Hour of Code... Memorial Style

What is the Hour of Code?

"It's a one hour introduction to computer science designed to demystify 'code' and show that anyone can learn the basics to be a maker, a creator, and innovator."

Memorial School participated in our 2nd Hour of Code December 8 - 17. Throughout these two weeks, each of our eight first grade classes came to the library to experience their 1st Hour of Code. We explained that we were joining millions and millions of other kids and grown-ups in more than 180 countries around the world to see what coding was all about and to try it for ourselves.

We used the fabulous free app ScratchJr. Students were given a brief lesson on what coding is and how to use the app and then they were off! Such excitement! Such engagement for each and every student! Such fun!

Enjoy this brief video of our HOC 

Hour of Code, Memorial Style! from Randie Groden on Vimeo.

There's a lot of thank you's to go around - I never could have made this such a success without help and support from many Medfield friends:

• Thank you to Dr. Missy Bilsborough, our principal, for supporting this program. 
• Thank you to our Technology Assistant, Bruce Glaser for rounding up all the iPads we needed - one for each student!
• Thank you to our Library Assistant, Dorothy Redding for her enthusiastic support and participation. 
• Thank you to Debby Froman, K-5 Technology Expert for helping out one afternoon. 
• Thank you, once again, to the fabulous team from Blake who spent an entire afternoon helping us out: Nat Vaughn, principal, Diane Horvath, Technology Integration Specialist, Michael Gow (even though he could not join us that afternoon, we appreciate that he organized the Blake Community Service Club members who joined us) and Brenda Perachi who filled in for Michael. And to the seven amazing students who were so great in helping our young students: Sarah B., Taylor G., Grace L., Charlotte R., Grace F., Caroline C., and Katie S. 
• Thank you to Neal Sonnenberg, Medfield High School Tech Integration Specialist for bringing three very awesome students Anna W., Alex H., and Mark B. from the Help Desk for one whole afternoon.
• Lastly, thank you to all the grade 1 teachers for helping to make our HOC happen.

We're hoping our students will have opportunities to do more coding throughout the year. Many kids have told us they've been using ScratchJr at home since our HOC and have been teaching their families how to code. How awesome is that! Cannot wait for year 3!!!

PS  Found this great sketchnote by Sylvia Duckworth. List by Brian Aspinall: