In honor of Computer Science Week, students at Woodville have been participating in the Hour of Code the past two weeks. This computer programming initiative allows students to immerse themselves in learning how to create technology, not just use it. Hourofcode.com explains, "The Hour of Code is a global movement introducing tens of millions of students worldwide to computer science, inspiring kids to learn more, breaking stereotypes, and leaving them feeling empowered." Click here to watch an inspirational and informative video about Hour of Code.
In addition to the various coding activities found on Hourofcode.com, younger students have used Made with Code to animate their own monster and create a dance for it! Third and fourth grade students have also had the opportunity to program OzoBots. Working in groups to design a library map, third and fourth grade students then write a code for the OzoBot to follow throughout their library map. I am excited to build upon these introductory coding skills later in the year when students will build their own program from scratch, using Scratch! In Mrs. Machaiek and Mrs. Barbeau's second grade class students had a video-chat session with a class from Castlemaine, Ireland. The students prepared some questions for the Irish students, and had a chance to come up to the computer to chat. We were surprised to learn that our Irish friends only have 93 students and 5 rooms in their whole school! The Irish students also had some questions for us and we shared about daily life in Wakefield, USA. We ended the session by reciting the pledge of allegiance, and the Irish students sang their national anthem. As second grade students continue to study their ancestry and other countries, the second grade teachers and I hope to connect with classes in even more countries!
Click here to check out a video on Twitter! |
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