CODERS Newsletter
August 27, 2024
Administer the Student Survey by September 18
The student survey was emailed last week. Here is a link to the survey and the QR code. The survey must be completed before you begin teaching CODERS content.
The survey has been shortened. Thank you for the feedback. We recommend reading the survey aloud to students. Teachers with a 90% or better student response rate will receive a $50 Starbucks card.
Parking Pass
Teach Two CODERS Lessons by October 4
In August and September, we are asking you to complete two lessons—one on Careers and one on Computational Thinking. Complete the Reflection after each lesson for the full stipend.
Some of you will be able to teach these before our regroup and some after. We will debrief at the meeting for those who have taught it, and it is a great opportunity to learn and prepare for you to teach it between September 20 and October 1.
Overview of Computational Thinking.pptx
Lesson 1: Interlinking Cubes Activity PowerPoint with the Printable Lesson Plan and Worksheet. Choose a writing strategy.
Lesson 2: Computational Thinking and Written Programming sample lesson plan. This video, "Why Do Computers Use 1s and 0s?," pairs well with this lesson.
Lesson 3: Choose videos from the IF/THEN Collection and pair with a writing activity. Here are a few samples to get you started:
- Meow Wolf, Jerome Morrison, Design Technologist
- MBARI, Danelle Cline, Software Engineer
- NASA, Nikesha Davis, Aerospace Engineer
Lesson 4: Try Abbi Coy's Four-Part Career Exploration Presentation. Abbi's lesson includes a Powerpoint and external links. Everything you need for a lesson.
Sign up for a Co-Teacher/Mentor
Please tell us if you need mentor to co-teach or meet with you before your presentation by emailing Keri Franklin at KFranklin@MissouriState.edu and Tammi Davis at TammiDavis@MissouriState.edu to help set that up. You will also get your 2024 Launch diplomas and the items you ordered this summer.
Find another great Careers Resource or have a lesson plan to share? Email Dr3s@MissouriState.edu to share it on the website.
Agenda for September 20
The regroup will last from 9:00 am-3:30 pm, in the PSU Ballroom. Thank you for co-planning with us. lunch from PSU vendors will be provided.
8:00 Coffee and light breakfast
9:00-10:00 Mentor Minutes
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-11:15 Content Session One on Block Coding
11:15-11:45 Block Coding lesson plans or implementation.
11:45-12:15 Lunch
12:15-1:15 Teacher Leader Showcase
1:15-1:30 Break
1:30-2:30 September Lesson Plan
2:30-3:00 Closing
3:00-3:30 Pick up CODERS Kits in Siceluff Hall
Fall and Spring Regroup Dates
Your Classroom Stories
During the 2024 summer Launch, we asked you to write a “Pixar story” about your experience with a CODERS assignment. You’ll remember that these stories were supposed to begin with a fairy tale-ish sentence, but where did the stories end up? Most end in success, and all are inspiring.
In case the year ahead seems challenging, read Sarah Cable’s Pixar story below. Sarah teaches in Seymour, and her story takes place there, not in a galaxy far, far away, but in a classroom probably much like yours:
Ms. Cable loved to teach. She taught coding to students who loved learning. One day, some students decided they didn’t want to learn or productively struggle in class because it was challenging. The students said coding made their brains hurt. The teacher decided the students needed a competition with a prize. The students desperately wanted the prize. Food? A free homework pass? They did not know. Groups of students became competitive and were determined to win—whoever made a pedometer first was the winner!
With the high level of engagement, Ms. Cable decided to reward every student with a prize—food OR a homework pass! The class was content throughout the rest of class, and they looked forward to the possibilities and challenges that tomorrow might bring.
Mary Hepler, a teacher from Clever, also shared a Pixar Story about how a CODERS lesson in Scratch, (which is to be taught in October) helped to engage and encourage a student to succeed in learning when he was previously disinterested in school and completing his assignments.
Brent was a student enrolled in Coding who wasn't traditionally a "good" student. He complained, fought the academic process, and frequently refused to try. One day, for some reason, he decided to start a Scratch assignment. He explored the Scratch program and became excited about the possibilities. Turns out, Brent was a natural who excelled at critical thinking. He had just never tried it. Brent rose to the top of the Coding class and was awarded the Student of the Year award. He learned how to be a "good" student in other disciplines as well. He realized that he was capable of learning and accomplishing much more than he realized.
The "Go" Game
Dr. Sun and the "Go" Game
Dr. Sun, a professor at Missouri State, is inspired by artificial intelligence and board games. These interests converged in 2016, when an AI mastered the ancient board game Go. Go is famously complicated, even compared to Chess. After the first two moves in a Chess game, there are 400 possible third moves. In Go, there are nearly 130,000 possibilities.
Dr. Sun was interested in AlphaGo’s ability because it identified random points but connected them to a larger pattern. Check out the article to learn about the real-world application of the work inspired by Dr. Sun’s interest in AlphaGo, and consider reading it to your class!
MoreNet Conference
Interested in attending the MoreNet Conference, join the CODERS Table. CODERS is a sponsor of the MoreNet Conference in Branson. CODERS will pay for either your registration or a hotel room if you would like to represent CODERS.
In the News!
Share with your administrators the KOLR interview with Keri, John, Stephanie, and Abbi.
https://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/msu-stem-program-helps-rural-schools-with-tech-teaching/
Recently, an article was published by the Springfield Daily Citizen about the CODERS Project, Robot Dogs, and Coding, and features Keri, Razib, and Jen.
Student Achievements
In this section, we will share videos of students like Cody, who we like to call Cody the Coder, a third grader who shares how he makes electricity in Scratch. He was also interviewed for STEM Spots by my colleague and co-PI.
In Ava, a middle school student programs a Robot Dog in preparation for the Family and Community Coding Night. During the Family Coding night, students created Spirographs using popsicle sticks, a motor, markers, and a small motor.
This young student describes how she codes a lightbulb to turn off.
In an English Language Arts class in Buffalo, students held a Holiday Idiom Parade.
And, in this video, a younger elementary student tells us that she loves building circuits!
A teacher at Exeter leads an overview of a coding project in Scratch.
Send us your videos and student achievements!