Biggest Challenges and Favorite Changes?

I’m starting on Unit 6 and making my way down to see where I should start my kids after vacation. I teach K-5.When I was working with Functions with Artist and finished the challenge with too many blocks, I wanted to compare mine with the right solution. A split screen where I could view my blocks and the correct solution would be helpful.

I’ve used Code.org for the past 2 years and I am liking the changes in courses A-F. The intro videos for A and B are great. I actually showed my 2nd graders Stevie’s video too. Great message and connnects perfectly to the work they will be doing.

Course D (3rd) has 2 collects in level 12 and the teacher solution shows that it requires 4 but they’re limited to 2.

Course E (4th) has gotten the best feedback because it starts with the game creator with Star Wars. I would have loved to see that in Course F with another spin to it.

Course F (5th) has obsessively been the most challenging for my students but that’s expected since it is the last course. They are getting frustrated and I see many students not seeing the point.

I will continue to provide feedback though :+1:

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My second graders are using Course C. They are finding the unused code frustrating. They miss being able to drag the code to the trash can. Having a lot of blocks pike up gets overwhelming.

Also in Course C, stage five, puzzle five, when the code is done correctly students get a message That space doesn’t have enough items for me to collect.

Ooh, a split screen is an interesting idea…

Oh, Michelle, the trash can is still there! They should feel free to get rid of blocks that they know they are not going to use. The “unused” blocks feature is only there for when a student is trying to debug and doesn’t want to trash code if they thing they’ll need it later!

Stay tuned for an update to C.5.5. A new puzzle should be there by Monday.

~Kiki

We’ve fixed the Course D puzzle that you mentioned (should be live by Monday) and we’ll definitely consider adding some more excitement to Course F (in the form of Star Wars or otherwise.)

As for the rest of Course F, could you describe a little more the things that are frustrating your students? How do you mitigate that frustration? Can you think of what you would like to see that might help them have their lightbulb moments a little sooner?

~Kiki

My favorite change to the new courses is the new character puzzles in many of the levels. I also like the way students are given all of the blocks needed to complete a puzzle they just have to arrange them in the proper order. I also like the character puzzles to reach the gem in Course C. I would like to see a few more puzzles in Course E.

My 3rd and 4th graders LOVE those games, too! Intersperse more often! (they told me to say that! and I agree)

just when Laurel has to move or a bee needs to move - Level A for sure!
this is in reference to the missing grid to help with number of jumps/moves

In Course A, when you get to beging the coding experience in stage 6… the kids are told to play with the blocks. however, they dod not know HOW to do anything with those blocks yet. Did I miss a video somewhere? I had to go around and help each child understand how to connect the blocks and then click run, etc. the video comes after problem 1. maybe it should be before problem 1.

I do LOVE how they have to DEBUG right away though.

I like the ‘hoping pictures at the top’ to help the kids figure out what to do. as mentioned somewhere in here, seeing gridlines on other levels would help. like the variety of puzzles that helps keep kids interested.

Yes, yes, yes! Lock levels, please!

Great feedback on A.6! I’ve fixed it. Look for the update early next week!

Love how responsive you are responding to feedback, thanks Kiki!

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I have the same issue with my students. They have a hard time figuring out how many steps a character needs to take when there is no grid to follow. They have to imagine the lines. For example, Course B, lesson 8 (all puzzles) Programming with Rey and BB-8. Another example would be Course B, lesson 7, puzzle 10 Programming In A Maze. The students in Kindergarten and First Grade have a hard time visualizing the imaginary lines of the grid. Is there ANY way to add faint lines to the Angry Bird Puzzles and some of the other ones without grid lines?

Hi Valerie:

This is a two part question:

I am having a difficult time with variables. I am having a hard time figuring out the puzzles and because of that I am going to have a hard time teaching it. What is the best way to approach this?

Also I teach grades K-8 and would love to use code again next year, however since all of the courses start with the same puzzles I am concerned that it might be repetitive. How do you suggest that I do this?

Ellen