The Computer Science Discoveries curriculum is designed to be taught in a semester-long course with a minimum of nine weeks of class time.Ĭode.org describes the Computer Science Discoveries curriculum in this way: The two options for middle school classes are called Computer Science Discoveries and Computer Science Fundamentals Express. While they are the organization behind the Hour of Code, has its own separate computer science curriculum. Ĭode.org is one of the most well-known computer science resources out there. What’s great about the Hour of Code website is they don’t just link to the coding activities - they also show you details like:īecause each activity takes approximately one hour, Hour of Code resources are perfect additions to your existing course materials without you needing to rearrange too many lessons!īut if you want something more structured than an activity here or there, our next option could be the perfect fit for you. You can find the most relevant activities to your classroom by using the filters such as grade level and classroom technology. However, you can use the resources on the Hour of Code website any time of year! With hundreds of activities to choose from, it’s a great place to get your feet wet with teaching your students to code.
The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science that takes place during Computer Science Education Week every year. If you want more than just a one-off activity, the next resource on our list has an abundance of options! 3. While these lessons will only fill about an hour of class time, it’s a great way to introduce the basics to your students!
#Lightbot code hour loop 6 free
The free version of SpriteBox is made up of four levels, with each level relating to different aspects of coding.
#Lightbot code hour loop 6 full version
The full version of SpriteBox costs $4.99 per download, but like LightBot, there is a free version available. The concepts students learn from SpriteBox include: While going through the game, students will enter “code mode” at certain points to advance through the levels. SpriteBox is more of a platformer-style game (like Super Mario Bros.) that teaches the basics of coding. SpriteBox is another logic puzzle game from the creators of LightBot. You could also combine LightBot with the next option on our list - SpriteBox! 2. Overall, you could easily use the free LightBot game to introduce the basics of coding in one class period. This is an excellent resource for teachers who are unfamiliar with coding, with examples and screenshots to make sure you can answer common questions from students. To go along with the LightBot demo game, they have a great overview that explains how the game teaches coding. While the full app does have a small price ($2.99 per download), they have a free demo version that will fill about an hour of class time. LightBot is a puzzle game that helps students understand basic programming practices and concepts. In this article, we’ll give you some detailed information about each resource to help you decide which one(s) to use in your classroom. To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of the five best free middle school computer science resources to help you teach coding: Now that most course standards have changed, you need to teach coding as well!īecause coding is becoming a critical skill in many careers, you have a lot of options out there to help you teach your students to code.īut if you never learned to code yourself, how do you even know where to begin? Middle school computer teachers have their hands full teaching Microsoft Word, Google Sheets, and more to hundreds of students every marking period.