Programming Unit Final Project - Holiday Coding Projects For Everyone!

This is your chance to turn your coding experience into a holiday project.  Follow the links below to the different activities today.  Enjoy!  - Mr. S

Dancing Yeti Project: Make the Yeti Dance, a digital animation project from Made with Code!


Holiday Emoji Project:  You’re about to design a custom holiday emoji that you can share digitally or IRL.

Holiday Card Project:  Codecademy is the easiest way to learn how to code. It's interactive, fun, and you can do it with your friends. Check out this tutorial that will help you create a Holiday Card Web Page. 

Twelve Days of Christmas Code:  Nice, simple implementation of the Twelve Days of Christmas. As jhixson puts it, “Pretty straightforward … in JS with a few ES6 bits.” Run it today, there are still a couple of days left! That is of course, assuming the twelfth day of Christmas is actually Christmas, which I believe is out of scope of this blog article.

Snowstorm Project:  A fancy, customizable JavaScript-driven snow effect which you can easily add to your homepage to eat up the user’s CPU! Also included, if you are feeling a bit Clark Griswoldy, is an experimental Christmas Lights script, which you can find at the top of the page.

Java Christmas Lights:  Great idea and execution, Anvaka! As noted on the README.md, “The tree is built of two spirals. These 11 lines of code render one line on spiral. It includes 3d projection and background shadow.”

Hannakuh CSS Menorah:  Here is a Menorah written entirely in CSS. Neat!

DO NOT GO TO SANTA TRACKER UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED AT LEAST TWO OF THE PROJECTS ABOVE!

SANTA TRACKER by  GOOGLE:  Leave it to Google to outdo everyone on the list. Enter stage north, the Santa Tracker. As Google puts it, the Santa Tracker is, “an educational and entertaining tradition for the December holiday period.” While this project appears quite jolly on the surface, Santa actually is currently involved in litigation with Google over this tracking system. Expert witness, Rudolph. Either way, enjoy!

Original Post by SourceToad.com at https://www.sourcetoad.com/code/5-holiday-code-ideas/

BONUS SITE:  Christmas Experiments

CSEd Week (Post-Script) - More and More Code for Everyone! freeCodeCamp.com

We have already used many of the Blockley-Style Programming tutorials found on Code.Org.  Now, without creating an account, try some of the tutorials on other programming languages found on freeCodeCamp.com.  Here is some basic information (taken directly from their About Us page) to get you started.  Good Luck!

What is freeCodeCamp?

We’re a community that helps you learn to code, then get experience by contributing to open source projects used by nonprofits.

How can you help me learn to code?

You'll learn to code by completing coding challenges and building projects. You'll also earn verified certificates along the way. We also encourage you to join a study group in your city so you can code in-person with other people.

Is freeCodeCamp really free?

Yes. Every aspect of freeCodeCamp is 100% free.

Can freeCodeCamp help me get a job as a software developer?

Yes. Every year, thousands of people who join the freeCodeCamp community get their first software developer job.

How can I get a job?

Most people get jobs through friends and hiring managers they know from coding events. There are also services that can help you get interviews.

How long will it take me to finish each of freeCodeCamp's certificates?

Each certificate takes around 400 hours of dedicated learning. Some people may take longer. These certificates are completely self-paced, so take as long as you need.

Is freeCodeCamp a replacement for a 4-year degree?

No. Please don’t drop out of college just to pursue freeCodeCamp. You can pursue both concurrently. Even though you don’t need a 4-year degree to work as a software developer, it still helps a lot.

Should I complete all of the coding challenges in order?

We’ve put a lot of thought into how we introduce concepts. But you’re free to jump around.

Where can I get technical support for using the freeCodeCamp.org platform?

Here are answers to common technical support questions.

Click The Link Below To Start:
https://www.freecodecamp.org/challenges/learn-how-freecodecamp-works

You can also try www.W3Schools.com tutorials for many different programming languages.  There are also coding resources on hocphilly.strikingly.com

If you are super-advanced, and really want a challenge, 
TRY THESE LINKS:

The definitive JavaScript handbook for your next developer interview (14 minute read): https://fcc.im/2jwgTmL

Here are 450 free online programming and computer science courses you can start in December 
(browsable list): https://fcc.im/2A1x6Gs
Google Doc Link To Resources:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BpCZpDOjez7kCgoCCihnfAWyhJ7ro8saaGWt-R07OLk/edit?usp=sharing

Bonus: Learn how to build an API using Node.js with this free in-depth YouTube tutorial (33 minute watch): 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsCjFHuMXj0

CS Education Week 2017 Is Finally Here!

Information as of 12/1/17 at 10am

Here it is!  So close to the holiday season, and we are now in the middle of Computer Science Education Week.  Please visit csedweek.org, code.org, and hourofcode.com to find a wide array of projects for you to complete in class, and at home.  Make sure you are spending some time at home showing your parents (and other family members) how cool is is to learn how to be a programmer!

There is a wealth of information about careers, opportunities, and other ways to learn to code!  Use the information found at code.org/promote to help learn about what your states are doing to increase learning opportunities for students who want to learn about computer science.

Watch The Video Below To Get Started!

Once you have looked at some of the resources above, and we have discussed them as a class, you have a choice to work on the following items for credit this week:

Project 1:  Try the Celebrity Challenge:  Go to code.org/challenge and create an app, game, or design with Code.org and tag #HourOfCode and one of our special guests for a chance to win a video chat for your classroom!  SHARE a link to your project with Mr. S (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.

Project 2:  Go to the KANO, Anyone Can Make website and complete the Street Artist Hour of Code tutorial.  You must SHARE your project by creating an account, and emailing a link to your project to Mr. S (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.

Project 3:  Use your creativity and imagination to bring the Google logo to life using code. Make the letters dance, tell a story or create a game. With Scratch and CS First, anyone can become a designer and programmer for the day!  Go to the GOOGLE LOGO Link to get started.  You must take a screen shot (or video if necessary) of your Google Logo Design and email it to Mr. S (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.

Project 4:  Choose any other tutorial found on hourofcode.com, get a project pre-approved by Mr. S, and Share it for credit!  You can also use freecodecamp.org or w3schools.com, or any other online tutorial that you show Mr. S prior to starting.  Make sure your content is appropriate for school!  You get extra credit for sharing a new source, tutorial, or application I have not seen yet!

Have a great week and ENJOY this time learning to code in our class!

- MR. S

Learning To Code - Code.Org Accelerated Course 17-18 MP2

Students will be introduced to the Code.Org K-12 Curriculum online. Students will use creativity, collaboration, communication, problem-solving and persistence to complete basic levels of BLOCKLEY-STYLE Programming. Students who complete the initial program will understand how to code in JavaScript!

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Google Classroom Entry "Why Learn To Code?" Go To Technology Journal and answer the question: "Why should you learn to read and write computer code?" by Hadi Partovi (Co-Founder of Code.Org).

You must write at least 4-5 sentences about why you should learn to code, and what you could use this skill for in your future career.

Step 2: Why Is Learning To Code Important? (Click Here For Video) by Ali Partovi (Co-Founder of Code.Org)

Step 3: Sign Up For CODE.ORG and Join Our Class Online!

• SIGN INTO YOUR GOOGLE GMAIL ACCOUNT
• GO TO CODE.ORG AND CLICK "SIGN IN WITH GOOGLE+"
• GO TO CODE.ORG/JOIN AND USE CLASS CODE QBQSSD

Step 4: Work Independently On Your Individual Code.Org Program

Do Not Race Ahead! If you complete Hour Of Code, you may sign up for PlayLab, Frozen, or another tutorial on your Code.Org Code Studio site.

VIDEO: HOW DOES THE INTERNET WORK?

Each participant will be able to… (Excerpt From Code.Org Curriculum Site)

Participants will learn computer science skills such as critical thinking, logic, persistence and creativity in problem-solving by completing levels on Code.Org.

The course design and the instructor methods to accomplish this objective are…

Computer science and computational thinking skills will be addressed through hands-on "unplugged" and online activities, including computer programming and coding. Skills of a computer scientist through the computational thinking practices of creativity, collaboration, communication, persistence and problem solving will be emphasized. Computer science themes of algorithms, data, abstraction, computing practice and programming, computers and communication devices, and community, global and ethical impacts.

Participants will demonstrate they know and understand this objective by…

Participants will take part in "Unplugged" activities, reviewing vocabulary, and completing assessment levels online. Participants will receive feedback on their performance, as well as resources for improvement. Students will use Peer Mentoring whenever possible to help each other prior to asking for direct assistance from the teacher. 

ACADEMIC/LEARNING OBJECTIVE

Students will learn basic computer programming using Code.Org online. Students will understand the basic vocabulary used in programming. Students will also be able to explain why it is important for everyone to learn to code and how it can provide equity in our society.

STUDENTS WILL ENTER THE CLASS QUIETLY AND BEGIN WORKING! 

Students will start by completing a Google Classroom Question:

Why Should Students Learn To Read And Write Computer Code?

Students will watch a short video and participate in a discussion about future careers and equity. Students will then play a game to introduce basic vocabulary and terms. Students will sign up for accounts on Code. Org and begin working through the program online. 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE TODAY!

Standards Covered In This Class 

PA 3.7.7 & 11 Section C / ISTE 2011

CSTA Tied With Common Core ELA/Math rev. 2011

Create your own Google logo Google - Hour of Code Preview Assignment

Hour of code in your classroom. The Hour of Code is a global movement by Computer Science Education Week and Code.org reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries through a one-hourintroduction to computer science and computer programming.

Code.org® is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and underrepresented minorities. Our vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science, just like biology, chemistry or algebra. Code.org organizes the annual Hour of Code campaign which has engaged 10% of all students in the world and provides the leading curriculum for K-12 computer science in the largest school districts in the United States. Code.org is supported by generous donors including Microsoft, Facebook, the Infosys Foundation, Google, Omidyar Network, and many more.

What is a Google Doodle?  https://www.google.com/doodles

A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepage that is intended to celebrate holidays, events, achievements and people. The first Google Doodle was in honor of the Burning Man Festival of 1998,[1][2] and was designed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin to notify users of their absence in case the servers crashed. Subsequent Google Doodles were designed by an outside contractor, until Page and Brin asked public relations officer Dennis Hwang to design a logo for Bastille Day in 2000. From that point onward, Doodles have been organized and published by a team of employees termed "Doodlers".[3]

Initially, Doodles were neither animated nor hyperlinked—they were simply images with hovertext describing the subject or expressing a holiday greeting. Doodles increased in both frequency and complexity by the beginning of the 2010s, and in January 2010 the first animated Doodle was posted honoring Sir Isaac Newton.[4] The first interactive Doodle appeared shortly thereafter celebrating Pac-Man,[5] and hyperlinks also began to be added to Doodles, usually linking to a search results page for the subject of the Doodle. By 2014, Google had published over 2,000 regional and international Doodles throughout its homepages,[6] often featuring guest artists, musicians and personalities.[7]

- EXCERPT TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM WIKIPEDIA AT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Doodle

Use your creativity and imagination to bring the Google logo to life using code. Make the letters dance, tell a story or create a game. With Scratch and CS First, anyone can become a designer and programmer for the day!  Use the link below to start making your own Google Doodle.  Email the ACTIVE Link to your Google Doodle (when it is complete) for credit to Mr. S (hscribner@ccs.us)

Create A Google Doodle (SCRATCH) Site

Your Google Doodle must incorporate at least two (2) changes from the choices listed below the main video explanation of the project!  Good Luck!

- Mr. S

Plan A Trip Project Presentations - U1L01 Problem-Solving Process 17-18 MP2

Students will spend time in class presenting their "Plan A Trip" Projects to the group.  Students will be asked to show the Problem Solving Steps, and how they were used to create a plan for a class trip.

Plan a Trip Project

Students will need to work online for this problem to use Google Maps - Website or some other tool that will allow them to plan a road trip.

Demonstrate: Move the class on to the Plan a Trip problem. Each member of the group will individually be developing a plan for a trip that follows criteria they'll develop as a team. Before sending groups off you'll want to demonstrate how the tool they're using will work. A good set of steps to show them might be.

• Find your school on the map.
• Search for something familiar to students close to the school.
• Generate directions from the school to the other location, choosing the method of travel (walking/bus/car/etc.)
• Highlight where the tool shows the total time of the trip

Integrating the Problem Solving Process: This problem is intentionally very open-ended and in fact has students develop the criteria they'll use to measure success. This problem does the best job of highlighting all 4 steps of the process and walks students more intentionally through the Define, Prepare, Try, and Reflect stages.

CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards  

AP - Algorithms & Programming

• 1B-AP-08 - Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate.
• 1B-AP-11 - Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.
• 1B-AP-13 - Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation and review stages of program development.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes, contact us.

SPENT: A NEXTGEN Personal Finance Simulation Project (Middle School) CCS

If you do not finish all assigned tasks before the end of the class, you must complete them on your own time.  If you are finished early you may work on your Historical Figure Facebook Project Research Page.  If that is complete, you may work on makewav.es, khan academy, typing.com (lessons only), or work for another class.

The Inquiry below is intended to help introduce students to the decisions people have to make everyday when they are living paycheck to paycheck. The Supplemental Resources are provided only to support the Inquiry, but the Inquiry is a comprehensive lesson on its own.

In this Inquiry, students will use a simulator to roleplay an adult trying to make ends meet when they don’t have a surplus of finances. In the process, students will learn about how their decisions impact the people around them and their ability to pay for the necessities each month as well as the pressures and decisions that many people face in this situation. Through this Inquiry, they will learn to use wise spending and saving habits, empathize with those dealing with the living wage, and assess the options people have when they are having financial difficulties.

Make Sure You Click On The ROLEPLAY Inquiry Simulation Link Below, Click FILE and MAKE A COPY, and SHARE it with Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit!

Inquiry Simulation:  ROLEPLAY: Spent Middle School Edition

Learning Objectives:

• Students will experience the circumstances of budgeting on the living wage.
• Students will reflect on the impact of the decisions they made in order to learn from them for the future.
• Students will explore the difficulties of living paycheck to paycheck and learn from the options they face as well as mistakes they make.
• Students SHOULD Play the Game a SECOND Time after recording their answers to more fully understand some of the alternate choices in the simulation.

ACTIVITY:

Complete The Google Document Worksheet As You Complete The Online Simulation. Please Answer All Questions In COMPLETE SENTENCES! Try to use the R.A.C.E Response Method (Repeat the question, Answer the question, Cite your evidence/examples, Explain your evidence/examples) Make sure you SHARE the Google Document with Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.

Standards:

Alignment to Anchor Standards for Reading: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words..

Alignment to Jump$tart Spending and Saving Standards: 1b: Analyze how spending and saving behavior can affect overall well-being. 1c: Discuss the components of a personal spending plan, including income, planned saving, and expenses.   Alignment to Jump$tart Risk Management and Insurance Standards: 1b: Predict the consequences of accepting risk with insufficient or no insurance. 1c: Illustrate how to use insurance to share the risk of financial loss.

Supplemental Resources:

*Note: These supplemental resources are a work in progress and will be finalized soon!

Video: Just In Case
This video from Cha-Ching is a fun way for students to explore why they should think about having an emergency fund or getting insurance in case issues they can’t plan for arise!
Suggested Follow Up Questions: 1) What are some examples of reasons you might need an emergency fund or insurance from the video? 2) Why do you think people say “plan for the worst” based on what you learned from the video?

Interactive: PlayInsure
This game allows students to learn about Auto Insurance and Homeowner's Insurance by letting them roleplay as an insured party  that encounters many different scenarios. This allows students to see the different plan options, why insurance costs a certain amount, and when it is useful. Since the game is created by the Texas Department of Insurance, it focuses on that state, but it is a great learning tool for students regardless of location.

• Teacher Tip: Both the Auto Insurance and Homeowner’s Insurance games are very long (30 days) so they are quite repetitive. You might want to tell the students to play for something like 10-15 days!

Video: Payday Loan Advertisement
This Payday loan advertisement tries to sell people payday loans. In the process, it outlines why payday loans exist and why someone living paycheck to paycheck might feel the need to use one. Students might not understand what the big issue with payday loans is given the tone of the video, so discussion afterwards will help them understand.
Suggested Follow Up Questions: 1) How are payday loans different from borrowing money for something like college or a house? 2) Why might someone be searching for a loan like this? 3) What are the 2 qualifications needed to get a payday loan? Why do you think the companies don’t require more info from the borrower? 4) What do you think are the downsides of taking out a payday loan?

Comprehension Questions: Spent Kahoot
This kahoot is a fun way to assess students on their understanding of the terms and concepts they learned in this lesson.

This project taken directly from https://www.ngpf.org/courses/middle-school/

BASIC BANKING: NEXTGEN Personal Finance Simulation Project (Middle School) CCS

If you do not finish all assigned tasks before the end of the class, you must complete them on your own time.  If you are finished early you may work on your Historical Figure Facebook Project Research Page.  If that is complete, you may work on makewav.es, khan academy, typing.com (lessons only), or work for another class.

Please Take This Survey Prior To Starting (Click Link Below)

https://goo.gl/forms/GwV0DbmsJCXJ8GUu2

Show Video Below:

Bank Accounts – Teens should know how a bank account works and the fees associated; not only the account fees and how they incur (min balance amounts, activity fees, etc.), but also the ATM fees. Young people tend to like to do things online so they can search for a low cost, basic online checking account. And while check writing may someday be obsolete, don’t forget to show them how to write a check and explain how it works. Also, review how debit cards work, how to safeguard all their information, and how too many swipes at the checkout counter can lead to costly and embarrassing overdraft charges.

Resource: https://www.forbes.com/sites/markavallone/2016/06/07/five-financial-concepts-your-teens-should-understand-before-high-school-graduation/#54a5b6fc4eab

Please Follow ALL DIRECTIONS on the RolePlay Document located at:

https://docs.google.com/a/ccs.us/document/d/1_Zg5qGcLkp0LQ0YzmYUbatuH9V1p44Td4y8RtlJtsaM/edit?usp=sharing

Each student will click the link above and follow ALL DIRECTIONS!  You will be learning, if you have never done it before, how to use an ATM, Write A Check, Deposit A Check, Make A Payment, and Pay Online Bills.  Each activity has a link to a resource or simulation.  You may complete these steps more than once to make sure you understand how to do these simple banking transactions.  

Please click FILE, and MAKE A COPY of this document before beginning.  Make sure you SHARE this document with Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.  Try to use the R.A.C.E. Response Method when answering the questions. (Restate the question, Answer the question, Cite your evidence/examples, Explain your evidence/examples)

CSD: The Problem Solving Process U1L03 - 17-18 MP2

Overview

In this lesson students apply the problem solving process to three different problems in order to better understand the value of each step. They will solve a word search, arrange seating for a birthday party, and plan a trip. The problems grow increasingly complex and poorly defined to highlight how the problem solving process is particularly helpful when tackling these types of problems. The lesson concludes with students reflecting on their experience with the problem solving process. They will justify the inclusion of each step and will brainstorm questions or strategies that can help them better define open-ended problems, as this is often the most critical step.

This lesson will likely take two class periods or more to complete. The first two problems may fit into a single class period but the third will need to be moved to a second day.

Purpose

This lesson provides students with more practice with the problem solving process in a variety of contexts. It highlights the fact that the problem solving process is particularly helpful when approaching poorly defined problems. The final brainstorm of the lesson provides students with some strategies and questions they can ask to better define problems for themselves, since this is often the most critical step. The problems seen in this lesson also help to drive a discussion in the following lesson about the types of problems that computers are well-suited to solve.

Agenda

• Warm Up (5 min)
• Setting the Stage
• Activity (75 min)
• Solving Problems
• Wrap Up (20 min)
• Understanding the Problem Solving Process

CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards

AP - Algorithms & Programming

• 1B-AP-08 - Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate.
• 1B-AP-11 - Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.
• 1B-AP-13 - Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation and review stages of program development.

CSD: Intro To Problem Solving (A-Boats) U1L01 MP2

Sign Into Your CODE.ORG Account and click the following link:

http://studio.code.org/join/LMVFRG

Overview

In this lesson, students work in groups to design aluminum foil boats that will support as many pennies as possible. Groups have two rounds to work on their boats, with the goal of trying to hold more pennies than they did in round 1. The structure of the activity foreshadows different steps of the problem solving process that students will be introduced to in more detail in the following lesson. At the end of the lesson students reflect on their experiences with the activity and make connections to the types of problem solving they will be doing for the rest of the course.

Purpose

This lesson is a fun introduction to the open-ended, collaborative, and creative problem solving students will be using over the rest of this unit and course. The aluminum boats problem could easily be substituted out for any number of other problems that require students to define their goals, devise a plan, try a solution, evaluate their results, and then iteratively improve from there. The fact that the problem chosen is "non-computational" is intentional. Computer science is fundamentally a problem-solving discipline and staying away from traditional computer science problems at this points helps to frame this class as one about problem-solving more generally with computer science being a new "tool" to help attack certain types of problems.

Agenda

• Tech Setup
• Before class
• At the beginning of class
• CSD Pre-Course Survey
• Important! Have your students take the CSD Pre-Course Survey!
• Warm Up (10 min)
• Set the Stage
• Activity (30 min)
• Building an Aluminum Boat
• Iterative Improvement
• Wrap Up (10 mins)
• Discuss the Challenge

Code.Org Lesson Outline:   CSD: Unit 1 Lesson 1 (Intro To Problem Solving 

Lesson 1: Intro to Problem Solving

CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards

AP - Algorithms & Programming

• 1B-AP-08 - Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate.
• 1B-AP-11 - Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.
• 1B-AP-13 - Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation and review stages of program development.

MAKEWAV.ES Project 17-18 MP2 / Digital Literacy Assessments

Today everyone will continue working on the Digital Literacy Assessments.  In addition to that, everyone is encouraged to create an account on MAKEWAVE.ES!  Please see below for instructions:

STEP 1:  Go to MAKEWAV.ES

STEP 2:  Click on "I'M A STUDENT"

STEP 3: Enter The Class Name Below:

CCS 515 TECH LAB

STEP 4:  Enter all the information required to create your account.  Make sure you use your CCS Gmail Address (@ccs.us).  Once completed, I will need to activate your account.

Group: ALUMNI
Class:  CSA(1-10)

STEP 5:  Begin looking through the BADGE LIBRARY for interesting projects and badges to earn!

These can be included in the project you can earn Badges for on MOZ://@ BACKPACK.  Let me know if you are having any trouble creating an account or signing in.

YOU MUST REMEMBER YOUR ACCOUNT NAME AND PASSWORD, THERE IS NO WAY TO RECOVER IT ONCE YOU HAVE STARTED.  THESE BADGES WILL COUNT TOWARD THE FINAL CONTEST FOR MP2!

You can also earn BADGES AT OTHER SITES:  See the following link (CSA Class) for more information:  http://collegiumtech.blogspot.com/2017/10/digital-literacy-surveys-openbadges.html

Good Luck!

- MR. S