"Hour-of-Teaching" Code Mini Workshop

Prior to starting this "Hour of Training", please designate someone to read ahead. You will need to have a few people "prepped" and ready to TEACH an Unplugged Lesson as part of this course.

Links to resources are provided below, but the Teachers are encouraged to teach "outside" of the lesson plan and resources. The educators and professionals who developed this curriculum are ecstatic about the possibility of having everyone contribute to the Best Practices Knowledge Base that is being developed every time someone plans one of the lessons!

Please email me with suggestions, about any part of the program, or add them to the comment section below! Thanks for taking some time out of your busy day to review this material.

• 5 Minutes: Introductions and Ice Breaker (See Below)
• 5 Minutes: Reasons To Teach Kids To Code - Watch Video
• 10 Minutes: Reading & Discussion Portion Of The Training (Click for Curriculum Guide pdf)
• 5 Minutes: Code.Org K-5 Curriculum Introduction
• 5 Minutes: Try It! (Plugged-In Lessons On Code.Org)
• 25 Minutes: Unplugged Lesson Presentation - Getting Loopy
• (Hopefully You Have Someone Who Has Read Ahead!)
• 5 Minutes: Wrap-Up / Discussion / Additional Resources / Replace Electrolytes
• (This Is The Part Where You Register For A Workshop And Tell A Friend!)

Everyone gets an index card. Write your name and why you want to teach code in class on one side, and write your definition of the word "ALGORITHM" on the back! Introduce yourselves and discuss the definitions. Share your reasons for wanting to teach code as a wrap-up activity, and see if any of your answers have changed since the beginning of the session. Most of all....HAVE FUN!

Please spend a few minutes reading this fantastic article from Tynker.Com about why students should learn to code:

LINK TO ARTICLE (Click Here)

Discuss, with your colleagues, what the top three reasons are to include this curriculum into your classes. How can you make time for it?

How will you create assessments?

Discuss how to include CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, PROBLEM-SOLVING, and PERSISTENCE into all your lessons!

Please spend a few minutes creating a TEACHER Account on Code.Org, and try some of the online levels in CodeStudio!

Thinkersmith Mission: “Our mission is to introduce all ages, races and genders to the fun, passionate and creative side of computer science and computational thinking. We strive to provide a positive, low-stress, and energetic environment where any student can safely explore their high-tech curiosities. Through these ideals, we aim specifically to increase equity in the computer sciences as we work to attract and retain girls, women and other non-traditional computer science students. We believe that computers are a tool and that they should neither replace or hinder physical activity, environmentalism, nor philanthropy.”

Using the links below, designate 1-2 people to plan and teach the following lesson. You could also have each person teach the lesson to their class in advance and then use the time in this program to share out observations and best practices.

Use the video above as an opening introduction to the lesson (only if you wish too), and think of creative ways to introduce, teach and assess the lesson. The UNPLUGGED lessons are the key to unlocking the main themes, primary vocabulary, real-world ties, and many other advantages to the overall curriculum. These lessons are the key to overall engagement and energy for teachers and students alike.

Please utilize the TLO Model for this exercise. Designate educators (1-3) to Teach, others to Learn, and 1-2 to be Observers. The Teachers, Learners and Observers of this lesson should all view the lesson with the following question in mind:

Where do you see evidence of the following terms: Creative, Collaborative, Communication, Problem Solving, and Persistence?

When the lesson is complete, the Teachers should be able to explain what they would give as homework, and what they would do to follow-up the lesson the next day. Observers should then give feedback according to the terms above. Discuss, as a group, any ideas that would make the lesson better (think unconventionally and "outside the box"!).

Finally, wrap up the training session by reviewing the additional links below and by having everyone register for the full-day of training at a workshop!

Code.Org Educator Resource Page

Nationwide Training Schedule Map (Click Here To Sign Up For A Free Workshop)

Opening Presentation (Death by PowerPoint) For Fundamentals Class

Code.Org HOUR OF CODE Tutorial Site

Code.Org K-12 Curriculum Site

Code.Org Lesson Plans

Promote Computer Science With These Statistics

About Us (Code.Org) Web Page