App Lab Intro (Sessions 1 & 2)
Contents
Learning Objectives
Students can:
- Break down a known process into clear steps that a machine can "understand"
- Create a simple project in App Lab
- Share ideas with other students and participate in peer learning
- Create re-usable algorithms in the form of functions
- Break a problem down into smaller, more managable problems
Intro
Icebreaker / Unplugged Activity
Begin the session with the PB&J Robot activity or Graph Paper Algorithms.
You can use this to segue into the first project. For example, "You all did a great job giving a machine instructions to perform a task. When you make step-by-step instructions like this, it's called an algorithm. When you write an algorithm for a computer, we call it a program. In our next activity, we'll be working together to build a program to draw a stick house."
What to Expect during ideaSpark
Once general behavior expectations are discussed with the group (and/or a behavior contract is made by the students), mentors can highlight what students can expect during the semester. This conversation can build off of the behavior expectations conversation but in general, students can expect to:
- Learn about coding and the different ways that code and technology are incorporated into our lives
- Create programs and apps in order to test out coding concepts and build on ideas
- Work in teams and collaborate to solve problems
- Practice resilience when working through obstacles and new challenges
- Share ideas and try new things in a supportive, collaborative environment
- Develop a final project that reflects their interests and learning over the course of the semester