Computer Science Education Week takes place next week, from December 9-15. It’s a global annual program dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to take interest in computer science.
In honour of this important Week, NewTechKids challenges parents, caretakers and teachers to take the plunge and explore computer science with children.
Until schools make technological innovation, computer science, programming and robotics mandatory subjects, the adults active in the lives of children will have to take the lead in helping them acquire the knowledge, skills and mindset needed to thrive in a world of pervasive technology.
NewTechKids has compiled this list of free, online resources to get you started.
Of course, you are also welcome to sign kids ages 7-12 up for upcoming NewTechKids computer science and programming bootcamps.
Zerus and Ona: Engaging storytelling about two characters who explain how technology works and introduce young kids to binary systems and logic. Three, ‘Hour of Code’ episodes.
CS Unplugged: CS Unplugged is a collection of free teaching material that teaches Computer Science through engaging games and puzzles that use cards, string, crayons and lots of running around.
Dr. Techniko: Free stories and activities based on core computer science concepts for kids ages 5 and older.
Scratch: With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively — essential skills for life in the 21st century.
Hour of Code: One-hour tutorials in over 45 languages. No experience needed.
Hour of Code – Programming in Tinkercad: Autodesk is offering four Autodesk Tinkercad Codeblocks lesson plans. Tinkercad’s computational design workspace, Codeblocks, is the simplest place to make 3D models using draggable blocks of code.
Microsoft Hour of Code: Minecraft: Thematic programming challenges based on Minecraft.
Code.org: Code.org provides the leading curriculum for K-12 computer science in the largest school districts in the United States and Code.org also organizes the annual Hour of Code campaign which has engaged 15% of all students in the world.
Advent of Code: Advent of Code is an Advent calendar of small programming puzzles for a variety of skill sets and skill levels that can be solved in any programming language you like.
Code with Google: Google’s committed to closing the equity gap in computer science with the help of free coding curriculum and programs like Code with Google. (for teachers)
Apple’s ‘Everyone Can Code’ Curriculum: The Everyone Can Code curriculum will guide you through Swift Playgrounds, an app that teaches coding for kids through a world of interactive puzzles and playful characters.