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):
- Hour of Code? Here’s why you should participate
- Long list of websites by grade
- 15 Unusual Projects
- The Easiest No-coding Way to Build an Education App
This is a long list of online activities related to coding and programming. It is updated once a year so I apologize in advance for any dead links. At any time during the year, click to take you to the master list.
Program on computers, iPads, laptops–whatever works, whatever age. I’ll start this list with web-based options, by grade level and then continue with a mash-up:
Kindergarten
1st grade
2nd grade
3rd grade
4th grade
5th grade
MS
HS
Build an App
- Apps Geyser
- App Inventor–build Android apps on a smartphones; from MIT
- Game Salad
- Glide–create an app from a spreadsheet
- Jotform App Builder
- Metaverse–create apps using Metaverse’s AR platform
- Thunkable
Coding Curriculum
- C-STEM Studio–download to teach computers, science, technology, engineering and math with robotics
- Code Academy
- Coursera
- Everyone Can Code–from Apple
- Free Code Camp
- Google Computer Science for High School–free workshops (with application) for K-12 teachers
- Learn to Code (for free)
- PluralSight
- Ted-ED Think Like A Coder–a 10-episode cartoon-based series to teach kids about coding in a game format
- Tree House
Hour of Code
Miscellaneous
- Animatron–design and publish animated and interactive content that plays everywhere, from desktop computers to mobile devices.
- Basics of Coding–from AT&T
- BeeBop–based on the Beebop floor robot–free
- BotLogic–great for Kindergarten and youngers
- BrainPop coding games
- Build a website–a guide
- Cargo-Bot—logic iPad game
- Cato’s Hike (K+)
- Chrome Experiments–geeky experimentation with programming
- Codea (Perfect for Intermediate+)
- Code.org–learn to code; with teacher accounts, no student emails required (join with Join code)
- Codespace–coding curriculum
- Daisy the Dinosaur—intro to programming
- Edabit–learn to code with interactive challenges
- Foos–app or desktop; K-1
- Grasshopper–coding app for beginners with lesson tutorials; intuitive
- Hopscotch (for up to intermediate–more complicated that Kodable)
- Hummingbird Robotics
- I like programming video
- Kodable–-great for K-2–learn to code before you can read
- Kodu—game programming
- KOOV–by Sony Education
- Learn to code
- LightBot Jr.–programming for six-year olds
- Lightbot–solving puzzles with programming; MS
- Minecraft coding mod
- Move the Turtle–programming via iPad for middle school
- Osmo Coding--a purchased game system to teach coding
- Pencil Code
- Pyonkee–free, a little glitchy
- Robby Leonardi–programmer–a game played about programming in the style of Mario
- Roboblockly–to teach coding and math, from UCDavis
- ScratchJr--for ages 5-7
- Stencyl–build games without coding with downloaded software
- Stickman–draw a stick figure and the site animates it
- Swift Playground–from Apple, includes lessons and challenges designed to teach kids to code
- Symbaloo collection for coding
- TED Talk on young programmers
- Which Language Should You Learn to Code–an infographic of options
Robotics
- C-STEM Studio
- Cue–from Wonder Workshop
- Dash and Dot — from Wonder Workshop–younger thinkers
- Drones
- Mebo
- Robot Don
- Sphero
Scratch
Click for an Hour of Code lesson plan bundle (K-8).
Click for Robotics 101 lesson plan.
Windows apps
More on Hour of Code
6 Unplugged Activities for Hour of Code
Hour of Code–Is it the right choice?
Looking for a Class Robot? Try Robo Wunderkind
PrimoToys–unplugged programming for youngers
Root Robotics–Great Way to Extend Hour of Code
Should Coding be a Part of the Modern School’s Curriculum?
Websites and Apps to Support Hour of Code
Why Should Students Learn Computer Science? A Teacher’s Perspective
Wonder Workshop’s Amazing Dash
@CSEdWeek #hourofcode #hoc #edtech
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.
Great! Looking forward to taking a look at many of these resources, Jacqui!
There are some great ones. I just reviewed Jotforms App, a free way to make an app. I’m thinking about trying it!
So many great resources, Jacqui. Thank you.
Coding is definitely mainstreamed and simplified. It ties into kids’ interest in tech devices. I love it.
I agree. So much easier than learning BASIC when I first had a go in the 80s. 😂
And BASIC sounded so friendly! I never did learn it, but I did enjoy DOS.