1. 1 Coding Club Pre-class considerations 1.Talk with the Principal If you are holding your Coding Club at a school, reach out to the principal first. The principal should be able to tell you what requirements the school system with have for the club. This may include (but is not limited to): –Available times for the class / sign up procedures for the computer lab –Requirement that a parent volunteer also attend each class –Technology requirements / training to be able to use the computer lab –How children can be released to parents and/or guardians –Teacher background check 2.Talk with the Head of IT about Technical Requirements The principal may coordinate all of the communications with the Head of IT or you may need to coordinate. You want to make sure the computer lab has the following: –A teacher computer connected to a projector –A way to play sound from the teachers computer –A computer or laptop for each child in the class 3.Review the School Calendar when Setting up Class Dates Be sure to review the school calendar when determining when the class will be held. Some days may work better than others (the principal may be able to tell you which days are better). You also want to know when big school events are being held. You may not want to have a class one week if a big school event is happening the same day or week. Also check for school holidays. For example, if your class is going to meet on Mondays, you may need to determine if class will be held the week of Memorial Day. 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

2. 2 Coding Club Setting up a Scratch Account Consider creating at least three sets of Scratch accounts: 1.Class Scratch Account The Class Scratch account is used by any member of the class. Having a common Class account allows anyone to join the fun, even if theyve forgotten their own personal account/password. Keep in mind, depending on the size of the class, the My Stuff area may get overwhelming, if every student saves their projects to the Class account. To help with this potential scenario, consider creating a naming convention for the projects being created (e.g., Common Project Name – First Initial Last Name). 2.Teacher Scratch Accounts Each teacher should have their own Teacher Scratch account. This way, a teacher can work on their own projects and solutions without others having access. Once a teacher is completed with a project, they can either share it directly from their Teacher Scratch account or duplicate the project into the common Class Scratch account. 3.Student Scratch accounts As part of joining the Coding Club, it is recommended that each student is encouraged to create their own Scratch account. In order to create an account, the student must provide their date of birth, gender, country of residence, and parent or student email address. 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

3. 3 Coding Club Setting up a class in Signup Genius Signup Genius can be used to facilitate the registration of students in the class using the following steps: 1.Set up an account in Signup Genius Using Signup Genius will give you a quick, easy way to manage the class roster. It allows signup on a first come, first serve basis, so you will not have to worry about too many people registering for the class. As the person organizing the class, you will need to create an account (as will all of the parents). You register with an email address. Registration is free. 2.Create an event for the class Create the details for your class. (Note: At this time, this site does not handle recurring meetings, so parents will only receive one reminder for the class.) You can use the following for fields: –Description: The Coding Club will teach kids the basics of computer programming using the MIT Scratch platform. All kids need to bring to the club is a love of learning, enthusiasm, and a notebook (for drawing designs). Coding Club will meet on Mondays before school from 7:45 - 8:45 AM from April 29 - June 17. –Slots: Create a line for each of the slots in the class. Enter the following in the Help Comment field for each of the slots: Check a Sign Up check box for each child you want to sign up. Then click the Submit and Sign up button. Enter the child's name on the next screen in the My Comment field. 3.Include link to the Signup Genius class event on the flyer Each event is given a unique web site address. Use this web site address on the flyer that is sent to the parents. 4.Parent Account Each parent will create a Signup Genius account in order to register their child for a class. Since parents sign up with an email address, you will have email addresses for all of the parents so you can communicate via email. 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

4. 4 Coding Club Class Materials – for Day 1 There are several items you will want to have in class throughout the course. 1.Welcome Letter to Parents Parents will have questions about Scratch. The Welcome Letter to Parents gives them the basic information about Scratch, including how to access the web site at home. 2.Scratch Cards Included in the Coding Club Packet are 2 sets of Activity Cards. –One set contains an individual PDF for each action (the PDF start with a number followed by the action it shows). This set is the one we used in the lessons. –The second set of Activity Cards is call Scratch Activity Cards.pdf. While we didnt use this one, it is still a very useful resource. You will want to print a set of Scratch Activity Cards for each students. It is recommended that you laminate each of the cards and use a binder cards to hold each set of cards. The Scratch Cards are very important if you have younger or less computer experienced children in the class. It gives them something to follow. When they have questions, often you can refer them to a Scratch Card for the answer. Collect all of the cards at the end of each class. 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

5. 5 Coding Club Useful References Some of the following references are specifically used in the lessons plans, while others are not. However, all of them are useful when planning for your coding club. 1.MIT Draft Curriculum: We did not use this entire curriculum because we felt it took too long to really get using the tool. However, we did use it as a main reference guide when creating our lesson plans.MIT Draft Curriculum 2.Oak Hill Elementary Scratch Club: This was our main reference when creating our lesson plans. It contains 8 lesson plans. The lesson plans are not very detailed, but it shows a solution for each plan. The lesson plans include a base task for the children to do and then stretch goals for those who want more of a challenge.Oak Hill Elementary Scratch Club 3.Redware: This site contains 8 lesson plans and 6 projects which take you through a lot of the Scratch capabilities. This site also contains videos for many of the lessons and projects, so it's another great option for children who want to learn on their own. Anyone who learned LOGO has a kid will get a kick out of the Turtle Graphics lesson.Redware 4.Learn Scratch: This web site is great if you have a child who wants to learn Scratch on her/his own. They have video lessons, which are a little dry, but very informative. The videos are separated into 3 sections. They also have a link to the Spanish language site which contains the videos in Spanish.Learn ScratchSpanish language site 5.Video by Chris Betcher about teaching Scratch: In this video, Chris shows how he builds on concepts to teach children Scratch. There are also videos of the children talking about how they used Scratch.Video by Chris Betcher about teaching Scratch 6.MIT Starter Projects: A good place to go if you want to get ideas for starter projects.MIT Starter Projects 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

6. 6 Coding Club Course Outline Total Duration of the Coding Club Depending on the age group, previous computer programming experience, and skillset, Coding Club can take place between 6 to 8 individual sessions (e.g., weekly). Duration of the Class: 60 minutes General Structure of Each Class Teacher Lesson (20 minutes) The first 20 minutes of each class provide an opportunity for the teacher to reinforce previously discussed topics and cover new topics through use of a new/enhanced Scratch program. While the first goal of the coding club is FUN!, we want to make sure the students start to understand the basics of computer programming, programming language syntax, and ways to think through problem solving by creating computer programs and projects. Student Activity (20 minutes) The next 20 minutes of each class provide an opportunity for the students to perform hands-on coding, applying the topics the teacher has recently covered. These activities are typically individual-based exercises. Although, as Coding Club progresses, students typically become more engaged with one another, less reliant upon the teacher(s), and help one another solve problems. Student Showcase (20 minutes) The last 20 minutes of each class provides an opportunity for the students to show others what theyve accomplished! We find it is a valuable lesson for students to practice getting up in front of their peers and teachers, as well as demonstrate individual creativity and proving there is more than one way to solve a problem in computer programming. 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

7. 7 Coding Club Week 1 Lesson Plan Teacher Introduction Class Logistics –Photo Waiver (optional) for class promotion –Nametags –Start-up, Login, Shut-down computers Introductory Videos –code.org – http://www.code.org - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU1xS07N-FAhttp://www.code.orghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU1xS07N-FA –Scratch – http://scratch.mit.eduhttp://scratch.mit.edu First Scratch Program – Hello World – Objectives include: –Access Scratch online –Create a new Scratch Program –Name and Save Scratch Program –Event Controls of a Scratch Program –Understanding X/Y Coordinates on Stage –Ask/Answer response with keyboard input –Share your program –Remix others program Reference - https://sites.google.com/site/ohescratch/weekly-projects - Lesson 1https://sites.google.com/site/ohescratch/weekly-projects 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

8. 8 Coding Club Week 2 Lesson Plan Teacher Reminders –Access Scratch online –Create a new Scratch Program –Name and Save Scratch Program –Share your program –Remix others program Scratch Program – Dance Party – Objectives include: –Repeating actions –Costume Change –Movement on the screen –Pen Up/Down as the sprite moves Reference - https://sites.google.com/site/ohescratch/weekly-projects - Lesson 3https://sites.google.com/site/ohescratch/weekly-projects 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

9. 9 Coding Club Week 3 Lesson Plan Teacher Reminders –Multiple ways to accomplish the same project –Create sprites – from library or paint your own –Play sounds –Change the stage Scratch Program – Maze – Objectives include: –Paint your own sprite –Movement of sprite with keyboard –When touching a color –Change the stage when player wins –Reset logic Reference - http://scratch.mit.edu/starter_projects/ - Mazehttp://scratch.mit.edu/starter_projects/ 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

10. 10 Coding Club Week 4 Lesson Plan Teacher Lesson –New Costumes –Broadcast Scratch Program – Knock Knock – Objectives include: –Multiple sprites from Scratch library –Broadcast Reference - https://sites.google.com/site/ohescratch/weekly-projects - Lesson 5https://sites.google.com/site/ohescratch/weekly-projects 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

11. 11 Coding Club Week 5 Lesson Plan Teacher Lesson –Broadcast –Multiple ways to accomplish the same project Scratch Program – Bat & Ball – Objectives include: –Paint your own sprite –Create multiple sprites –Movement of multiple objects –Concept of a Game –Reset logic Reference - http://scratch.redware.com/project/bat-and-ballhttp://scratch.redware.com/project/bat-and-ball 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

12. 12 Coding Club Week 6 Lesson Plan Teacher Lesson –Create multiple sprites –Sprite following objects (e.g., mouse, other sprites) –Random movements –Multiple ways to accomplish the same project Scratch Program – Chasing Bees – Objectives include: –Create multiple sprites –Movement of multiple objects –Concept of a Game –Reset logic Reference: http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/bees-and-bananas-game-scratch-beginners-suitable-ages-5http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/bees-and-bananas-game-scratch-beginners-suitable-ages-5 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

13. 13 Coding Club Week 7 Lesson Plan Teacher Lesson –Random movements –Disappear/reappear –Scoring system Scratch Program – Whack-a-Mole – Objectives include: –X/Y Coordinates –Show/Hide –Score Variable –Reset logic Reference: http://scratch.mit.edu/starter_projects/ (Hide and Seek: http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/10128368/)http://scratch.mit.edu/starter_projects/http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/10128368/ 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

14. 14 Coding Club Last Class Presentations of Work –The last class is a great time to have the children show the class the projects that they have created during coding club. It could be one that they created in class or at home. This could either be done as a lesson plan of its own or included at the end of Lesson 7. Whats Next? –The Whats Next document gives the children ideas for how they can continue their coding journey. –For the last class, use the Whats Next document to show a video of each of the items. Coding Club Certificates –The Coding Club Certificate in the packet is set up so that you can do a mail merge with the Class Roster Excel workbook. –It is recommended that the certificates are laminated and given individually to the children at the end of the last class 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet

15. 15 Coding Club Teaching Tips FUN & Learning As the code.org video says, students who learn computer programming today are the future wizards of tomorrow! Coding Club should not only be fun, but should also teach students about the basics of computer programming, programming language syntax, and most importantly, how to start building critical, analytical thinking skills to solve problems. For some of the programs, students may become frustrated at how to solve a particular problem. While simply providing them the answer may be the fast way to provide relief, it may also hinder the students ability to begin to think critically through these types of situations. Consider asking a few questions for the student to come to the answer on their own, before providing the final solution. Class Participation Particularly in the first few weeks of class, it is important to have the students engaged and answering a lot of open questions. When questions are asked of the class, be sure to use some response system, such as the raising of hands, to keep the classroom order. Youll also want to set some ground rules and an approach to break-up the discussion during student activities, in order to bring the classroom back to order. For example, as the teacher, raise your hand when youd like the class to come back to order. 7/8/2013 v1Coding Club Packet