hour of code Archives - JDaniel4s Mom

This set of coding choice boards was created for children to explore coding virtually through e-learning and at school. These choice boards would be great to use during the Hour of Code. Actually, the boards could really be used all year long.

Hour of Code Activities on the Boards

Why Start with Blockly Blocks

All of the activities featured on the boards use Blockly blocks to code. Blockly blocks are easy for children to use. (That is my opinion.) When they are learning to code, blocks are easy to manipulate and understand. After children have learned to code with blocks, it is easy to transition to words and symbols.

Why Hour of Code Activities

Easy to Use

The sites featured on the choice boards offer a number of coding activities. Some of the activities on those sites require a teacher or parent to set up a login and a password. I have chosen to feature activities that do not require a user name or password. They were designed to be used during the Hour of Code the first week in December.

Free to Use

After exploring the activities on a particular site, you may want to buy a coding membership if they offer one. However, the activities on the choice boards are free!

About an Hour to Use

Children who have coded before will have no trouble finishing these activities in an hour. If your children haven’t coded before, it may take them a little longer to complete an activity.

Why Use a Choice Board

I used to have all my students work through an Hour of Code Activity with me. The students loved exploring Dance Party and the Minecraft Hour of Code activities on Code.org with me.

This year I have some students e-learning while others are temporarily quarantining. Some have been in class since August while others have just returned. A choice board gives me the opportunity to give my student activities of various levels of difficulty. It gives my children the option of choosing something different from their peers. No one will be assigned to a high, low, or middle group. They will all be choosing for themselves. If the activity they choose is too hard, they can switch to a different activity.

Here are the Choice Boards

When you click on the picture for each choice, you will be taken to that website.

Coding K-2 Choice Board for Kids

Coding 3-5 Choice Board for Kids

Offline Coding Activities

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Algorithm Page

Offline Coding Academy -Muffin Tin Algorithm

How to Make Liquid Starch Slime Algorithm

Building Background

Children will need to read a book, view pieces of actual hardware, or look at pictures before starting this activity. Below you will find a few children books that feature computer hard and technology.

The link below are affiliate books.

Exploring the Game Boards

Before your children work on building a word on their own, you will want to work through one together. It will help your children understand what they need to do. Once they understand how to connect the letters with arrows, they will probably be able to do them one on their own. If feel they still need help, you could assign them a partner to work with. Another option is to give them the game board and the answer key. Your children can then try to replicate the answer key on their own paper.