What are your goals for your classroom? How will CS or code.org resources help you meet those goals?
My goals are to get students engaged and actively using the computers to not only play games but to use the computer as an education resource to develop their learning.
What are you most excited about when it comes to implementing some of these resources?
I am excited about the unplugged lessons and to use cooperative learning strategies so that students can learn from each other.
What challenges do you foresee in trying to meet your goals?
Well students respond differently to computers as there are some students who only get exposed to computers and technology only in the classroom. These students my respond negatively to try and share their learning as they are not as confident as those students who have been exposed and who have all these gadgets at home to interact with.
What questions do you have that this community might help you answer?
How do I keep students engaged? How to find the time to in cooperate these lessons?
As an ESL teacher, I am always looking for ways to incorporate technology into my instruction. I co-teach mini lessons with a classroom teacher and then we both meet with students in small groups as they work in literacy centers. I think coding, especially Code.org Unplugged lessons, would be great to integrate into Language Arts and Math. It connects well with learning how to sequence a storyâs events in the right order, and patterns in Math. I also think it would be a great addition to Science. I kind of envision using Code.org Unplugged lessons one day a week â maybe on a Monday in Science and then allowing the students to apply what they learned on Code.org by playing those games â this would be a center they could do in rotation and as an activity they could do when they are finished with their work. I would use Partner Programming because the number of computers is limited in my classroom â this would allow for more students to practice coding at once and it would encourage them to work as a team. I think having my ELLs learn how to code will teach them the perseverance they need to tackle reading and writing in English â if they can solve a complicated computing puzzle, they can decode and comprehend the higher-level texts! I also want to encourage them to pursue their interests and realize that they donât necessarily have to be high readers to be good at something. Early success can lead to lifelong learning and possibly a career in computer science!
What are your goals for your classroom? How will CS or code.org resources help you meet those goals? Code.org has so many resources that I would really just rely on them for pretty much all of my lesson planning needs and prep. The unplugged activities, the videos, the journals, and of course the coding courses! As for a goal for my classroom, I want to get the students excited and interested in computer science - I want them to make the cross-curricular connections.
2. What are you most excited about when it comes to implementing some of these resources?
I am excited to see them GET it and to hear them shout about it! Their enthusiasm usually fuels mine. The puzzles are fun so I want them to have fun! I also look forward to them learning how to work with a partner with specific roles and to solve problems on their own without me having to intervene.
3. What challenges do you foresee in trying to meet your goals?
Pretty much the same challenges as Sylvia: time, a space to do it in, computers/ipads to do it on, and a co-teacher who is willing to do this during language arts.
4. What questions do you have that this community might help you answer?
I am a specialist/support teacher - an ESL teacher. How can I incorporate coding into the language art block while still fulfilling the DOJ agreement? How can I teach the computer science standards when I am supposed to be focused on the Reading/Writing standards? Is this really more of an ITC/STEM teacherâs responsibility than mine?
What are your goals for your classroom? How will CS or code.org resources help you meet those goals?
My goal is to incorporate computer science concepts in the classroom routine starting at the beginning of the year. Code.org lesson plans are easy step-by-step directions to follow so that the students will be successful and will have fun while learning new and challenging skills.
What are you most excited about when it comes to implementing some of these resources?
I am most excited about teaching the unplugged lessons so that the students will gain the skills needed so that they will feel excitement when they solve a challenging puzzle.
What challenges do you foresee in trying to meet your goals?
The biggest challenge I foresee is finding the time to incorporate the lessons. Third grade has a very packed curriculum and there is not a lot of extra time. It is great to see the standards that are included in the lessons so that I can plan those lessons when we are teaching those concepts.
What questions do you have that this community might help you answer?
It would be great to see a correlation between the computer science standards from the coding lessons and SOL standards.
⢠What are your goals for your classroom? How will CS or code.org resources help you meet those goals?
As an ITC, I hope to introduce coding to all classes in the building. I plan to use Code.org resources for grades 2-5 and build in times that classes can come to the lab to try the lessons and move through the courses. I also plan to use Codeapillars and Osmos in the K and 1 classrooms to help them with computer science. I also hope to use BeeBots, Spheros, and Scratch with grades 2-5, and I hope to use some of these resources to integrate CS into the curriculum that is already being taught.
⢠What are you most excited about when it comes to implementing some of these resources?
Iâm actually most excited to use Scratch with students to see how they can create programs that will show off their knowledge of other SOL curriculum. However, I believe that the Code.org is needed first so that students will have a basic understanding of what coding is. Then I want to see their creativity.
⢠What challenges do you foresee in trying to meet your goals?
The absolute biggest challenge is TIME. I have been doing the Hour of Code for several years. This is not enough time for us to meet the Computer Science SOL standards. However, that is all the time that many teachers can give to CS. I really want to figure out how to find the time to go more in depth with all students.
⢠What questions do you have that this community might help you answer?
I would really love to know how other schools are implementing a substantial CS program in their elementary schools where all students have the opportunity to learn coding.
What are your goals for your classroom? How will CS or code.org resources help you meet those goals? As an ITC my goal is to implement CS skills across the curriculum in grades K-5. I would use code.org as starting point to introduce lessons, strategies, videos, and activities to my instructional staff. Throughout the school year, I would introduce my staff to other computer science resources outside of code.org.
What are you most excited about when it comes to implementing some of these resources? I am excited to see the creative ways my instructional staff would implement code.org or CS skills in their classroom across the curriculum in grades K-5.
What challenges do you foresee in trying to meet your goals? One challenge that I foresee in trying to meet my goal is getting all instructional staff members on board with implementing CS skills in their classroom. This would include support staff and all specialists who co-teaches with the general ed. teacher.
What questions do you have that this community might help you answer? I would love to hear about ideas and strategies from others in the community.
I am so excited to use code.org in the classroom! I started this year with my first graders and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly most of them caught on. The unplugged lessons and videos were a great way to get my students started. Next year, I will be the STEAM teacher at my school and plan on using code.org for some lessons! I also will be teaching robotics and I think code.org has some great resources to get students mindâs thinking in the CS direction. My goal is to help students understand the importance of coding and how directly it is related to so much of their every day lives. I am excited to watch them think critically and feel joy in solving difficult tasks. I am worried about the difficulty for some students and what to do if students get frustrated. How do you deal with students who get frustrated with some of the puzzles as they get more challenging?
What are your goals for your classroom? How will CS or code.org resources help you meet those goals? As the ITC in the building, I am going to work with the Gifted and Independent Study teachers to incorporated computer science into the schedule as mini lessons, three week lessons.
What are you most excited about when it comes to implementing some of these resources? I think by offering as mini sessions, we can attract more students to try computer science/coding and encourage students to complete one or more modules. I am partial to Scratch because I used that in summer camp and find that if students create accounts, they will continue to work on them.
What challenges do you foresee in trying to meet your goals? I believe time is always a factor. There are usually enough interested students, but many get pulled out to take an assessment or make up missed classwork.
What questions do you have that this community might help you answer? Please share your successes and your âgrows.â It helps to get ideas from other teachers. This is a new standard for Virginia and I feel the shared experiences will help us to reach a level of excellence in teaching CS/coding.
In an idealistic world, all encore teachers should take this course, or a course that outlines the unplugged activities. As a PE teacher, I would love to TEAM teach CS. I would love to team with a classroom teacher.
Iâve learned a lot about coding in this class over the last couple of months. My plan for next year is to build an awareness of how easy it is to use Code.org and to really focus on Hour of Code. I am an Instructional Technology Coach and I will need to start small. This year, I put together a flyer for students to take home all about coding. I picked out a few activities for each grade level that students can do over the summer. Getting student excited first is going to be my first step. Iâm very excited about coding!
My goal is to continue learning about computer science to be effective in the classroom. Also, Y am going to use the unplugged lessons and videos on code.org to help with my instruction. I am excited about seeing the students doing the CS lessons. I can image their enthusiasm. I believe they are going to enjoy having a partner. The challenges I see are time, space and equipment.
My plan for next year is to start the year out in a cooperative learning format. This will allow students to work together, share ideas, and began depending on each other for support as oppose to the teacher. I will begin with the unplugged lessons as these lessons allow for success early on and build confidence in ones abilities. Some of the challenges I foresee is having access to the computer lab on a regular basis. This would require me to use the laptops that are in my classroom as a center and rotate students on a time schedule.
What are your goals for your classroom? How will CS or code.org resources help you meet those goals? I am going to start with unplugged lessons. Then I will introduce code.org as a whole group and we will work through solving a puzzle as a whole group. I am sure once the kids see this they will be itching to try on their own, I will try and reserve one of our computer labs in order to practice at the same time the first time each student logs in. Once the students have the time in the computer lab I will then give students time on the computers in my classroom to complete the assignments independently as a learning center rotation. I will have two student identified as âexpertsâ to assist students as they need help.
What are you most excited about when it comes to implementing some of these resources? I am most excited about how engaged the children will be and the benefits of them being exposed to computer based problem solving at a young age.
What challenges do you foresee in trying to meet your goals? I think I will have some challenges with the âexpertsâ in training them to help and not take over for the struggling student.
What questions do you have that this community might help you answer? I would love a print out of step by step âgetting your class startedâ directions. (one that I can print off and hold in my hands) I find that when directions are on the computer they are harder for me to follow accurately and efficiently.
What are your goals for your classroom? How will CS or code.org resources help you meet those goals? I am going to start with unplugged lessons. Then I will introduce code.org as a whole group and we will work through solving a puzzle as a whole group. I am sure once the kids see this they will be itching to try on their own, I will try and reserve one of our computer labs in order to practice at the same time the first time each student logs in. Once the students have the time in the computer lab I will then give students time on the computers in my classroom to complete the assignments independently as a learning center rotation. I will have two student identified as âexpertsâ to assist students as they need help.
What are you most excited about when it comes to implementing some of these resources? I am most excited about how engaged the children will be and the benefits of them being exposed to computer based problem solving at a young age.
What challenges do you foresee in trying to meet your goals? I think I will have some challenges with the âexpertsâ in training them to help and not take over for the struggling student.
What questions do you have that this community might help you answer? I would love a print out of step by step âgetting your class startedâ directions. (one that I can print off and hold in my hands) I find that when directions are on the computer they are harder for me to follow accurately and efficiently.
My goals for this yearâs after school coding club are:
To review and build another layer to what we already know from last year. I am going to do this by moving to Course C. We began at Course A. Course B seems similar where Course C has different activities and puzzles to work on similar vocabulary and tasks. It will stretch them a little more than last year. I will begin a new group with Course A again. I invite the entire school TK through 5th grade for that new club after our hour of code in December. Because I have done this for a year, I believe that I know a little more of how I will organize the new group. Does this logic sound like it will work?
As a a Computer Science teacher, my goal is to help my student appreciate the Computer Science through meaningful lessons and activities. Since It will be my first time, I know that starting to make the lessons engaging will be a challenge. I am happy that I have code.org as my support group.
I hope to get my second graders through course C at the beginning of the year. Then we can further our learning as the year progresses. Iâm teaching at a brand new school, Campbell School of Innovation that is opening next year. We are still working on building our schedule and program. I canât wait for the school year to start!
What are your goals for your classroom? I would like to make this curriculum a regular part of the instruction I give each week! How will CS or code.org resources help you meet those goals? Youâve really made it simple for us as teacher by providing the lessons, the platform, and the unplugged lessons as well. What are you most excited about when it comes to implementing some of these resources? I am just excited to get started and to see my students level of engagement. What challenges do you foresee in trying to meet your goals? Making sure I stay consistent with allowing enough time for this instruction and practice for the students. What questions do you have that this community might help you answer? What have been everyoneâs greatest successes or failures while implementing this curriculum?
My goals for the classroom are to start using code this school year in my fifth grade class in order to get them excited about it for middle school. I will use the resources from code.org to help me implement my plan of using code each week in our classroom. I am excited about both the unplugged and the plugged in activities. I think the unplugged activities will also help us with our team building skills in class. The challenge I foresee is finding time in our already crammed schedule. Perhaps I will need to implement my plan towards the end of the school year as we are finishing up our testing. Questions I have for the community:
How do you find time in your schedule to also teach coding on top of ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Character Education etc?
How much time do you spend for each lesson?
Do you have the students work at their own pace or stick with you?