Lincoln Junior High Coding Club!

Spring 2018 LJH Coding Club!

A small but mighty group met every week on Thursdays to explore and develop coding skills using a fun programming language called Scratch!  This year's group was way more prepared than in year's past, so I really ended up having it more like an Open Lab time- students could choose the project or work on their own.  I think that the Computer Science pipeline is beginning to show results!  As in year's past, I began the group by introducing the CS First program.  

Why CS First?

1.  It provides user names and passwords for Scratch!  This is important because our students can't receive emails from outside COCISD, and creating an account in Scratch will require email verification.  Creating a Scratch account through CS First bypasses the need for email verification because it goes through the teacher's CS First account.

2.  It provides step by step lesson plans and video lessons that allow students to work at their own pace!  

3.  Because of #2, a teacher (like me a few years ago) who is clueless can still manage to lead students!  We all just listen and watch the videos and follow the online directions. 

We All Learned Together!

4.   Students can personalize their projects, allowing for voice and choice, and extensions at the end of the project allow for even more creative expression.

5.   CS First has a badging element to the projects! Students collect badges they put in their Passport upon completion of each project- or teacher discretion!

6.   The online materials provided address issues students may have, and address the teacher's desire to feel confident in providing instruction.

7.   There are many themes to choose from, ranging from Gaming to Fashion to Sports!

LJH ❤ CS First! 

We have a wonderful Tech Apps teacher at LJH named Natalie Martin, and she has been working with me to introduce coding to the students at LJH.  She has worked with me to help organize "Hour of Code" weeks each of the past 5 years.  This year she made the commitment to use a curriculum named "Creative Computing with Scratch" to help introduce programming to students. 

So....many more students are getting the opportunity to learn programming/coding skills than in years' past!  That's the pipeline starting to work!

Here are a few pics and projects:

   

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.

Tuesday Tech Bits- Screen/Smartboard Recording Made Easy!

Those Math teachers at Coldspring-Oakhurst High School have got it going on!  They want to make sure the students are equipped to help themselves when they are stuck on a math problem!

You can learn the Number 1 Trick of their Trade!!  
Use the Smartboard recorder to record parts of lessons!!!
This is not just for Math teachers!

It is such a smart way to remove all doubt from the students' minds when they are faced with the challenge of completing tasks on their own!  This is great for a teacher in any content area!

Follow the steps in the video below to learn how to do this!

Need an extra dose of support?  Ask a Math teacher at COHS, or Laurie McMurrey, 8th grade Math teacher for guidance!

After you're finished recording, you'll want to upload the file to your web site, so click here to find out how to do that! 

And now pat yourself on the back for doing a good job helping students be their best!

Use the Smartboard to record:

Do you need a lift this last week before Thanksgiving?  Read on to hear from staff at Coldspring Intermediate School to inspire you!

I'm looking forward to a new tradition we are starting on campus!  It's the Turkey Olympics!  Students and teachers will be participating in fun, outdoor activities to see which class in each grade level will earn the most points!

In addition, we will have a performance of Junie B. Jones, a play based on the very popular children's book series.

It's going to be a great week here at CIS and JSE!

- Mrs. Mizelle, 
Principal at CIS and JSE











We are enjoying Thanksgiving holiday books!  We read one
about a turkey that had to camoflage himself, and then the students colored a turkey to blend in with our classroom!  It's tough to find those turkeys!

- Courtney Bailes, 
CIS and JSE G/T and Intervention Specialist 










Can you spot the turkey in these pictures?

I'm looking forward to reading student writing this week!  We are focusing on being thankful for our many blessings, and the students are writing to their parents and grandparents about what they are most thankful for.

-Michelle Heflin, 4th grade Teacher