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Week 6 - 20th May 2020
Another coding based challenge this week, this time using Scratch.
Coding Challenge - suitable for Key Stage 1 and 2
Create your own Pong game using drag and drop programming. Follow the tutorial for step-by-step instructions.
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/editor/?tutorial=all then type 'Pong' into the search bar.
Check out the video below of the game I created. I decided to have an underwater theme to my game. I used a pufferfish instead of the ball. To make my game harder, I added a jellyfish. Watch what happens, to both the jellyfish and the score, if he is hit!
If you want to play my game click here! Once loaded, if you click 'See Inside' you will also be able to look at the coding I used to create my game.
If you are able to, record you game and send it to me so I can see what you've created - mjordan@cashesgreen-pri.gloucs.sch.uk
Week 5 - 13th May 2020
I thought this week I'd go for another coding based challenge as I really enjoy teaching coding in school.
Coding Challenge - suitable for Key Stage 1 and 2
Follow the on-screen instructions to make a 'Flappy' Game. Use drag and drop programming to make your own Flappy Bird game.
https://studio.code.org/flappy/1
This challenge can be completed on a computer or table device (iPad and Android compatible).
I really enjoying having a go and made a pretty good game (if I do say so myself!)
Happy coding!
Miss Jordan
Week 4 - Wednesday 6th May 2020
Film Competition
Childnet are once again running their annual film competition for children aged 7 - 18. This year's challenge is to create a positive, short online safety film or storyboard with a script in response to this year's theme 'We want an internet where we're free to...'
Find out more information about this competition and how to enter on their website: https://www.childnet.com/resources/film-competition/2020.
Gotta be in it to win it! Good luck if you decide to enter.
Miss Jordan
I would like to say a huge thank you to Kai in Year 6 for sending me across his ideas for my updated online safety rules. I will most definitely be including all of these in my updated policy.
Week 3 - Wednesday 29th April 2020
Online Safety
I have been spending a lot of time recently looking at online safety in school and am in the process of updating the rules and policies that we follow in school. One of these that I have to do are the rules for children using technology and the internet in our school. I would really love your help with this. I'd like you to help me come up with a list of rules that the children in our school have to follow when it comes to being safe online and with technology. An example of these rules could be something like, 'I will not share mine or anyone else's personal information online' or 'I will not try to access files in other people's folders'.
It is up to you how you present these to me you could simply just email me your ideas, you could create a poster displaying your ideas or whatever else you can think of and email them to me at mjordan@cashesgreen-pir.gloucs.sch.uk.
Follow this link to the Thinkuknow website where you can play a game linked to online safety.
For more information about the websites, apps and games that you might be accessing, head over to the Online Safety page.
Thank you for your help.
Miss Jordan
Week 2 - Wednesday 22nd April 2020
What is touch typing and why is it so important?
The children in my class are often amazed by how fast I can type without a need to look at the keyboard to see where the key is that I need. Touch typing is to type with your fingers, without having to look at the keys. It is the fastest way to write. Touch typing is a valuable skill for life and once mastered it will become a part of our muscle memory. Computer are used regularly in education and many professions use computers. Have a go at this challenge to help you get much quicker at typing!
Typing Challenge (all year groups) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zf2f9j6/articles/z3c6tfr
This challenge will help children to become familiar with key placement on the keyboard which will hopefully enable them to improve their typing speed and accuracy. There are four different levels, each getting progressively harder!
Happy typing!
Miss Jordan
Week 1 - Wednesday 1st April 2020
What is coding and why is it so important?
Coding is the act of writing instructions for a computer to make the computer perform a task. Coding can also be called programming. A finished set of computer instructions is called a program. Every app, game and software program we use requires a coded program to work. Many of our household appliances and even our cars need a coded program to work.
For a program to work it must be written in a way that a computer understands. This is done with computer language. There are different language designed for different types of programs (HTML, Java, C++ and Python).
When learning to code, children will typically learn to use simplified, visual programming tools initially. These allow them to build programs with pre-made blocks of code that can be stacked together to form a sequence of instructions.
Computers only work as well as the instructions they have been given. If a program's instructions are not written correctly then the program won't work properly.
As we live in a digital age, it is really important that children understand how the devices they use work and how to control them. Coding teaches children that finding solutions to problems often involves a logical sequence of steps or actions. It also teaches trial and error, perseverance, reasoning skills and the ability to think creatively.
Coding Challenge - Key Stage 1
Dance Party Coding - can you code a dance party? Step-by-step on-screen instructions will guide you through the process. You'll be using blocks of code to choose different dancers, change their dance moves, make them respond to the music and make them interactive.
https://hourofcode.com/dance2019
This challenge can be completed on a computer or tablet device (iPad and Android compatible).
Extended project ideas are also available.
Coding Challenge - Key Stage 2
Pong - make a bouncing ball game with sounds, points and other effects. Step-by-step instructions will guide you through the process.
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/editor/?tutorial=pong
In addition to the on-screen instructions, you can follow this link to coding cards which will further help guide you through the process.
Challenge: once you've followed the tutorial, can you create your own Pong type game?
I would love to see/hear about your coding creations. You can do this by emailing me at mjordan@cashesgreen-pri.gloucs.sch.uk. Additionally, if you have any problems please let me know and I will happily try to help you debug the problem.
Happy coding!
Miss Jordan
Information for Parents on Online Safety - this is extra important at this time.
As always, please supervise children using these links - a site may also contain links to other sites or clips so whilst these direct links are suitable there might be content a few clicks away that isn't.
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