SPS Kids’ Coding Club
All levels/Beginner, Mondays 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
*Parents can select specific dates for the classes. You don't have to commit to a whole month.
*Students with little or no previous coding experience must complete 16 days of beginner club classes before joining the
Intermediate/Advanced Kids’ Coding Club.
Who should register for the All levels/Beginner club?
Any student in grades 3+ can participate in the All levels/Beginner coding club. This level is designed to introduce students to computer coding and technology in a fun, collaborative, and interactive environment. Students learn through games, puzzles, debugging exercises, challenges, and creative exploration. Students will develop necessary logic skills and fluency with the coding process using the SCRATCH programming language. We also use Ozobots to get a taste of how coding is used to program robots!! Kids in earlier grades are welcome to join us as long as a parent stays to assist their child.
Once a student has gained some proficiency in SCRATCH and BLOCKY programming, they can either continue in with the All Levels Club, move up to the Intermediate/Advanced Club, or DO BOTH HOURS for even more fun!!
Intermediate/Advanced Kids’ Coding Club
Mondays:
Option one: 9:30 – 10:30 during the “All Levels Club”
Option two: 10:30 – 11:30 during the Intermediate/Advanced Coding Club
Option three: 9:30 – 11:30 during both club sessions for a full 2 HOURS!!
Who should sign up for the Intermediate/Advanced Coding Club?
Students in grades 3 - 6 that have completed at least 16 weeks of the Beginner Club, or who have experience with SCRATCH or BLOCKY programming, can participate in the Intermediate Club.
Students in grades 7+ can sign up for Intermediate/Advanced Coding Club, even if they do not have experience with SCRATCH or BLOCKY programming. Middle and High School students will be using the 42Electronics Introduction to Robotics curriculum to learn basic electrical concepts, wiring circuits, using a Raspberry Pi with sensors and signal processing modules, learn Python programming, and ultimately building a robot of their own (additional costs for equipment apply once students get to Levels C and D of the curriculum).
Students in grades 3 - 6 that participate in the Intermediate/Advanced Coding Club will take programming to the next level by incorporating programmable robots into their activities. Using Sphero bots, LEGO Boost, Ozobot Bit & Evo robots, and other robotics kits, students will experience the ultimate hands-on coding class. Building, coding, testing, debugging – all the key elements of developing a functioning and reliable computer program will be incorporated into each club meeting.
World of Wonder Science’s primary objective with the Kids’ Coding Clubs is to foster a tech-based learning environment where kids can come together and have a lot of fun as they explore and learn the process of coding and computer technology.
**High School Credit Option**:
If you are the parent of a high school homeschooler, and you are interested in a coding class, we have an option to earn science/math credit. High school students should register for the "Intermediate/Advanced" level of the course which meets on Mondays from 10:30 - 11:30.
Students attend the class each Monday (as scheduled) during the school year. Attendance would be tracked and recorded by the club host. During the club, students will get a brief lesson and be given time to work through the assigned activities. Students would be given at-home reading and questions to answer to review what they learned in class and to prepare for the next lesson. The course will cover basic electronics and circuitry, coding logic, Python coding, and project management skills. Since it is self-paced, students work at whatever speed they are comfortable with. World of Wonder will provide documentation for 1 credits for every 18 lessons completed. The beauty of that is you do not have to commit to every week, all year long.
There are four levels (each level is 18 lessons) which can take as little as one year, or up to three years to complete, depending upon student interest level and how much they are able to accomplish in class. Students that wish to spend more time at the club are welcomed to sign up for both hours, understanding that the high school instruction will not occur until the first 15 minutes of the Intermediate/Advanced Club time slot. In addition, students that wish to work on projects at home have the option of purchasing an equipment kit ($200) that is identical to the kit used in class. This kit is not a toy, it is a kit that contains authentic, non-proprietary, electrical and computer components.
For the purpose of homeschool reviews, high school students will have their weekly lessons to show what has been covered in the class. Once each level has been completed, a certificate and a letter indicating the scope and sequence of topics and skills covered will be provided.
If you are interested in registering your student for the high school coding club option, please fill out the contact form on this site to inform World of Wonder Science of your request. Once received, we will contact you with further instructions.
Gaming?!
During the 2018-2019 school year, the SPS Kids' Coding Club members expressed an interest in having some gaming included in club activities. Students enjoy the opportunity to engage in gaming with other homeschooler friends - it helps them build friendships and have fun doing something that they really get excited about. In response to their request, some gaming opportunities will be incorporated into this year's club at the INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Club level only.
New students must complete the 16 days of beginner classes before gaming will be permitted. At the Intermediate/Advanced level, students may use the Chrome Books with online game servers for gaming, or they are welcomed to bring their gaming systems and electronic devices to the club (at their own risk ... World of Wonder is not responsible for individual games or equipment that it brought to the club).
Gaming systems will be connected to an LCD projector on a first-come, first-served, sign-up basis. Since the primary goal of our coding club is for students to learn coding, gaming must take a 'backseat' to those endeavors; therefore, gaming will only be permitted during the last 15 minutes of club time for students doing a 1-hour class, and the last 30 minutes of our club time for students doing the 2-hour class.
Occasionally, we may schedule a "gaming party" in which club members will have the entire club time for gaming. More information on that will be provided during regular club meetings.
Computer Equipment:
Students are encouraged to bring their own computer device (tablet, smartphone, Chromebook or laptop). Most of our programming and robots are compatible with Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, and Chrome. A limited number of loaner Chromebooks are available on a first-come, first-served basis. As needed, students may need to work with a partner.
Do I need to start in September? No.
The club is self-paced and on-going, so students can join at any time during the year. New students will begin to learn coding by completing Google's CS First coding program. Each module requires 8 weeks to complete. Students that wish to move on to more advanced coding must first complete a minimum of two CS first modules, or provide documentation to confirm prior experience.
Upon completion of two CS First modules, students are given the option of continuing the CS First program, doing independent projects, or moving on to programming with any of our many robots!!
How Will Coding Count as Part of Our Homeschool Program?
According to the Maryland State Department of Education, Computer Science Courses are accepted to fulfill the Technology Education Graduation Requirement and one credit in Mathematics. Students that report using an umbrella group can generally get credit for coding classes as math, science, or a technology elective class (consult your umbrella administrator for more information). Documentation will be provided by World of Wonder Science for use in reporting to the county or umbrella group for your homeschool review. Parents are welcomed to observe coding club sessions and take pictures (of their student only) to include with their review materials.
The SPS Kid's Coding Club meets at Artsy Partsy, 8055 Ritchie Hwy Suite 302, Patriot Plaza 3rd Floor, Pasadena, MD 21122.
2019-2020 SPS Advanced Kid's Coding Club Schedule:
September 9, 16, 23, 30
October 7, 14, 28
November 4, 11, 18
December 2, 9, 16
January 13, 20, 27
February 3, 24
March 2, 9, 16, 23
April 20, 27
May 4, 11, 18
Kids' Coding Club meets during the summer too!! Go to the Artsy Partsy website for registration ... www.artsypartsy.net
All levels/Beginner, Mondays 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
*Parents can select specific dates for the classes. You don't have to commit to a whole month.
*Students with little or no previous coding experience must complete 16 days of beginner club classes before joining the
Intermediate/Advanced Kids’ Coding Club.
Who should register for the All levels/Beginner club?
Any student in grades 3+ can participate in the All levels/Beginner coding club. This level is designed to introduce students to computer coding and technology in a fun, collaborative, and interactive environment. Students learn through games, puzzles, debugging exercises, challenges, and creative exploration. Students will develop necessary logic skills and fluency with the coding process using the SCRATCH programming language. We also use Ozobots to get a taste of how coding is used to program robots!! Kids in earlier grades are welcome to join us as long as a parent stays to assist their child.
Once a student has gained some proficiency in SCRATCH and BLOCKY programming, they can either continue in with the All Levels Club, move up to the Intermediate/Advanced Club, or DO BOTH HOURS for even more fun!!
Intermediate/Advanced Kids’ Coding Club
Mondays:
Option one: 9:30 – 10:30 during the “All Levels Club”
Option two: 10:30 – 11:30 during the Intermediate/Advanced Coding Club
Option three: 9:30 – 11:30 during both club sessions for a full 2 HOURS!!
Who should sign up for the Intermediate/Advanced Coding Club?
Students in grades 3 - 6 that have completed at least 16 weeks of the Beginner Club, or who have experience with SCRATCH or BLOCKY programming, can participate in the Intermediate Club.
Students in grades 7+ can sign up for Intermediate/Advanced Coding Club, even if they do not have experience with SCRATCH or BLOCKY programming. Middle and High School students will be using the 42Electronics Introduction to Robotics curriculum to learn basic electrical concepts, wiring circuits, using a Raspberry Pi with sensors and signal processing modules, learn Python programming, and ultimately building a robot of their own (additional costs for equipment apply once students get to Levels C and D of the curriculum).
Students in grades 3 - 6 that participate in the Intermediate/Advanced Coding Club will take programming to the next level by incorporating programmable robots into their activities. Using Sphero bots, LEGO Boost, Ozobot Bit & Evo robots, and other robotics kits, students will experience the ultimate hands-on coding class. Building, coding, testing, debugging – all the key elements of developing a functioning and reliable computer program will be incorporated into each club meeting.
World of Wonder Science’s primary objective with the Kids’ Coding Clubs is to foster a tech-based learning environment where kids can come together and have a lot of fun as they explore and learn the process of coding and computer technology.
**High School Credit Option**:
If you are the parent of a high school homeschooler, and you are interested in a coding class, we have an option to earn science/math credit. High school students should register for the "Intermediate/Advanced" level of the course which meets on Mondays from 10:30 - 11:30.
Students attend the class each Monday (as scheduled) during the school year. Attendance would be tracked and recorded by the club host. During the club, students will get a brief lesson and be given time to work through the assigned activities. Students would be given at-home reading and questions to answer to review what they learned in class and to prepare for the next lesson. The course will cover basic electronics and circuitry, coding logic, Python coding, and project management skills. Since it is self-paced, students work at whatever speed they are comfortable with. World of Wonder will provide documentation for 1 credits for every 18 lessons completed. The beauty of that is you do not have to commit to every week, all year long.
There are four levels (each level is 18 lessons) which can take as little as one year, or up to three years to complete, depending upon student interest level and how much they are able to accomplish in class. Students that wish to spend more time at the club are welcomed to sign up for both hours, understanding that the high school instruction will not occur until the first 15 minutes of the Intermediate/Advanced Club time slot. In addition, students that wish to work on projects at home have the option of purchasing an equipment kit ($200) that is identical to the kit used in class. This kit is not a toy, it is a kit that contains authentic, non-proprietary, electrical and computer components.
For the purpose of homeschool reviews, high school students will have their weekly lessons to show what has been covered in the class. Once each level has been completed, a certificate and a letter indicating the scope and sequence of topics and skills covered will be provided.
If you are interested in registering your student for the high school coding club option, please fill out the contact form on this site to inform World of Wonder Science of your request. Once received, we will contact you with further instructions.
Gaming?!
During the 2018-2019 school year, the SPS Kids' Coding Club members expressed an interest in having some gaming included in club activities. Students enjoy the opportunity to engage in gaming with other homeschooler friends - it helps them build friendships and have fun doing something that they really get excited about. In response to their request, some gaming opportunities will be incorporated into this year's club at the INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Club level only.
New students must complete the 16 days of beginner classes before gaming will be permitted. At the Intermediate/Advanced level, students may use the Chrome Books with online game servers for gaming, or they are welcomed to bring their gaming systems and electronic devices to the club (at their own risk ... World of Wonder is not responsible for individual games or equipment that it brought to the club).
Gaming systems will be connected to an LCD projector on a first-come, first-served, sign-up basis. Since the primary goal of our coding club is for students to learn coding, gaming must take a 'backseat' to those endeavors; therefore, gaming will only be permitted during the last 15 minutes of club time for students doing a 1-hour class, and the last 30 minutes of our club time for students doing the 2-hour class.
Occasionally, we may schedule a "gaming party" in which club members will have the entire club time for gaming. More information on that will be provided during regular club meetings.
Computer Equipment:
Students are encouraged to bring their own computer device (tablet, smartphone, Chromebook or laptop). Most of our programming and robots are compatible with Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, and Chrome. A limited number of loaner Chromebooks are available on a first-come, first-served basis. As needed, students may need to work with a partner.
Do I need to start in September? No.
The club is self-paced and on-going, so students can join at any time during the year. New students will begin to learn coding by completing Google's CS First coding program. Each module requires 8 weeks to complete. Students that wish to move on to more advanced coding must first complete a minimum of two CS first modules, or provide documentation to confirm prior experience.
Upon completion of two CS First modules, students are given the option of continuing the CS First program, doing independent projects, or moving on to programming with any of our many robots!!
How Will Coding Count as Part of Our Homeschool Program?
According to the Maryland State Department of Education, Computer Science Courses are accepted to fulfill the Technology Education Graduation Requirement and one credit in Mathematics. Students that report using an umbrella group can generally get credit for coding classes as math, science, or a technology elective class (consult your umbrella administrator for more information). Documentation will be provided by World of Wonder Science for use in reporting to the county or umbrella group for your homeschool review. Parents are welcomed to observe coding club sessions and take pictures (of their student only) to include with their review materials.
The SPS Kid's Coding Club meets at Artsy Partsy, 8055 Ritchie Hwy Suite 302, Patriot Plaza 3rd Floor, Pasadena, MD 21122.
2019-2020 SPS Advanced Kid's Coding Club Schedule:
September 9, 16, 23, 30
October 7, 14, 28
November 4, 11, 18
December 2, 9, 16
January 13, 20, 27
February 3, 24
March 2, 9, 16, 23
April 20, 27
May 4, 11, 18
Kids' Coding Club meets during the summer too!! Go to the Artsy Partsy website for registration ... www.artsypartsy.net
