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Classroom and Self-Directed Learning Resources

First Day, 2023-11-28

Welcome to Computer Science

Join Your Class in Google Classroom

Computing in the News

What does a sustainable smartphone look like?

MakeCode for micro:bit

Self-Directed Learning

2023-12-05

Computing in the News

Low Budget Should Not Mean High Risk: Kids’ Tablet Came Preloaded with Sketchyware

Advent of Code

MakeCode for micro:bit

2023-12-12

Computing in the News

Parrots learn to make video calls to chat with other parrots, then develop friendships, Northeastern University researchers say

Symbols used in computer science (Symbols badge)

  • Brackets
    • {}: Curly Brackets (braces)
    • []: Square Brackets
    • <>: Angle Brackets
    • (): Parentheses (if just one, it’s a “Parenthesis”)
  • #: Hash (also Pound Sign, Number Sign, or Octothorp, but never Hashtag)
  • /: Slash
  • \: Backslash
  • !: Exclamation Point (bang)
  • @: At Sign
  • *: Asterisk (splat)
  • _: Underscore
  • -: Hyphen
  • –: En-Dash
  • —: Em-Dash
  • <: Less Than
  • >: Greater Than
  • ;: Semicolon
  • :: Colon
  • ': Single Quote or Apostrophe
  • ": Double Quote

Learn the symbols with this program.

MakeCode for micro:bit

Who’s ready to earn their micro:bit badge?

2023-12-19

Computing in the News

HeRo delivery robot is braving the cold winter streets of Helsinki

Symbols used in computer science (Symbols badge)

Learn the symbols with this program.

Introduction to Tinkercad (3D Badge)

Follow the link in Google Classroom.

Self-Directed Learning

2024-01-09

Computing in the News

Moving Pixel Clock Project

Symbols used in computer science (Symbols badge)

Learn the symbols with this program.

Servo Motor with micro:bit

Servo Motor with micro:bit

Self-Directed Learning

2024-01-16

Computing in the News

Robots key to new ways of farming as labor shortage looms

Symbols used in computer science (Symbols badge)

More micro:bit and Tinkercad (3D badge)

2024-01-23

Computing in the News

Your Tablet’s Light Sensor Can Spy On You

Symbols used in computer science (Symbols badge)

Preparing for the micro:bit treasure hunt

Beacon

Beacon Code

Beacon Finder

Beacon Finder Code

2024-01-30

Symbols badges are being printed

Self-Directed Learning

Need to solve problems with file sharing.

2024-02-06

Symbols badges

Introduction to Snap!

2024-02-13

Computing in the News

OpenAI Gives ChatGPT a Memory

More Snap!

2024-02-20

Computing in the News

Go language hits top 10 in the Tiobe index

p5.js

From the p5.js website:

p5.js is a JavaScript library for creative coding, with a focus on making coding accessible and inclusive for artists, designers, educators, beginners, and anyone else! p5.js is free and open-source because we believe software, and the tools to learn it, should be accessible to everyone.

Using the metaphor of a sketch, p5.js has a full set of drawing functionality. However, you’re not limited to your drawing canvas. You can think of your whole browser page as your sketch, including HTML5 objects for text, input, video, webcam, and sound.

Here’s the program we made in class:

function setup() {
  createCanvas(400, 400);
  background('lightblue');
}

function draw() {
  ellipse(mouseX, mouseY, 20, 10)
}

2024-02-27

Computing in the News

GoWyze camera security issue showed 13,000 users other owners’ homes

Symbols test

More p5.js

Here’s a program that shows video after a delay.

2024-03-05

Computing in the News

Women in Computer Science: Adele Goldberg

Photo of Mr. Briccetti with the Agile Mind Team Dave Briccetti (left) with Adele Goldberg (center) and the Agile Mind Team in 2006

Story of How Mr. Briccetti Came to Work for Adele Goldberg

Snap!

Self-Directed Learning

2024-03-12

Computing in the News

Women in computing

micro:bit game

micro:bit game

Self-Directed Learning

2024-03-19

Computing in the News: Grace Hopper

Questions

  • When did she live?
  • Where did she get her math and physics degrees?
  • Where did the term “debugging” come from?
  • What programming language did she help develop?
  • What computers did she work on at Harvard?
  • What did she say is her greatest accomplishment?

Programming the micro:bit in Python

micro:bit Python editor

Explore examples in the Ideas tab.

Self-Directed Learning

2024-03-26

Computing in the News

U.S. hits Apple with landmark antitrust suit, accusing tech giant of stifling competition

Tinkercad Circuits

2024-04-09

Computing in the News

Google to destroy billions of data records to settle “incognito” lawsuit

Tinkercad Circuits

Self-Directed Learning

2024-04-16

Computing in the News

35-gram Hopcopter revolutionizes robotics with its hops and flight

Snap!

Self-Directed Learning

2024-04-23

Computing in the News

“The Impossible Statue” Uses AI To Blend The Styles Of Five Master Sculptors

Snap! Clones

Self-Directed Learning