, millions of students learn how to code in real programming languages.