Coding Club is a 12 week program for students in third through fifth grade. During the semester, students explore and use different coding platforms such as Scratch Jr., Code.org, Tynker or Microsoft’s Makecode. The first three weeks are dedicated to learning the coding basics while the middle weeks are spent creating playable games and building programmable robots. Lastly, students get the opportunity to dive deeper into a topic of their choice during the passion project.
Aside from gaining knowledge in coding concepts, students build confidence and friendships. Computational thinking (a problem solving technique), communication and critical thinking skills are also enhanced.
Week 1- Intro to Code
- What is Coding Video- Scratch Garden
- Code: Giving instructions to a computer or a robot in a language it understands.
- What is Coding- Song Lyrics PDF
- Unplugged Activity: Coding Relay Race
- Unplugged Activities: Coding activities that do not use a device or a screen.
- Coding Relay Race Family Letter PDF
- Coding Relay Grids PDF
- Code.org Login Link
- If you would like your student’s login information, please email Miss Mikayla
- We did Minecraft Adventure- Hour of Code
- Minecraft Adventure Answer Key PDF
- 3-5 Week 1 Family Flyer PDF
Week 2- Intro to Code
- Sequencing Video- Scratch Garden
- Sequence: The order something happens in
- Sequencing Song Lyrics and Activity PDF
- Secret Panda Dance- Unplugged Activity
- We made a 5 X 5 grid on the floor where certain spaces were “safe” and others were “unsafe” (nothing happens if they stand on an “unsafe” space- they just go to the end of the line and try again). They had to work together to find the sequence of “safe spaces” to get through the grid/maze. We did some rounds where they could not talk or use gestures to help their classmates get through the maze.
- Scratch- Imagine a World
- Students logged into Scratch (a free block based coding platform) and finished the prompt “Imagine a World”. They designed their own world on Scratch.
- Scratch Login Link
- If you would like your student’s username and password, please email Miss Mikayla
- Imagine a World Coding Cards from Scratch PDF
- 3-5 Week 2 Family Flyer PDF
Week 3- Intro to Code
- Algorithm Video
- Algorithm: Step by step directions in order (sequence) to complete a task or goal
- Draw a Face- PDF (unplugged activity)
- Tynker– Dragon Blast
- If you would like your student’s login information, please email Miss Mikayla.
- This is a free account so they will be able to finish Dragon Blast but if they choose to go on to do other puzzles, they might not be able to finish the second puzzle.
- Dragon Blast Answer Key PDF
- Login Steps
- https://www.tynker.com/
- Press student
- Enter your child’s username and password
- Click 3-5 Coding Club Spring 2024 (picture of the computer)
- Click Hour of Code- Elementary School (with the dog and purple creature on it)
- Scroll down to find Dragon Blast
- 3-5 Week 3 Family Flyer PDF
Week 4- Robotics
- Decomposition Video
- Decomposition: Breaking a big problem down into smaller, more manageable problems
- Decomposition Song Lyrics and Activity PDF
- Unplugged Rocket Ship- Decomposition (free download)
- Spheros
- In class we used the Sphero Bolt
- Students could code their robot to complete a Dot to Dot challenge or a Snowflake challenge.
- 3-5 Week 4 Family Flyer PDF
Week 5- Robotics
- Debugging Video
- Debugging Lyrics and Activity PDF
- Treasure Map- Unplugged Debugging (sign up for a free account and a free 30 day trial)
- How to Help Children Learn from Mistakes
- Riley Rover/EV3
- Students could code their robot to drive 10 feet and stop on a line, trace a shape or complete a home run.
- 3-5 Week 5 Family Flyer PDF
Week 6- Robotics
- Pattern Recognition Video
- Pattern Recognition: Finding similarities between different problems
- Riley Rover/ EV3
- Students could choose to work on their 10 foot line challenge or attach a color sensor and complete a color maze.
- 3-5 Week 6 Family Flyer PDF
Week 7- Game Design
- Loops Video
- Loops: A repeating sequence of code
- Loops Lyrics and Activity PDF
- Unplugged Loops Activity
- Try out the Happy Map Cards XL and use the manipulatives to create your own map! Is there a way to use a nested loop? A nested loop is when there is a repeat loop inside of a repeat loop. The below picture tells the computer to make 9 jars of honey.
- Galga Game on Microsoft’s Makecode Arcade
- Scroll down to the tutorials section, then press the arrow on the right side of the screen to find Galga. They will be in the tutorial mode but once they complete the tutorial they will be in free code mode.
- Miss Mikayla emailed their started games.
- If your student would like to save their progress, please help them make an account using a Google (gmail) or Microsoft account. If they do not have either of those, you are welcome to tie their game to your account!
- Miss Mikayla’s Completed Tutorial Example Game (click show code to see inside of the game)
- Galga Notes and Picture Walkthrough PDF
- 3-5 Week 7 Family Flyer PDF
Week 8- Game Design
- Abstraction Video
- Abstraction: the process of removing details to make a solution work for other problems.
- Unplugged Abstractin Activity- Guess What
- Take turns drawing and guessing. One person will pick a card from the pile (or make up your own) and then draw the item listed on the card. The other person will try to guess what the item is.
- Guess What Examples and Information PDF
- Guess What Cards PDF
- Scratch Login Link
- If you need your student’s Scratch login information, please email Miss Mikayla
- Miss Mikayla’s Whack A Mole Game Example
- Whack-A-Mole Picture Guide
- 3-5 Week 8 Family Flyer PDF
Week 9- Game Design
- Conditionals Video
- Conditionals: Lines of code that make a decision, usually phrased in an If/Then statement.
- Conditionals Song Lyrics and Activity PDF
- Conditionals Blog Post- Scratch Garden
- Code.org Unplugged Conditionals with Cards Game
- Scratch Login Link
- If you need your student’s login information, please message Miss Mikayla
- Miss Mikayla’s Try Not to Get Hit Scratch Game
- Miss Mikayla’s Try Not To Get Hit ADVANCED Scratch Game
- 3-5 Week 9 Family Flyer PDF
Week 10- Passion Project
- Variables Video
- Variables: Used in code to store and change information
- Variables Article- Scratch Garden
- Variables Song Lyrics and Activty PDF
- This week students will begin working on their Passion Project. This is their chance to design their own challenge with Lego or create their own idea on Scratch. Our job is to help their ideas come to life. Students will present their ideas during our awards ceremony (last day of classes).
- 3-5 Week 10 Family Flyer PDF
Week 11- Passion Project
- You Can Do It Video
- Growth Mindset is the idea that one can develop new skills with effort, time and dedication.
- You Can Do It Song Lyrics and Activity PDF
- PBS Growth Mindset (video and free printables)
- The Power of Yet (article and videos)
- This week students will continue working on their Passion Project. This is their chance to design their own challenge with Lego or create their own idea on Scratch. Our job is to help their ideas come to life. Students will present their ideas during our awards ceremony (last day of classes).
- 3-5 Week 11 Family Flyer PDF
Week 12- Passion Project
- Confidence Spot Song
- Confidence is believing in oneself and abilities
- Less Known Benefits of Coding for Kids (article)
- Confidence Spot Book and Plush (website about the Confidence spot along with other emotion/feeling spots, Social Emotional Learning tools, online store)
- This week students will be finishing their Passion Project. This is their chance to design their own challenge with Lego or create their own idea on Scratch. Our job is to help their ideas come to life. Students will present their ideas during our awards ceremony (last day of classes).
- 3-5 Week 12 Family Flyer PDF
Other Resources
Our YouTube Channel – We’ve created several free videos to walkthrough some of the puzzles from above and activities in Scratch Jr. from below.
Scratch Jr – Free app for iOS, Android, and ChromeOS – Allows your students to use the ideas learned above in their own creative programming environment. They can add characters and backgrounds to program their own games and animations. Here are some examples of free activities in Scratch Jr: www.scratchjr.org/teach/activities
Tynker – Free app for iOS, Android, and ChromeOS (also a website tynker.com). Limited number of free puzzles similar to the links listed above.
LightBot Code Hour – Free app for iOS and Android. Three-dimensional puzzles similar to the links above.
Additional Coding Resources
Enrollment Now Open
Choose from online and in-person coding courses for young learners, K-6, designed to develop critical thinkers and problem solvers with transferrable skills across all subjects.