Code.org
Star Wars: Building a Galaxy with Code
Welcome to the code side. The interactive lesson introduces coding in a game format with familiar characters. Young computer experts learn to develop code to control the interaction of the characters in the game. The activity ends with...
Code.org
Minecraft Hour of Code
Devote an hour to computer coding ... it's time well spent! The activity has young computer scientists write code to solve puzzles in the Minecraft game. They learn how to apply block codes and repeat loops.
PBS
Code Creators
The lesson is real—even if the computer code isn't. Scholars learn about pseudocode, which simulates computer code using everyday language. They write pseudocode for simple actions, then have classmates guess the action from the written...
Anti-Defamation League
Student Dress Codes: What's Fair?
The controversy over school dress codes continues. The debate involves questions like, why is there a policy? Who sets the policy? Who enforces the policy? What is a fair policy? Tweens and teens have an opportunity to engage in the...
Khan Academy
Challenge: Parting Clouds
Let the sun shine as your young coders move the clouds across the sky while practicing animation coding skills in JavaScript. Younger learners may benefit from more guided help or a whole-class discussion before trying this coding task.
Computer Science Unplugged
Codes in a Song—Modems
Let's listen to some codes. To understand how a modem sends binary numbers over a phone line, class member listen to the codes included in the provided mp3 files, translates the tones to binary numbers and then convert the binary numbers...
Khan Academy
Project: Build-a-House
Start with a basic house created in JavaScript code and practice programming with loops as you add rows of windows, grass, flowers, or trees. How about some apples growing in the trees? You get the idea. Your coding students can let...
Khan Academy
Project: Make it Rain
Make it rain on your computer screen with this challenging JavaScript programming project. Modify the existing code of one little drop to create a downpour by using arrays and properties of arrays. But why stop there? How about some...
Khan Academy
Challenge: Ice Cream Code
Practice adding color to your simple JavaScript picture. Three layers of ice cream in a bowl with a cherry on top, gives your beginning coders a tasty challenge.
Khan Academy
Challenge: Moles in Holes
Move the moles to the holes in this simple coding exercise on using parameters in function calls. The task is broken down for you and the function that draws the mole is already provided. Your job is to add JavaScript code to call the...
Khan Academy
Challenge: Simple Shapes!
Now practice drawing a rectangle, ellipse, circle, and line by writing your own JavaScript code. Don't know where to start? No problem, you will be guided through creating every line of code. Getting an error message? Again, no problem,...
Khan Academy
Challenge: Say Your Name
Practice creating and using functions in a simple JavaScript coding exercise. Move code inside the function definition and then add lines to call the simple function. Adding function parameters and return values are covered later in this...
Khan Academy
Challenge: Bouncy Ball
Create your own bouncing ball program with this guided activity. Java Script code that sends a ball down the screen is provided. The task is to fix the code to make it bounce up when it hits the bottom of the screen and then down again...
Khan Academy
Challenge: Your First Painting App
Ever wonder how those neat painting applications work? Completing this coding activity will give you some insight. First, starting with a simple function that draws a small circle as the mouse moves around the screen, adjust the function...
Khan Academy
Challenge: Flashy Flash Card
Create your own flash card in this JavaScript coding activity. Modify the given code so that the answer is revealed when the mouse is pressed. Provides good practice of conditional if-else statements.
Khan Academy
Challenge: Constellation Maker
Populate your own universe with constellations and stars. Modify the existing JavaScript code to use the push method of arrays, and mouseX and mouseY to draw a star based on the click and position of the mouse.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Arduino Blink Challenge
Emerging engineers read about Arduino software and how it can be used. Then they follow a nine-step tutorial to connect an Arduino board to a computer and put it to work! The objective is to code a program that will cause an LED to...
Khan Academy
Challenge: It's a Beautiful Day
Young coders build on their programming skills by adding color to their pictures. The background, fill, and noStroke functions are explored in the JavaScript coding activity.
Khan Academy
Project: What's for Dinner?
This creative project may make your young programmers hungry as they practice their Java Script coding. The task is fairly open ended: add shapes using different shape functions, including the fill and stroke functions to add color and...
Khan Academy
Challenge: Funny Face
A simple face can draw on the computer canvas using four lines of code each containing slightly different parameters to the ellipse function. Learners are guided through making changes to certain features such as making the mouth or eyes...
Curated OER
Challenge: Tasty Tomato
Take a big bite out of the red tomato by practicing your use of the variables mouseX and mouseY in a JavaScript coding task. The activity will guide you step-by-step and will help young coders understand how to draw objects based on the...
Khan Academy
Challenge: A Loopy Landscape
Drawing trees and grass over and over again is the perfect time to add a while loop to your computer code. This activity guides coders through the steps as they practice using this loop.
Khan Academy
Challenge: Recipe Card
Anyone hungry? Create a recipe object in this coding activity. Include a title, number of servings, and ingredients. All of this adds up to one delicious practice opportunity for your programming students who are just learning how to use...
Khan Academy
Challenge: Picture Painter
Your young coding students will love the result of this programming activity and will be amazed at what they can make the computer do. Using objects and their properties, they will create a paint brush that will redraw an object across...