This is a short paragraph I submitted for our school’s December newsletter for parents, discussing what we’ve been doing in STEM class in November and are doing this month supporting “The Hour of Code.”
IES Students in STEM in November learned to “code” on our class iPads using the free app, Hopscotch (www.gethopscotch.com). A free eBook with tips for drawing geometric shapes and creating simple games is linked from our STEM class website (stem.wesfryer.com). In December students are using MinecraftEDU software (www.minecraftedu.com) to digitally build, code, and collaborate. These units of study in STEM class support the nationwide “Hour of Code” (www.hourofcode.com) December 9-15, which focuses on computer coding, computer programming jobs, and related skills. Please visit the Hour of Code website, ask your STEM student to tell you about what they’ve built in Hopscotch and MinecraftEDU, and discuss the jobs which can be open to them in the future if they keep studying science, math, engineering, and computer programming!
These are two videos I’m sharing with my STEM students this week to help raise their awareness about “The Hour of Code” and jobs available to computer programmers. Some of my students wrote short posts on their class KidBlog sites today (linked at the top of our STEM website) about The Hour of Code.
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2 responses to “The Hour of Code”
My 13 year old and I walked past a newspaper dispensing machine the other day and she asked, “What’s that for, Daddy?” The machine was empty so it was not obvious. “That’s where you can buy newspapers… when they fill it up.” Her response, “why would anyone PAY for news?”