Week 8 - Programming a Robot (3-4)

Here is a the Angry Birds game that I have just played.

This activity is a set of 20 self-guided puzzles that teach the basics of computer science for users with no prior experience. In each puzzle, students can write a program that gets a character through a maze. This activity uses Blockly, (a visual programming language that has blocks you drag and drop to write programs). 

Even though students will use blocks to write the code, they will be able to see the code they write represented in Javascript, (a text-based language).

This activity maps to the CSTA Standards (Computer Science Teachers' Association) for grades 3-6:

Computational Thinking

• CT.L1:6-01: Understand and use the basic steps in algorithmic problem-solving (e.g., problem statement and exploration, examination of sample instances, design, implementation, and testing).
• CT.L1:6-06: Understand the connections between computer science and other fields.

Computing Practice and Programming

• CPP.L1:6-01: Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, mobile devices, videos, educational software, and web tools) for problem-solving and self-directed learning.
• CPP.L1:6-06: Implement problem solutions using a block-based visual programming language.

Computers and Communication Devices:

• CD.L1:6-01: Demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency with keyboards and other input and output devices.

References:
Code Studio. (2014). Hour of Code: Tutorials for Beginners.Retrieved from http://code.org/learn