Computer Science Education Week is finally here! I had so much fun exploring the Hour of Code with my students last year. We ended up doing way more than one hour of code, which was amazing!
To celebrate CS Week this year, I'm going to share several activities I'm using in my classroom to promote computer science education.
Activity 1: Teaching Loops with the Beats Project (A variation of the Getting Loopy lesson from Code.org)
My 1st and 2nd graders had a blast learning about loops using the Made wW/ Code Beats Project.
We began this unplugged computer science by learning some simple movements. I created a set of cards show clap, jump, stomp, and directions. I placed a series of movements in a pocket chart hanging in my room (clap, jump, stop, clap, jump, stomp, clap, jump, stomp). I asked for three volunteers to demonstrate the movements to the class. Once the small group demonstrated the movements, the entire class tried out the movements.
Next, we talked about how the movements repeated and ways we could show that repetition. This is where I introduced the concept of a loop. Finally, we added a right turn after the looped movements.
Once the loops were ready and we had practiced the movement, we learned about The Beats Project. The code for the Beats Project is one big loop of drum beats.
I programed a simple set of beats and had the kids try our loop dance to the beat. They loved dancing to the drum beat! We speed the beat up and down to see how it changed our loop dance.
The kids were then able to go and create their own beat loops. It was fun to hear them planning out their own dances!
Do you have a creative way to teach about coding loops? I would love to hear about it!
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