MNCodes Summit

How to level the playing field in coding when all you have are Chromebooks. Learn how to write code in Python, code drones, in the classroom, run a competitive robotics program, and even use the Chromebook for digital making with Arduino.  Most of the resources shown are free, but there are some that have costs associated with them.  This session is for any classroom teacher wanting to explore coding, but has thought you had to have a PC or Mac to make this happen.

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The Scratch Community has many resources designed to build community and practice digital citizenship. Experience this from the point of view of a student as you join our classroom, post a project, comment and reply to comments. Learn about Scratch Educator resources including ScratchEd Meetups and ScratchPals.

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Determining speed, velocity, and acceleration can be a difficult concept for some students.  This session incorporates the coding of an Ozobot to help students understand the relationship between these 3 concepts.

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Come and explore how Google CS First has designed engaging computer science and coding classes that you can launch in your school tomorrow. Led with Google videos and Scratch integration, the various CS classes are differentiated, very intuitive, and best of all they are free! Participants will explore a session as a student, then have the opportunity to register and explore these free Google resources as a teacher so they can start a coding class of their own.

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Experience the thrill of making a LEGO robot move!  During this hands-on session, designed for beginners, we will explore robotics using basic programming to make the robot drive.  Using the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 icon based software, we will also integrate sensor feedback into the programming.  Participants will work in teams on a laptop and robot provided by presenter.  No Experience Necessary!

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In this session we will discuss how students of all ages can transfer their learning from block coding experiences like the Hour of Code to text coding in the language of Python. Using a web based programming environment and a Python graphics package called "Turtle", participants will create their own drawings with the use of loops, sequences, and conditionals.  

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Kids love games. Creating games can be a great lever for opening students up to the world of coding, art, and collaboration. And unlike a decade ago, game creation has never been easier to get started with. There are dozens of free and cheap game creation tools and platforms for teachers to choose from—many of which are beginner friendly and require no programming. But with so many options, choosing the right option for your students can be daunting. In this session, we’ll look at a number of the best tools available for building games, with the lens of choosing the right platform for your particular students and your teaching comfort level. You’ll leave this session with a clear understanding of what’s out there and where to get started!

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Mobile CSP is a college board endorsed curriculum for AP credit that is being modified for concurrent enrollment(CE). Students build socially useful apps in the project based curriculum. The poster session will have an overview of the current NSF project, chance to build an app using the curriculum as well as a recruitment message for teachers for professional development. Mobile CSP is designed to broaden participation among girls and underrepresented minority students.

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