Hour of Code

Millions across the country and the world took part in a challenge to celebrate National Computer Science Education Week called the Hour of Code.  The Hour of Code is designed to provide an opportunity for students to delve into something they may have never had the opportunity to do:  computer science.  Even though students have much more access to computers than they have in the past and are more savvy using them, very rarely do they get a chance to learn more about how they work.  The Hour of Code helps students learn how computers operate, and the logic and languages behind some of their favorite applications.

The elementary technology integrators developed a page off of our Elementary Libraries website containing a number of Hour of Code activities that we did with our students.  There is even a "techless" activity where students pretend to be robots while their classmates give them commands, a great pre-teach for other Hour of Code activities like Lightbot.

1st grade students at Searsport Elementary School show off certificates they
received for taking part in the Hour of Code!

Students in our schools from Kindergarten up took part in the Hour of Code and learned some basic programming concepts.  Every student at Ames, CASS, and Drinkwater took part in this challenge, and a number of classrooms at East Belfast, Nickerson and Searsport participated as well.  The work was challenging and required some trial and error as well as vigorous problem solving. The best part? It left most students (and teachers!) asking for more.  A month later, a number of classrooms are still integrating Hour of Code activities into their stations or whole-group instruction, and a few are just getting started now that the crazy pre-vacation schedules are out of the way.  The Hour of Code is one of our favorite activities to do all year, and we are glad to see that so many teachers and students in RSU 20 are enjoying it too!