Scratch: The Creative Character Camp. Scratch: The Creative Character Camp IrishCyborg (aged 12) is on a blog post roll… here is his second post in less than a week!
Hey, do you remember Scratch? If you don’t, you can read about it here. Just in case you don’t want to read that post right now; Scratch is a simple but fun programming language for ages 7 and up. Well, now on Scratch you can go camping, virtually! The characters you create (sprites) have no limitation, except you shouldn’t use the pictures from the Scratch library, and you must have at least 3 of them, each with at least 3 costumes.
This event is running from the 7th till the 28th of July. The first part is where you create your draft version of your characters.The second part is where you review other people’s characters and improve your own,And the third part is submitting and celebrating. From the 7th to the 21st ( Still plenty of time to get started!) After you’ve decided who to work with (if anyone), think about what theme you want. The 28th and beyond. Learn to Code: JavaScript. Learn to Code: JavaScript Khan Academy was where our children first started their journey to learning programming.
They started here and progressed to Codecademy. I’ve included both resources in this single post because they use the same computer language: JavaScript. Both resources employ a technique called responsive programming environment where you can literally type code into your browser and have it do something for you. You may not have heard of JavaScript previously, but chances are that you run some form of JavaScript every day. JavaScript in Summary JavaScript Background JavaScript was invented by Netscape (now Mozilla) as a web browser language to run code on user computers during browsing. Coding for Kids. Coding for Kids Since we first started homeschooling, I haven’t been all that involved with the selection of curricula.
I leave that up to IrishMum. Technology, however, is something I am very passionate about so I try to get involved with this subject. AirSkull - An Irish family in Australia. Learning to Code with Scratch. Learning to Code with Scratch As promised previously, I’ve written this to elaborate on our experience with Scratch as a learn to code resource.
Scratch is ideally suited to younger learners because of its cartoon-y interface, but can also be used by teens or older. This post will endeavour to explain a little about Scratch and why it is so appealing to kids as a first programming experience. Scratch in Summary Getting Started To get started with the online version, you simply create an account on the site and use this to write your own programs in the browser. The Stage Area displays the running of your program.The Sprites Area allows you to select which sprite is being programmed.The Code Area for each sprite allows you to select from the menu what actions each sprite should take. Consider Scratch like a school play: The stage area is where you see the program running, the actors on the stage. Sprites can interact with each other and with themselves. Coursera: Programming Languages. Coursera: Programming Languages My most recent foray into MOOC offerings has been Coursera’s second iteration of the Programming Languages course by Dan Grossman from the University of Washington.
I read the review and was sold from the description; Coding for Kids. Python for Kids: Teach your Kids to Code in Python. Python for Kids: Teach your Kids to Code in Python.
IrishCyborg has really gotten into programming. He likes to play with Scratch, having learned a lot from Super Scratch Programming Adventure! : Learn to Program By Making Cool Games (Review). He read through Scratch Programming for Teens , but it was basically a repeat of Super Scratch Programming Adventure and a lot less fun.
And Python for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming. When Python for Kids came IrishCyborg dived in. Python for Kids is broken into three parts. Learning To Program. Most chapters ends with some colourful puzzles that logically build on one another, to re-enforce your child’s understanding. Jason, the author, has a great sense of humor, and writes in an easily accessible style to a child, yet still interesting enough for an adult to read. Rocket © IrishCyborg Here is what IrishCyborg(11) said about Python for Kids, I loved the “quirky” and full colour illustrations. Scratch - Imagine, Program, Share.
Learn Scratch with Super Scratch Programming Adventure. Super Scratch Programming Adventure.
Update: There is a new version of this book, Super Scratch Programming Adventure! , to go with the updated version of Scratch. We downloaded Scratch for free a couple of weeks ago to let kids have something fun and easy to start learning programming. Scratch is a beginner computer programming software that has a drag and drop interface, and gives fast results without any prior knowledge. Oldest 3 kids played around with it for a while designing their own games (usually involving Scratchy the cat saying naughty words!) Realm of Racket. Realm of Racket The people at no starch press were kind enough to give us a review copy of Realm of Racket: Learn to Program, One Game at a Time!
This is a coding book presented in coding style with plenty of recursion. It’s written as if the reader were a computer compiling and running the content.