Looking for primary schools teaching CS Unplugged curriculum

[Caroline Windell]

Hi. My name is Caroline and I am a K-4 Technology Integration Specialist at a private, all-girls elementary school in San Francisco, California. Last year, I started teaching a STEM class to 4th graders which incorporates both programming (Scratch) and robotics (LEGO Mindstorms). This year, I launched the Hour of Code in my K-4 classes during Computer Science Education Week in December, and next year I would like to do more. I am eager to connect with teachers and visit schools that are using the CS Unplugged curriculum, particularly in the primary grades. Anyone teaching this content up for a visitor?

Caroline

[metkousk]

Hi Caroline, I'm teacher in elementary school, in Athens, Greece.  My name is Met. 

I want ask you about the level "K-4" or "K-5" etc, that I see in many posts from USA, What does it means exactly and how old are pupils in all of these levels? I'm very interesting in ICT in education and my class, will take part at the european week of coding (11-17 October). Besides I want to know from you, if "Scratch" or "LEGO Mindstorms" are easy for students 7-11 years old with learning difficulties? At first I plan to present to them some stuff from "Computer science unplugged" and then some lines of code from Scratch or similar.

I'm very glad to communicate with you and other teachers abroad, because is very interesting to share ideas. 

Thank you!

Met

[Vivian C]

Hi Met

I'm taking part in the European Code Week too.  I'm in Switzerland. Take a look at our poster: https://www.smore.com/gry61-family-makerfaire

K in many parts of the world (including the USA) means Kindergarten which is usually age 5 going onto 6 years old.  So, 1-5 means:

Grade 1: 6-7 years old

Grade 2: 7-8

Grade 3: 8-9

Grade 4: 9-10

Grade 5: 10-11

etc. etc. 

It's hard to comment about Scratch, Lego Mindstorms and learning difficulties as it depends on what sort of difficulties and how severe.

There is a new version of Scratch called Scratch Jr available on ipads and free.  It's geared towards K-3 children (kindergarten to grade 3).   Code.org now has several levels of difficulty for their courses, including some for young K-3 children.  Course 1 is the easiest. There is also Course 2 and 3.

You might want to start with those programs before moving onto full Scratch.  After students are comfortable with Scratch, you should consider Lego We-Do Robotics which connects up to computers using Scratch software.  It is more simpler robotics than Lego Mindstorms.  The Lego Mindstorms uses a block-based visual programming system like Scratch, but it's different than Scratch.  The Lego We-Do can use  Scratch directly to program it.  

It would be good for you to try from Scratch Jr and work your way up to see what each entails.  Then, you can make your own judgement about the suitability for your students.  Scratch Jr and Code.org do not cost any money. The We-Do and Mindstorms are an expensive investment and you need to know it will work for your kids before buying...

Hope this helps.

Vivian

[ssand...@stkate.edu]

Hi Caroline,
I am at St. Catherine University in St.Paul, Minnesota. We are a Women's University and working to build our internal and external capacity in getting girls/women into computer coding. Next fall we will teach a two part course on teaching K-8 students computational thinking and computer coding. It will all online so you could enroll if interested. Currently we are doing research on the varied available curricula and tools that are available for this age.

Locally there is one district that has unrolled K-12 requirements for teaching coding, Minnetonka, MN. The lead person there is Dave Eisenhower. You could look him up. There was just an article in our local paper on their work, you could also find that and contact the teacher noted in that article -- Star Tribune is the paper and the story came out last Monday. I am also cited in the article so if you would find it.

Also, Tami Brass is a teacher at St. Paul Academy who is doing similar work to what you are doing. She is very friendly and active on social media, I'm sure she would respond if you contacted her.

If you come to visit her school is just a few blocks from our college, please let me know I'd be happy to meet!
Siri Anderson

[Maia Smith]

Hi Caroline, 

I'm also in the Bay Area and would be interested to see what you find out. I'm a teacher in training and very excited about incorporating technology in the classroom.

I heard that Caliber Schools in Richmond did some work with the CS Unplugged Curriculum when they were opening. All students in the school learn programming, but I am not sure how they teach it to students in the lower grades. 

Best, 

Maia

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