Coding for Young Engineers

 

Course Title: Coding for Young Engineers

Lesson complexity: Beginner

Grades: ages 7-11yrs

 

Subjects: ​STEM, Social studies, Languages, Arts

 

Created by: ​ Bishara Abdul-Hamid, Hexagon-STEM

 

Let’s get ready for Coding! Students bring their lunches, water bottles and computer laptops. Young Engineers code throughout the week - then demo their week’s creations.

 

Introduction:

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​Hexagon-STEM Coding for Young Engineers use drag n drop language Scratch to create cool new stories and games:  Aimed at our newbie and novice coders!

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After Coding for Young Engineer activities, students will have tools to create their own stories. Preparing for early free exchange of ideas and concepts.

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Scratch is one of the most popular coding tools for developing students, it's designed to aid students with minimal to no experience to dive headfirst into code programming. Our students will create animated stories using building blocks that mimic computer code structure.

 

Scratch software has made it easy for Young Engineers.

 

Benefits:

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● Encourage Young students to invent, create and build

● Develop resources and tools needed to be successful

● Develop Team work

● Develop creativity and ideas of design

● Develop sense of ownership

● Develop the Human aspects of Digital societies

● Discuss what it means to be a “Citizen of the World”

 

Activity examples:

 

1. Open Activity - Draw before coding

 

Materials:

• Large format paper

• Crayons

 

Goal: Coding for Young Engineers - hand draw projects to make in Scratch

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• Play begin with foundation or theme, example “Stories about Citadelle Laferrière, Haiti” scene and create a drawing of the Citadelle Laferrière using images like trees with leaves, grass, stones and mountain rocks

• Play draw a character in the scene

• Follow label the drawing with Scratch terms. The background is the stage, and the character is the sprite

 

2. Hexagon-STEM: Challenge students to use imagination in creating a memorable scene, such as their favorite vacation spot, a dream vacation spot, or even a fantasy spot of happiness.

 

3. Culture: Stories are a great way to introduce all features of Scratch, and they encourage lots of creativity in Young Engineer students to express themselves relevant to their surroundings.

 

4. Creativity: We create through a basic story scene about Haiti, to show how Scratch can be easy for Young students in this age group.

 

5. Incorporating educational material: Stories referencing history preference our introductory activity. Each session begins with a 10-minute Peace Education, a brief discussion on what it means to be a “Citizen of the World” including reading short stories together about Haiti:

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• Lauture, Denize and Reynold Ruffins; Running the Road to ABC (2000).

• Williams, Karen Lynn; Circles of Hope (2005).

• Youme, Selavi; That Is Life: A Haitian Story of Hope (2004).

 

6. FPLR: Each activity we define the steps, by purpose to clarify understanding.

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Follow – Young Engineer students are instructed to follow along, with explicit instructions to mimic our directions.

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Play – Encourage the Young Engineer students to explore and discover on their own.

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Learn – Assist Young Engineer students with difficult concepts or ideas, and simplify the nuance of Scratch.

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Reflect – Question Young Engineer students to reflect on their understanding and expand on an idea.

 

7. Collaboration: Encourage Young Engineer students to work as a team and define working together. Rule - to respect all tools of other students without asking permission.

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8. Repetition: Hexagon-STEM Coding for Young Engineers employ several educational directions to reinforce the process learning Code, especially vocabulary. We assess the Young Engineer students comprehension daily.

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9. Reflection: Writing skills of Younger Engineer students are administered through exercises and evaluation at the end of a few lessons. Communication about their favorite thing in Scratch, or their project ideas for the Scratch program. Reflection is a good way to reinforce daily lessons and motivate learning.

 

Technical Requirements

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Students are required to bring their own laptop computer. This course requires a properly maintained computer with high-speed internet access and an up-to-date web browser (such as Chrome or Firefox). The parent must be able to communicate with the instructor via email.

 

Curriculum Updates/Changes:  The information provided in the course descriptions is intended for informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice.