Our Hour(s) of Code!

image from: Sylvia Duckworth

We're in our 5th year of celebrating Computer Science in Education Week(s)!  

Check out how far we've come, then take a look at some photos of this year's activities. 
(Keep checking back for additional photos to be added!)

At COHS:  

We started a Robotics club after school 4 years ago with 4 students, 

and now it's a class, along with learning to build rockets. 

We discovered great resources for teaching the Engineering/Robots and Rocketry classes- 

Mr. Whiting and Mrs. Everett!  Big Thanks! 

We've expanded our Video Production and Graphics classes, thanks to Mrs. Patrick!

We've competed in the TCEA Region 6 robotics competition.  

Last year we placed 1st and made our first trip to State competition!
This year we hosted the Region 6 competition at COHS.  Entries grew to 18 teams from 6 last year!

We attended field trips relating to careers in Computer Science and robotics.

We wrote a grant and were awarded that grant to get curriculum support 

for starting our first ever Computer Science/Programming class at COHS.

We began offering Computer Science as a course for students and have 

plans to add more courses next year.

We discovered a great resource for teaching the class! Mr. Heiser!!!  Big thanks!

At LJH: 

We started a Coding Club 4 years ago that meets each year during the Spring semester.

We wrote a grant and were awarded that grant to get curriculum support 

for embedding Computer Science/Programming into the Tech Apps class currently offered at LJH.

We discovered a great resource for teaching CS as a class beginning 

Fall 2018- Natalie Martin!  Big Thanks!

We have a 6th grade teacher who was willing to attend robotics training last June 

and now uses sets of Dot and Dash robots in her Science classroom!

We began the CS pipeline this year- giving students the opportunity to know what coding is, so students can choose it for a Language credit when they get to high school!

At CIS:

We have teachers who were willing to attend robotics training last June and 

now have sets of Dot and Dash robots with their classes!

We began offering after school clubs 4 years ago to offer coding, robotics, 

and maker space activities each Spring semester.

Four years ago, we began including coding activities in our annual Digic@mp, offered each summer to students who have completed 3rd-5th grade.

We have teachers using the online coding curriculum from Code.org as a station during class.

We have teachers who participate each year in the Hour of Code activities.

At JSE:

The pipeline begins here!!!!

We have teachers who were willing to attend robotics training last June and 

now have sets of Dot and Dash robots with their classes!

The Education Foundation awarded a grant to have Dot and Dash robots purchased, and given to Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers for introducing programming to the Tiny Tots of COCISD. Fridays are my favorite day of the week because I get to help!

Last year, teachers began using the free version of Kodable, a program that teaches coding to young children , and this year are using the paid version with access to all Kodable curriculum.

Plans to expand our robotics program are in the works, by moving 

the Dot and Dash robots up to the next grade next year,

 and adding more robots to Pre-K/Kindergarten.