Every year in December, students and teachers have a chance to participate in nationwide computer science and coding activities during Computer Science Education Week [1].
Computer Science Education Week, running from Dec. 5-11, is sponsored by the Computing in the Core coalition and is organized by Code.org [2].
This year, the event is even more significant–after intensive work, Code.org and partners launched the K-12 Computer Science Framework [3] to help more students access programming opportunities.
The need for increased attention to computer science learning frameworks and opportunities is evident–a two-year Google study exposed racial and gender disparities[4] in computer science education.
In addition to other Computer Science Education Week activities, the Hour of Code [5] asks students, teachers, and anyone who is interested to devote at least one hour to coding during Computer Science Education Week. Participants can choose from guided tutorials or can join in scheduled Hour of Code activities that education or community groups have organized.
(Next page: 10 can’t-miss computer science resources)
If you need someplace to begin, we’ve gathered 10 resources to help students and educators participate in the week’s activities.
1. Computer Science Education Week website activities [6] include The Hour of Code, Code.org and district partnerships to add computer science classes to every school, and other computer science resources and activities.
2. Hour of Code Week on Nepris [7] offers eight sessions with professionals from AT&T, JoyLabz (Makey Makey), Sphero, and Pearson with more Topics covered include robotics, SEO, computer science, marketing, and career explorations. Teachers may pick one or many or view archived sessions from last year’s Hour of Code Week.
3. Disney launched Moana: Wayfinding with Code [8], a free online tutorial that offers an introduction to the basics of computer science, featuring characters from the Disney animated film, Moana. Created in close collaboration with Code.org, the tutorial will be available in more than 180 countries and 23 languages, including Samoan Polynesian, giving children all over the world the opportunity to learn the basics of coding.
4. Learning.com [9] is inviting elementary and middle schools across the country to Go Bananas for coding via free access to EasyTech and EasyCode Basic during Computer Science Education Week. Schools will have access to ready-to-go lesson plans, a quick start guide and in-depth video tutorials to prepare teachers for the coding curriculum. EasyCode is comprised of game-based coding challenges designed to help students learn to code in CoffeeScript.
5. Hour of Code programs at many Apple locations [10] will include an introduction to Swift Playgrounds, the free new app for iPad that brings coding to life. The interactive interface of Swift Playgrounds encourages beginners to explore working with Swift, the easy-to-learn programming language from Apple, used by professional developers to create world-class apps.
6. Creative Computing [11]‘s guide can be used in a variety of settings (classrooms, clubs, museums, libraries, and more) with a variety of learners (K-12, college, and beyond). No prior experience with computer programming is required.
7. Pythonroom [12]‘s free online curriculum and powerful learning management system makes it easy for teachers of any background to get code into the classroom.
8. Kodable [13] provides a structured transition from symbols into written code focused on student outcomes. Sessions allow educators to integrate a coding curriculum with just 30 minutes a week. Kodable lesson plans are made for teachers without programming experience.
9. CS Unplugged [14] is a collection of free learning activities that teach programming through engaging games and puzzles that use cards, string, crayons and lots of running around.
10. These teacher-led Hour of Code lesson plans [15] are designed for educators who have experience with the Hour of Code and who want to expand their activities.
