Villa Girls Complete Hour of Code

For the second year in a row, students in grades K-8 completed the Hour of Code in celebration of Computer Science Education Week (December 7-13). The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science that was created to help people to understand the basics. Allowing students early exposure computer science can help to nurture their problem solving skills, logic and creativity and build a good foundation for success in a 21st century career path (hourofcode.org).

This year the girls in grades 2-7 completed the Hour of Code with tutorials on code.org from Microsoft’s best-selling computer game Minecraft, a 3D landscape that allows users to build with blocks made of different resources. The girls used blocks of code to take characters Steve or Alex on an adventure through the Minecraft world. Middle school girls also participated with Star Wars tutorials instead of Minecraft. Grade 8 continued to code their lego robotics during Computer Science Week.

“We expose our girls to Hour of Code because not only is computer science one of the fasted growing careers,” said Instructional Technology Coach, Mrs. Melissa Dow, “but we feel it’s important for our students to understand the technology that surrounds them every day.”

Girls in grades K and 1 completed the Hour of Code using the free iPad app, Daisy the Dinosaur, used to introduce young children to computer programming. A list of commands is provided to the user and when the commands are dragged and connected in the program box, Daisy the Dinosaur will move per the programmed directions. The girls had so much fun with it!

“By offering even our youngest students opportunities to be involved in coding and computer programming we are providing  an awareness of and a foundation for the unique set of skills STEM thinking requires,” said Mrs. Lisa Callan, Instructional Technology Coach who works with grades K-4.

Check out this video of the girls excited for completing their Hour of Code!