- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Computational Thinking Skills
- Determination
- Courage to Try New Things
September 20. 2019
The eighth grade started the quarter discussing what coding and programming is, what is learned from coding and programming, what kind of opportunities are available for individuals who have coding and programming skills and discussing what errors in coding and programming can teach us and why they are important. They have completed coding and programming activities at the following sites: Code Commander, Code Combat, Blockly Games and Silent Teacher. The links to each of these sites are below. I would encourage you to get on one or all of them to spark the programmer in you!
Binary numbers, the language of computers, were also introduced and discussed using the following two YouTube videos:
We then did several activities to reinforce the understanding of binary numbers and played a binary game. Try it out and see if you can speak binary!
Today the eighth-grade students did a programming activity where the roles were switched. This time they were the computer and had to read and interpret the programs to find the right trajectory and win the challenges in order to unlock the next one. They had to focus and use their intuitive abilities to understand some core concepts of programming. The activity was called Compute It and can be found at the following link: Compute It. Try it out for yourself and see if you can unlock every level!
The binary unit concluded with the students creating a slide in PowerPoint with their name in binary and five pictures that tell something about them. Here are a few of those:
September 24, 2019
September 26, 2019
Today the eighth-grade students did a programming activity called Little Dot Adventure. It is similar to Compute It where they were required to execute the right code to
solve different levels. Only this time they had to choose the correct moves at each turn. This allowed them to anticipate their moves and discover
different beginners coding mechanics. Try it out and see if you can unlock every level. It can be found at the following link: Little Dot Adventure.
October 1, 2019
Today the eighth-grade students did a programming activity called Making Pizza with JavaScript. While going through the JavaScript lessons, students completed a guided worksheet which helped reinforce the material taught. Students learned about the different actions variables play in JavaScript. They also worked with strings, integers, booleans, arrays, and objects. Take a look for yourself and learn some JavaScript: Making Pizza with JavaScript.
October 8, 2019
Today the eighth-grade students completed a CSS coding activity called Flexbox Froggy. Students completed a guided worksheet with questions from each level to help reinforce the material taught in the activity. While students were helping the different frogs reach their lily pads, they were learning CSS properties called flexbox. You can try it for yourself at the following link: Flexbox Froggy
October 10, 2019
Today the eighth-grade students completed a Python activity called Toxic Jungle. Core concepts such as loops and conditions are taught as well as Python syntax. The students completed a guided worksheet with questions for each level to help reinforce these concepts along the way. You can try it for yourself at the following link: Toxic Jungle.
October 15, 2019
Today the eighth-grade students completed a JavaScript activity called Counter Hack. Core concepts such as loops and conditions are taught as well as JavaScript syntax. The students completed a guided worksheet with questions for each level to help reinforce these concepts along the way. You can try it for yourself at the following link: Counter Hack.
