Hour(s) of Code!

Hour of Code is an annual event to promote Computer Science. According to their website: 

The Hour of Code takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week. The 2017 Computer Science Education Week will be December 4-10, but you can host an Hour of Code all year round. Computer Science Education Week is held annually in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, 1906). 

We're starting Hour of Code and changing the name to Hours of Code!

Thank you, Hadi Partovi for creating this project!

To prepare for our coding lessons, we did a collaborative unplugged activity involving building. The challenge was to build a free-standing tower out of 20 pieces of spaghetti. At the top of the tower was a marshmallow. Only 1 meter of tape and 1 meter of string were allowed to create the tower. 

This building challenge was a great chance to practice the strategy of trial and error. If your design didn't work, try another tactic! 

In preparation, we watched a building video on BrainPop.

Then it was time to start building!

 Some bundled the pasta together for strength. 

Others spread out the sticks for a broad base. 

The pyramid base was an idea from the BrainPop video! 

After 18 minutes, the building time was up!

1st Place :: 47 cm

2nd Place :: 46 cm

3rd Place :: 42 cm

Fun fact, this tower is still standing today!

Everyone enjoyed the first build! 

One tower was so tall is rose above 60 centimeters! Unfortunately, gravity was not a friend. 

After learning about the importance of trial and error, the class signed into our Hour of Code class. 

We needed our secret image to sign in! What a cute array! 

Let the coding begin!

What are you enjoying about the Hour of Code?

What skills have you learned?

What can you do with coding? 

Mr. Toft's One Minute Challenge

We were given a challenge by Mr. Toft and his class in Ottawa, Canada. These Canadians challenged us to pass the ball in an over/under fashion for one minute. The ball could not touch the ground or we had to start all over.

After much practice, here is our video!


One Minute Challenge from yourwonderfulteacher on Vimeo.

The challenge provided us with an opportunity to get to know our neighbors to the north! Here are some facts we learned about Canada from our World Book Online Encyclopedia. Some students search using the keyword CANADA.

 Others use the COMPARE COUNTRIES feature on World Book Online.

1. Canada is the second largest country in the world. Only Russia is larger.
2. There are approximately 35 million Canadians and there are about 321 million Americans.
3. The lowest elevation in Canada is sea level. America's lowest elevation is Death Valley in California. Death Valley is the lowest place in North America. (282 feet / 86 meters below sea level)
4. Canada's national capital is Ottawa, where Mr. Toft and his students live. America's national capital is Washington, D.C. 
5. Canada is made up of TEN provinces and THREE territories. America is made up of FIFTY states.

What are some fun facts that you discovered about our Canadian friends and their beautiful country?

What did you like about the challenge?