Coding in the classroom has definitely been huge in education lately but it is often a struggle to fit it all in. This summer I was super excited to learn that you can now code with Moby. I have used BrainPop in my classroom many many times and I can't wait to use the creative coding with my students. I am also excited to share more about how you can use BrainPop coding activities in your classroom.

When you log into BrainPop, you will need to type in "creative coding" in the search bar. Right now, there are 40 topics that include coding activities. Some of the topics include ... seasons, division, cells, Martin Luther King Jr., dinosaurs and conflict resolution.

Including coding projects into your classroom instruction can sometimes be a struggle. I really think that BrainPop hit the nail on the head when they decided to include coding activities that are content based. These activities would be great for an extension, enrichment for your gifted learners or a closing activity after a unit.

Each topic includes all of the normal activities that you know and love but they now include a creative coding activity. You can use it as a closing activity or even start with the coding activity to have your students show what they know.

Each topic includes four different coding projects (stop motion animation, meme, doodle augmented reality and a newcast). The coding projects are very easy to follow and include detailed instructions for your students. The meme is my favorite but I will definitely be using all four in my classroom. I love giving students choice and I love that BrainPop is offering choice.

Another great feature is that you can print out planning paper for you students. This would be great to have them plan out their project before they actually create it. If you click on the "plan" button on the right side, it will take you to a planning sheet that you can print out.

I hope you are able to use BrainPop Creative Coding in your classroom this year. What are some ways that you might use it in your classroom? Leave me a comment.

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Stephanie

Hi friends! Today I wanted to share my passion with you guys and hopefully inspire you to incorporate it into your classroom. My passion is definitely 21st-century learning and technology. I have really let my students drive the learning through student choice. I love providing my students with the inspiration and opportunities to explore and create through coding projects. I have had so many magic moments in my classroom this past year and I can't wait to share them with you guys. 

Today I wanted to share how you can help your students create digital animated stories using Scratch.

So your first question is probably ... WHAT IS SCRATCH?  Scratch is a block style coding program that will allow your students to create their own interactive stories and games.  There is a free online version of Scratch and also a free version that you can download onto your computer.  You can find both versions HERE.

I honestly did not know much about Scratch until a few years ago.  I just dove into it and learned all that I know from trying different things and watching a ton of tutorial videos.  But trust me friends ... your kids will pick it up quickly and they will be motivated and inspired to create new stories.

Still unsure ... don't worry ... I've got you covered!  I created a short video tutorial that you can show your students.  The video will teach them how to create a short animated story in Scratch.  They can watch it and re-watch it until they feel comfortable or you can watch it and then teach them.  I have more tutorial videos coming soon.

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Stephanie

This past school year was my first year as a full-time technology teacher but I know the struggle is real when trying to integrate technology. Time is tight and it can be a hassle at times to fit it all in! However, the best part of technology is that it is super engaging and can enhance ANY lesson. Today I want to share with you guys how to integrate coding into a math geometry lesson. My third, fourth and fifth graders LOVED this lesson! I even created a video lesson for you to share with your class!

I created this lesson as an enrichment lesson to get students practicing angles, coordinates and geometry. I decided to focus on squares and rectangles and then challenge my students to create other shapes on their own. Here is the video lesson that you can share with your students.

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Stephanie

This is my first year teaching in upper elementary. One of the things that I have really worked on is implementing student-led learning in my classroom. It is definitely an area that I am constantly reflecting on because I definitely see a lot of growth from my students when they lead the learning. It also helps make learning relevant to students.

One of my favorite student-led learning opportunities is the design challenge. The only supplies that I gave my students were cardboard pieces, masking tape and poster board (11x11). I learned the hard way that the best thing is to cut the cardboard into strips. The students were able to cut the strips into smaller pieces for their maze. If you give them a box to cut, it will be a disaster. Just warning you now!

My students worked with measurement during this design challenge. They used rulers to make one inch marks to draw out a design grid. They also used protractors to measure angles. They also really got a chance to use critical thinking because we had to make sure that we designed a path that was wide enough to fit our ozobots.

After the design challenge, we worked on programming our ozobots to travel through our mazes. It was a great way to make our design challenge relevant.

I hope that you are able to implement student-led learning in your classroom. I would love to hear about your experiences.

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Stephanie