Guide~Teach~Inspire: Easy Sites and Apps to Teach Code

Thursday, July 10, 2014

I'm joining up for the first time with the Teaching Trio for Technology Thursday.

I just got a grant for another iPad, which brings my classroom total to FIVE!

I am thrilled.

This past year we used a couple apps for learning code and my third graders loved them.

The true test was when I allowed free time on the iPads near the end of the year, and found small groups working on the apps for learning code.

Hurray!

If you're not familiar with what learning code is all about, you are not alone.

In these apps and sites students select and sequence commands to move a character around a screen.

The students can also set up commands for drawing designs and lots more!

It's the first step towards becoming computer programmers and making the big bucks.

The first one I wanted to share is an app called Hopscotch.

I believe it's related to the online site called Scratch that was developed at MIT.

The next app is super easy, and targeted for primary kids.

It's called Daisy the Dinosaur.

I subbed for summer school today, and the students worked on a free website called Tynker.

There are a variety of challenges within games that help develop their programming skills.

Even though it says "Hour of Code" it is accessible all of the time, not just for an hour.

Get out there and get your kids coding!