Coding - What is it?
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Coding, also called computer programming, is a series of instructions to a computer in a specific computer based language such as Python, HTML, Java, C++ and more. Traditionally, these computer languages were reserved for college level students and were intensely complicated with syntax. Coding has never been more accessible to students of all ages! Thanks to block based coding languages such as Scratch, students and teachers can learn to code in a safe and easy environment. Coding in education has received world wide attention, especially since the UK mandated computer programming for all grades starting in 2013. The BC school board just announced their new coding curriculum for September 2016! Coding is becoming an important part of education!
What’s more, coding is part of the maker movement! You can connect with people from all over the world to code robotics, machines, games and a wide array of digital maker projects, 
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Code.org is an amazing resource for beginner coders, both as a teacher or as a student. The world wide event Hour of Code lets students try coding for 1 hour in safe and easy tutorials. Try having students work in pairs to collborate and problem solve together. These tutorials have interactive videos and prompts to keep students having fun and learning. They also work on any device!
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Now that you tried your first hour of code, you are ready for some more coding lessons! Code Studio has over 20 hours of self paced courses for students aged 4-18! The focus is on problem solving, numeracy and literacy skills. Students can work independently with the built in tutorials and videos.
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You are ready to take your coding further! Check out the classroom resources below that will help you select the right project for your students from beginner to advanced! The rest of this site will feature classroom challenges and resources to help you take coding to the next level in your classroom makerspace!
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How can I use Coding in my makerspace?
Coding has taken the educational world by storm, especially with the introduction of mandatory computer programming curriculum across the globe! Scratch is an educational block based coding language. Scratch has an active educator community that shares lesson ideas and student projects. This educational guide from the ScratchEd team can help teachers get started with their first lesson in scratch! This guide is part of the open source community and creative commons. It is free to download for classroom use!
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ScratchED is an online educator community to share lessons, stories, ideas and ask questions
CS First provides free, easy-to-use computer science (CS) enrichment materials that target and engage a diverse student population. These are easy to follow lessons in Scratch!
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ScratchJr is an introductory programming language that enables young children (ages 5 and up) to create their own interactive stories and games.
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Coding Student Challenges!
Here are twenty student challenges that have been created as trading cards for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 to learn coding in the classroom. Each trading card will take you individual sites with more information as well as what device you can use with your students! Try one, try them all and happy coding! The cards can be downloaded below.
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Coding Resources
Learn More!With less than 1% of girls learning to code, Made with Code has a plan to change that! Community initiative, female friendly projects, and a growing community of empowered women will inspire you to start coding with your girls!
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Ladies Learning Code!This is an amazing organization that promotes females in computer science. Check out the site to find an event near you and begin your coding journey!
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Code Club!A great way to start coding is with a club! Code club offers free coding resources in multiple languages to help you get started!
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Do you have a lesson idea to contribute? Please contact us to share your idea with our community of educators!
This book begins by introducing the essential concepts of programming with simple instructions, and without specialized computer lingo. Fun projects throughout let kids start putting their computer skills into practice and build their own code using Scratch programming and Python, the two most popular languages.
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