Month: August 2025 (Page 1 of 2)

• “Free K–12 Curriculum for Computer Science and AI.” Free K–12 Curriculum for Computer Science and AI | Code.Org, code.org/en-US.   

• OpenAI. (2025, August 18). ChatGPT (GPT-5) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com

• “What Is Coding and What Is It Used for? A Beginner’s Guide.” ZDNET, www.zdnet.com/education/computers-tech/what-is-coding-and-what-is-it-used-for/.  Accessed 27 July 2025. 

• Nduta, Agnes, et al. “What Is Coding? A Simple Beginner’s Guide for 2025.” CareerFoundry, 10 Jan. 2023, careerfoundry.com/en/blog/web-development/what-is-coding/.

Assessment plan:

Learning Outcomes:

1. Apply basic coding concepts in Sprite Lab (like using loops, events, functions, and variables).
   
2. Show creativity in making sprites move, animate, or interact.
   
3. Demonstrate persistence by trying, testing, and adjusting code if even challenges arise. Show a problem solvers mindset.
   
4. Reflect on their coding process (what worked, what they learned).

Formative Assessment:

• Observation & Check-ins:
  
• During the activity, we can check in and ask students guiding questions like:
  

• “What is your sprite doing right now?”
  
• “Why did you choose this block?”
  
• “What happens if you put it in a loop?”
  

– The Purpose: We can catch misconceptions early and also give encouragement.

– Mini-Showcase:

– We could also pause halfway and let 2–3 volunteers quickly “show & tell” what their sprite does.

– Encourage peers to ask 1 question or give 1 idea.

– Feedback Style:
– Immediate, verbal, positive, and suggestive

Summative Assessment (end of the activity)

Each student will present or share their Sprite Lab project. They will be assessed on the following:

• Core Coding Concepts (40%)
  The project should use at least one loop, include an event (such as a key press or click), and create some kind of animation or interaction.
  
• Creativity and Problem Solving (30%)
  The sprite should demonstrate some unique behavior, such as dancing, talking, or moving in an interesting way. Students are encouraged to experiment with different blocks or functions beyond the bare minimum.
  
• Completion and Effort (20%)
  The project should run without breaking. Students should also demonstrate that they tested or debugged their work.
  
• Reflection (10%)
  Students will provide a quick written or verbal response to a prompt such as: “What did you learn while making this?” or “What would you add if you had more time?”
  

Proficiency Rating

Final standing can be determined in one of two ways:

• Complete / Incomplete (simple pass/fail)
  
• Proficiency Scale:
  
  • 4 – Exceeds: Uses multiple coding concepts, includes creative interactions, and provides a strong reflection.
    
  • 3 – Meets: Meets the minimum coding requirements, shows effort, and provides a short reflection.
    
  • 2 – Developing: Partial attempt, sprite moves but missing key coding blocks.
    
  • 1 – Beginning: Did not finish or only completed minimal work.
    

Confidence in Outcomes

Since students are asked to demonstrate their project live, the confidence level in determining whether they have met the outcomes is high. Watching their sprite in action and hearing their reflection provides clear evidence of:

• Understanding of loops and events (directly observable in the code).
  
• Engagement and effort (observable in the project’s behavior and polish).
  

While creativity scoring has some subjectivity, the combination of coding, completion, and reflection criteria ensures a fair and balanced assessment

Activity 1 (Video):

Explaination of activity:

Students will watch the above video as it serves the purpose of showing what kind of mindset and though process is needed for programming. It introduces how to learn programming, not what programming is. This activity is designed as a means of reflection rather than an assesement.

After viewing the video, students will:

• Take 5 minutes to write down a brief reflection of what they learnt from the video
• Asnwer why coding is important

Activity 2 (Code.org):

 Explanation of activity: 

This activity teaches coding by letting students work with fundamental coding logics to create an interactive animation.

Essential Questions:

1. Why is learning to code important in today’s world?
   1. In this activity, students will create an interactive animation, showing them the relevance of coding in digital media/graphic design.
2. How do computers “think” and follow instructions?
   1. Students will use basic logic such as conditions and loops to make their animation, demonstrating to them the basics of how computers “think”.
3. How can coding help me solve problems creatively?
   1. Students will combine multiple tools of coding logic to create an animation, allowing them to design their unique solution.

Objective: Use loops and conditionals to make a short animation that responds to user input.
Materials: Web browser; Code.org account; Starter project link (below).
Project: (Click here for activity.  Please login using a Google Account)

https://studio.code.org/projects/spritelab/eAVSI-n0mJfNKwMJpNl0lQDL3PNTjSteVb2QgaAvXsk

 Steps:

1. Open the starter and click Remix (as that makes your own version).
   
2. Add one loop (repeat an action).
   
3. Add one conditional (i.e. “when the spacebar is pressed, change effect”).
   
4. Personalize: colors, movement, sound, or extra sprites.
   
5. Click Share → copy your link.
    

Success Criteria:

• Uses 1 loop and 1 conditional
  
• Animation responds to input
  
• Clear, readable setup (organized blocks)
  Reflection (2–3 sentences):
  
• What worked? What did you change?
  
• Where did you get stuck, and how did you fix it?
  

Getting Started / Tips:

1. Set a background
   

• Drag World → “set background to …” into the workspace. Pick a scene (e.g., “Disco” or “Space”).
  

2. Make a sprite
   

• Drag Sprites → “make new sprite at x: __ y: __”.
  
• Click the costume/icon bubble to pick a character (e.g., “Dancer”).
  

3. Say something
   

• Drag Sprites → “sprite say ‘…’ for 2 sec” and attach it under your sprite block.
  
• Press Run. Your sprite should appear and speak.

1. Creating Events (interaction)

Events make things happen when the user does something.

Try one or two:

• Events → “when [space] pressed”
  
  • Inside, add Sprites → “change sprite’s y by 20” (jump).
    
• Events → “when this sprite clicked”
  
  • Inside, add Sprites → “set sprite’s animation to ‘…’” (switch to a dance pose)
    
  • Optionally Sound → “play sound ‘…’”
    

Run it and try the interaction!

2. Using Movement & “behaviors”

Two easy ways to animate:

A) Simple step movement (easy)

• Add Events → “every 0.2 seconds do …”
  
  • Inside: Sprites → “change sprite’s x by 5” (slide right)
    

B) Behaviors (one-block animations)

• Sprites → “add behavior ‘spin right/left’ to sprite”
  
• Later you can stop it with “remove behavior ‘spin right/left’ from sprite”

3. Using Loops (repeat actions)

• Loops → “repeat 10 times”
  
  • Inside: Sprites → “change sprite’s size by -5” (shrink effect)
    
• Or continuous: Loops → “forever do …” (be careful—this never stops without a condition)
  

Pro tip: Prefer “every 0.2 seconds do …” for smooth, timed repeats you can stop later.

4. Creating Variables (score, timers, flags)

1. Make a variable
   

• Variables → “var score = 0” at the top of your program.
  

2. Change it on events
   

• Under “when this sprite clicked” add Variables → “set score to score + 1”
  

3. Display it
   

• World/Text → “set text to ‘Score: ’ + score” or create a dedicated text element if available in your unit.
  (If your unit doesn’t have text UI blocks, you can make a “text sprite” using the sprite library’s letter assets.)

5. Setting Conditionals (if/else)

• Logic → “if … then … else …”
  Examples:
  
  • If sprite’s x > 380 → set x to 0 (wrap around)
    
  • If score ≥ 10 → set background to ‘Party’ (reward)

6. Making Functions (bundle your own actions)

1. Create a function
   

• Functions → “create a function named …” (name it danceMove)
  
• Inside, put a small routine, e.g.:
  
  • change sprite’s size by -2
    
  • play sound ‘pop’
    

2. Call it
   

• In an event (ie. “when space pressed”) add Functions → “call danceMove”
  

This keeps your workspace clean and lets you reuse logic.

Structure of the Resource

Essential Question	Learning Objective	Content/Resources	Interactive Activities/Formative Assessments
Why is learning to code important in today’s world?	Identify at least three real-world applications of coding in different fields (e.g., business, science, art).	Code.org – “What is Computer Science?” video	Group brainstorm: After watching the video, students list industries where coding is used and share one example each.
How do computers “think” and follow instructions?	Explain how algorithms and step-by-step instructions allow computers to perform tasks.	Code.org – “Algorithms in Everyday Life” lesson	Students write a “human algorithm” for making a sandwich, then trade and follow each other’s steps literally to see where clarity matters.
How can coding help me solve problems creatively?	Create a simple program using coding blocks that solves a small problem or tells a story.	Code.org – “Intro to Sprites” or “Dance Party” activity	Students design a short animation or interactive story, focusing on using coding blocks to achieve a creative goal.

Theoretical Foundation:
Constructivism: guides the design: learners will build understanding of coding concepts by actively experimenting with programming tasks and projects, by solving small challenges, and by applying logic to create simple programs as well as personal projects.

Learning Design Approach:
With using Code.org , people can learn through project based and inquiry driven structure, inviting learners to explore basic coding concepts, test different code solutions in code.org’s interactive environment, and reflect on the outcomes of their code. Active engagement, debugging practice, and small collaborative challenges support deeper conceptual understanding.

The experimental learning strategy will be also prioritized. The means of Trial and Error will serve as a way for students to problem solve, resulting in a much deeper understanding, and with errors being the feedback which helps the student learn where they may have gone wrong.

The main purpose is to let the students be given the freedom of utilizing the tools given to approach a solution that may solve the problem. As with programming there are many solutions, therefore experimentation will show how problems can be approached in different ways.

Inclusion Strategy (UDL/Cast):
Step by step visual coding blocks paired with clear textual instructions and narrated guidance.
Interactive examples and coding challenges available with captions and transcripts for accessibility.
Scaffolded supports such as starter code, hints, and guided problem-solving prompts.

Technology Rationale:
code.org interactive coding environment can provide hands on practice with instant feedback.
Google Docs or Padlet: for collaborative sharing of code solutions and reflections.
Video tutorials with captions + transcripts: ensure accessibility for all learners.

Learner Context

• Target audience:  Beginners with little to no prior programming experience, including students, people changing careers, or hobbyists interested in learning how to code.

• Background: Learners may have basic computer literacy (like using a web browser, installing software, typing, etc), but limited exposure to programming concepts. They may not be familiar with technical terms, logic structures, or development tools.
  
• Learner needs:
  – Understand fundamental programming concepts (variables, data types, conditionals, loops, functions)
  

– Learn basic syntax in an accessible beginner-friendly language (like Python or JavaScript)

– Develop problem-solving and logical thinking skills through hands-on examples

– Gain familiarity with using a code editor and running simple programs

– Build confidence to continue exploring more advanced topics independently

1. Learning Overview

Topic Definition
Coding is the process of writing computer interpretable instructions (code) using a programming language (like python, or Java, or C++, etc) so that the computer can execute tasks. 

“What Is Coding and What Is It Used for? A Beginner’s Guide.” ZDNET, www.zdnet.com/education/computers-tech/what-is-coding-and-what-is-it-used-for/.  Accessed 27 July 2025. 

Programming languages all have their own rules, the same way that different human languages all have rules, grammar, syntax. To code is to be able to speak/ write in a language the computer can understand. Beyond learning the conventions of a programming language or languages, coding and programming is all about problem solving and thinking. 

Nduta, Agnes, et al. “What Is Coding? A Simple Beginner’s Guide for 2025.” CareerFoundry, 10 Jan. 2023, careerfoundry.com/en/blog/web-development/what-is-coding/.

Common Misconceptions

• Probably the most common misconception about coding is that “it seems hard and therefore I shouldn’t try.” While it can seem intimidating to start if you have never done it before, it only takes a little time, effort, and commitment, to get going – similar to learning any new skill. Especially in today’s day and age with the amount of technology and resource available it is very easy to learn and quickly get a good understanding and foundation. Coding at a high level can be difficult, but it is very scalable meaning that anyone can eventually work up to that level. No one who wants to try or learn coding should stop themselves because it seems intimidating, in reality it is quite simple and accessible to get into.

Rationale
Coding is a great way to expand your way of thinking. It deals with problem solving and creative thinking. It can help people to look at things differently, teaching you new ways to approach  and tackle issues.