Students in Christine Groven and David Suarez’s first grade classes at W.L. Morse sat at their desks and concentrated on the task before them – helping Pixel, the dog, find his family.
The students were participating in the “Hour of Coding” as part of Computer Science Education Week held December 3-9. The global initiative involves students in more than 180 countries and introduces them to the basics of coding. The goal is to inspire students to pursue careers in computer-related fields.
“Coding is similar to a set of directions,” said Technology Teaching Assistant Meghan Hak. “This teaches them critical thinking skills in a friendly manner and when they make mistakes, they can try again.” The students had to move bars with words across the screen to advance to higher levels.
“The games are fun,” said first-grader Sebastian Espinoza. “Sometimes I get to high levels, but sometimes it is tricky.”
Groven said, “This connects the students with our math lessons. It teaches them problem- solving skills and encourages them to take risks.”
