Play this game to test computer software and learn basic principles of programming design. In conjunction with Armor Games, CK-12 uses the Lightbot 2.0 game to program a robot’s movements, maneuver around obstacles and meet goals.
As they progress through the levels, students learn about conditions, functions, recursion and other steps critical to software design. Beginning computer science programmers will enjoy it as much as those with some familiarity with the concepts and principals.
The folks at CodeAcademy teach you computer programming, a.k.a coding, in an easy-to-understand way so you can build you own websites, games and apps. You can learn Java script for building games, HTML and CSS for website development, style and design, and jQuery for handling events and creating animations. There are also tools to help you track your progress. Free registration is required.
BlueJ is downloadable software that provides an easy-to-use teaching environment for the Java language to help teach beginning Java programmers. It uses visualization and interaction techniques to create a highly interactive environment that encourages experimentation and exploration. BlueJ is based on the Blue system developed in Australia at the University of Sydney and Monash University.
On this site, your can download the software, link to extensions, and review documentation. There is also an FAQ, weekly tips, a discussion forum, and links to other Java resources.
Kodu Game Lab is a 3D world where kids use visual coding blocks to create games while they learn coding concepts. This downloadable visual programming language tool is designed for use on a PC or xBox. You can download the Kodu software from the Microsoft Store here.
Although it is not a general-purpose programming language, Kodu simplifies complex game design concepts to make them intuitive for kids. So it’s particularly useful as an introduction to 3D game development and camera control. Kids program and play their games using a game controller. Refer to the Kodu FAQ section to see which game controllers work best.
The Resources page on the Kodu website has some terrific lesson plans for using Kodu in the classroom, as well as in coding clubs or camps. Kids can share their completed game world on the website for other Kodu users to play on their PC or xBox.
CS Unplugged is a collection of pre-coding games and puzzles that familiarize kids with coding concepts. Activities with paper, string and crayon introduce students to underlying concepts such as binary numbers, algorithms and data compression.
CS Unplugged is suitable for people of all ages, from elementary school to seniors, and from many countries and backgrounds. Unplugged has been used around the world for over fifteen years, in classrooms, science centers, homes, and even for holiday events in a park!
The activities for Computer Science Unplugged are easy to integrate into a classroom program. Each is a self-contained lesson plan, and it’s easy to pick whichever activities are most relevant for your students.
