Coding Club is a 12 week program for students in kindergarten through second grade. During the semester, students explore and use different coding platforms such as Scratch Jr., Code.org or Tynker. 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 in 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 and Activity PDF
- Monkey Board- Unplugged Activity
- Coding and Computer Science skills without a device/screen
- Unplugged Coding Activities
- Pictured below: Monkey Board, made from a trifold board and Velcro dots
- Code.org Course B Lesson 4 Puzzle 2 Angry Birds
- Course B Lesson 4 (Angry Birds) Answer Key PDF
- If you would like your student’s login information, please email Miss Mikayla
- K-2 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.
- Kodable- Cloud Haven
- This is a free version of Kodable (not everything is unlocked)
- Click on the link above and then click play next to your student’s name if they would like to continue on with Kodable. Press playing at school if prompted.
- K-2 Week 2 Family Flyer PDF
Week 3- Intro to Code
- Algorithm Video
- Algorithm: Step by step directions in order (sequence) to complete a goal/task
- How To Draw Forest Animals With An Algorithm PDF
- Website where the forest animals paper came from- Free PDF in the section “Getting Ready to Explore the Directed Drawing Ideas”
- More Unplugged Algorithm Activities (from the site where the Forest Animals came from- JDaniel4’s Mom)
- Scratch Jr. (a free block based coding app that works on most devices)
- Students made a Dance Party on Scratch Jr.
- K-2 Week 3 Family Flyer PDF
Week 4- Robotics
- Decomposition Video
- Decomposition: Taking a big problem and breaking it down into smaller, more manageable pieces
- Decomposition Song Lyrics and Activity PDF
- Unplugged Decomposition Rocket Ship Activity (free downloadable PDF)
- Sphero Robots
- We used the Sphero Bolt
- The students could choose to code their Sphero to trace a shape or drive around a cone without touching it and come back to the starting point
- K-2 Week 4 Family Flyer PDF
Week 5- Robotics
- Debugging Video
- Debugging: The process of finding and correcting mistakes (bugs) in code
- Debugging Lyrics and Activity PDF (Scratch Garden)
- Debugging Unplugged Activity PDF
- How to Help Kids Learn From Mistakes
- Sphero Robots
- We used the Sphero Bolt
- The students had to try to code their Sphero to drive exactly 10 feet and then stop on a line.
- K-2 Week 5 Family Flyer PDF
Week 6- Robotics
- Pattern Recognition Video
- Pattern Recognition: Finding similarities between different problems
- Lego WeDo Builds
- Speed 1
- Speed 2
- Racecar
- Speed 1
- K-2 Week 6 Family Flyer PDF
Week 7- Robotics
- Loops Video
- Loops: A sequence that repeats
- 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.
- Code N Go Mice Robots
- Students were able to work on a trasure map, create their own mazes or use the directional cards to make a robot dance party.
- K-2 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 Jr. Home Page (check out the different tabs for more ideas on what to create)
- Information on how to download for Apple and Android
- Information to download on Windows and Mac
- Crossy Road Game Video Tutorial on Scratch Jr.
- K-2 Week 8 Family Flyer PDF
Week 9- Game Design
- Conditionals Video
- Conditionals: Line 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
- Check the sidebar on the right for ideas and printables
- Scratch Jr. Home Page
- K-2 Week 9 Family Flyer PDF
Week 10- Game Design
- Computational Thinking Video
- Computational Thinking: A problem solving tool that uses abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, and algorithms.
- Find My Number- Unplugged Activity (Information and Printables)
- Scratch Jr. Home Page
- K-2 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 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).
- K-2 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 finish 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).
- K-2 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.