TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Nov 25, 2018

Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive

 

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Twitter Chat: Coding 101 - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites 0  Comments
This archived Twitter chat is from November 2018 and will open in Wakelet. The title of this chat is: Coding 101. Through this chat, participants will: 1. Explore the fundamentals ...more
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This archived Twitter chat is from November 2018 and will open in Wakelet. The title of this chat is: Coding 101. Through this chat, participants will: 1. Explore the fundamentals of coding and creation, 2. Discuss ways to use technology to inspire our students to problem solve and think critically and 3. Share tech tools to help teachers introduce coding. Find great tools and resources to help create lessons that incorporate coding skills.

tag(s): coding (87), computers (105), twitterchatarchive (172)

In the Classroom

Find tools and resources to create lessons that incorporate coding. Share this chat with your colleagues looking for sites and information related to coding. Explore the various tools that are shared.

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Disney Hour of Code Digital Toolkit - Moana: Wayfinding with Code - Disney and Code.org

Grades
2 to 6
1 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Participate in Hour of Code activities using Disney's Moana as an engaging introduction to computer science. This site includes videos, a printable PDF toolkit, and a hands-on coding...more
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Participate in Hour of Code activities using Disney's Moana as an engaging introduction to computer science. This site includes videos, a printable PDF toolkit, and a hands-on coding adventure geared toward students ages eight through twelve. There is information in the toolkit sharing suggestions for preparing for your Hour of Code activities including coordinating volunteers and providing the appropriate technology needed for the session.

tag(s): coding (87), computational thinking (41), computers (105), STEM (259)

In the Classroom

Take advantage of these free materials to plan your Hour of Code activities for your school or classroom. Although created for Hour of Code, use these materials to create student interest in computer science at any time. Find many other coding activities and tutorials for all ability levels at Code, reviewed here. Instead of using the invitation provided in this activity, enhance learning and have students personalize and create their own flyer and invitations using Canva for Education, reviewed here. Use Canva after your activity to send thank you notes to volunteers. Extend learning and have students share their coding stories (including successes and failures) using Flip, reviewed here. Encourage students to continue to learn about coding and computer science using Scratch, reviewed here, to create their own learning games.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

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Turtle Academy - TurtleAcademy

Grades
4 to 12
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Turtle Academy offers lessons in LOGO programming language for beginner programmers. Select the Lessons link from the top left to begin and follow lesson activities. For those with...more
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Turtle Academy offers lessons in LOGO programming language for beginner programmers. Select the Lessons link from the top left to begin and follow lesson activities. For those with some programming experience, this site allows you to select any portion of lessons as a starting point. In addition to lessons, take advantage of Turtle Academy's playground to create, share, and save programs.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): coding (87), computers (105), logic (163), STEM (259)

In the Classroom

Share Turtle Academy with students as part of a computer coding center. The ability to select different portions of lessons makes this a great tool for both novice and experienced programmers. Ask more proficient students to become advisors to newer programmers and share their knowledge and skills. Begin using this site by demonstrating lessons and activities on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Modify student learning and understanding by asking them to create video explainers for different skills using a tool like Clipchamp, reviewed here. then share videos on your class website for student use at any time. Looking for other coding activities for your classroom? Find more at TeachersFirst's Coding in the Classroom special topic page.

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Computational Thinking - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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Dig into the meaning of computational thinking with this collection of resources. Computational thinking is expressing solutions so that humans and computers can understand them. A...more
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Dig into the meaning of computational thinking with this collection of resources. Computational thinking is expressing solutions so that humans and computers can understand them. A great way to visualize how to embed it in your classroom is to have the students think like the physicist, economist, artist, mathematician, etc. to identify the problems that need to be explored. This is not programming computers but logical ways for problem-solving. It is a problem-solving tool for every classroom that has students think like a problem solver and use higher level cognitive skills.

tag(s): computational thinking (41), engineering (117), logic (163), problem solving (225), STEM (259)

In the Classroom

Bring problem-solving and computational thinking into your classroom with these tools. Share on your class website, projector, whiteboard, or on individual devices. Topics range from coding to charts to logic.

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The Code Player - thecodeplayer.com

Grades
6 to 12
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Learn to code through videos demonstrating actual typing of code to create items from scratch. Scroll through the page to choose a demo featuring HTML5, CSS, Javascript and more. Click...more
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Learn to code through videos demonstrating actual typing of code to create items from scratch. Scroll through the page to choose a demo featuring HTML5, CSS, Javascript and more. Click the demo image, then Play, Walkthrough, or View code. Project ideas include creating an interactive to-do list, text bubbles, or hover over information over images, and much more. After selecting a video, go to the upper left corner and click to play the walkthrough or view the code. Playing the walkthrough takes viewers through typing the code from beginning to end. There is no audio/sound.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): coding (87), computational thinking (41), computers (105), critical thinking (112), design (82), logic (163), problem solving (225), STEM (259), tutorials (51), video (256)

In the Classroom

The Code Player is an excellent tool for anyone who prefers to watch demonstrations to learn instead of reading or listening to directions. Depending on the coding abilities of your students, choose one of the demos to display on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector and learn together. Have groups of students choose a different coding format to complete an activity. Use this site as a model for you or your students to create your own screencasts sharing how-to projects with coding. Enhance learning by using a tool like Screencastify, reviewed here. Screencastify works with the Chrome browser to record your screen and capture audio recordings. Have more advanced students create their own coding projects for classroom use.

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Minecraft Hour of Code Tutorials - code.org

Grades
2 to 12
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Use code to make your own Minecraft game or learn the basics of computer coding by moving characters through a Minecraft world with these Hour of Code activities. From the ...more
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Use code to make your own Minecraft game or learn the basics of computer coding by moving characters through a Minecraft world with these Hour of Code activities. From the top of the page choose one of the Minecraft Activities like Voyage Aquatic, Heros Journey, Adventurer, or Designer. These activities teach and reinforce coding skills through the familiar Minecraft game. Scroll down the page to watch one of the inspirational video as an introduction. Free resources include a lesson plan, videos, computer science curriculum, and a teacher training. The free trial is limited by the number of logins and includes 25 for teachers with an Office 365 Education account and 10 for all other users. Trial logins cannot be refreshed.

tag(s): coding (87), computational thinking (41), computers (105), critical thinking (112), design (82), problem solving (225), STEM (259)

In the Classroom

Make coding part of science inquiry or math logic in any classroom. Include it as part of scientific method or discussions about careers in science. You may even want to portray coding as just another "world language" in today's world. Be sure to look at all the implementation advice before introducing these extensive coding resources to your class. It would be wise to complete the Hour of Code yourself, so you will feel comfortable helping students if they get stuck. Better yet, invite a few students to do an hour with you after school and learn together! You will have a team of "techsperts" to help their peers. Plan an hour of Code on nationally designated days or on your own calendar! Invite the PTA/PTO to host a coding event. Select a video from this site to use to introduce Computer Science to your students. If you only have a few computers, introduce this tool using a projector or interactive whiteboard and bookmark it as a learning station with earbuds/headphones. Encourage students to help each other when they have difficulty. Share this on your website for students to use at home, too.

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E.A.K. (Erase All Kittens) - Drum Roll

Grades
1 to 6
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Erase All Kittens is an online activity that teaches HTML coding. As you play, learn how to build ledges, add boxes, and more as your friend Arka endeavors to save ...more
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Erase All Kittens is an online activity that teaches HTML coding. As you play, learn how to build ledges, add boxes, and more as your friend Arka endeavors to save the missing kittens. Short demos and tips throughout the activity guide players on how to add and edit code. This review is for the free first two levels only; click Free Trial to get it.

tag(s): coding (87), computational thinking (41), computers (105), critical thinking (112), logic (163), problem solving (225), STEM (259)

In the Classroom

Introduce Erase All Kittens on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Allow students to explore and learn on their own at classroom computer centers or individual laptops. Provide a link to Erase All Kittens for students to access at home. Create a bulletin board for students to post achievement levels. Enhance learning by having student "coding experts" create video tutorials using Screencast-o-matic, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here.

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Coding In the Classroom Resources - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites 0  Comments
This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students learn about coding, and for use as a guide for finding the appropriate tools for use...more
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students learn about coding, and for use as a guide for finding the appropriate tools for use with all grade and skill levels. Nurture problem solving, logic, and creativity. Find resources for just one hour of code or for use as ongoing technology lessons.

tag(s): coding (87), computational thinking (41), computers (105), critical thinking (112), design (82), makerspace (41), problem solving (225), STEM (259)

In the Classroom

Explore these resources for use with after-school computer clubs or as an excellent tool when recruiting skilled parent volunteers. Turn the intimidating content of computer programming into an exciting learning adventure for all with these helpful sites!

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Code - Hadi & Ali Partovi

Grades
K to 10
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Code is designed to spark interest in learning to code, especially among girls and the very young. Find lessons for beginners, kindergartners to tenth graders (or older). Start by clicking...more
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Code is designed to spark interest in learning to code, especially among girls and the very young. Find lessons for beginners, kindergartners to tenth graders (or older). Start by clicking either Teach or Learn in the top menu bar. Select challenges by grade level or find individual challenges with titles like Frozen, Star Wars, Sports, Dance Party, Minecraft, Flappy Code, and more. The challenges and puzzles use a drag and drop process and problem-solving skills. Find everything an early coder needs to get started coding; click Teach at the top right to find a full course catalog and a grade level chart for the courses. There are also "unplugged tutorials" for classrooms without computers.

tag(s): coding (87), computational thinking (41), computers (105), critical thinking (112), problem solving (225), STEM (259), women (136)

In the Classroom

Make coding part of science inquiry or math logic in any classroom. Include it as part of scientific method or discussions about careers in science. You may even want to portray coding as just another "world language" in today's world. Once you've registered you will have a Dashboard; Note, the "Professional Learning" is not free. It would be wise to complete the Hour of Code yourself so you will feel comfortable helping students if they get stuck. Better yet, invite a few students to do an hour with you after school and learn together! You will have a team of "techsperts" to help their peers. Select the Learn button from the top menu to find two links for educators. Plan an hour of Code on nationally designated days or on your own calendar! Invite the PTA/PTO to host a coding event. Select a video to use to introduce Computer Science to your students. Introduce this tool using a projector or interactive whiteboard and bookmark it as a learning station with earbuds/headphones. Encourage students to help each other when they have difficulty. Share this on your website for students to use at home, too.

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