TMST: More Hour of Code FUN!

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The countdown is on...Hour of Code starts on Monday!  Yes, I am a little obsessed.  In my blog here, I broke down some ways to participate and get yourself started in designing. This week, I have had so much fun talking to educators about plans and helping them work on designs that I couldn't resist blogging about it again.  
Technology Ted loves to code at code.org
The refreshing thing to me is that Hour of Code is what you make of it.  

For example, one of the houses of K-5 learners I work with is hosting their Hour Of Code playdate style - with experiences set up in each classroom each day of the week that learners of all ages can choose from. Since they do Challenge Based Learning and are actively involved in the big idea of Discovery,  their challenge for the week's activities will be  based around the challenge, "Discover how programmers think".  They are including robotics like Code-a-pillar and BlueBots, unplugged activities, and a variety of apps and sites.  Throughout the week, they'll have learners documenting the experiences so that a reflection video can be constructed and shared.
At my other campus, educators are diving into the Hour of Code in different ways.  For example, one educator is setting up a more guided experience for her learners.  They'll be introduced to the concept of coding and its role in the real world.  Then, the learners will sign up at code.org and track their process in one of the pre-made courses.  They will figure out how many lines of code they can complete as a class over the course of several days.  Once they have learned from the unplugged and plugged activities, they will have an opportunity to apply what they have learned in other apps and programs.  They too, will document in a video.


I'm excited to see what other amazing things will happen - these are just 2 ideas.  For more ideas on how you can structure your Hour of Code, check out these resources and events:
  • Read over ideas shared during the Hour of Code #cisdchat from Tuesday Nov. 29  
  • Participate in the #cisdchat "slow chat" throughout the week of Dec. 5-9.
  • Review more ideas in the DLC's Hour of Code Smore
  • Get with your DLC or other amazing educators on campus - we have ideas!


So I hope sharing these ideas helps to remind YOU that we are better when we share ideas together.  I hope some of these ideas for implementing the Hour of Code inspire you!  
Happy Coding!


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