APPS: Cork the Volcano - Puzzlets

Cork the Volcano - Puzzlets

Elementary school teachers and media specialists can use Cork the Volcano – Puzzlets to teach coding and engineering skills. Have students work in pairs to create their plan, which will emphasize that engineers and programmers collaborate in teams. Kids can play for 15 to 30 minutes at a time and then save their work for later, making Cork the Volcano an ideal station setup or indoor recess activity. Media specialists could implement Puzzlets more formally, using the eight-week coding curriculum available on the website. The Puzzlets Play Tray works with Android or Apple devices that have Bluetooth capabilities or USB 2.0. Make sure you charge the Play Tray the day before you want to use it.

Scratch

Scratch (version 3.0) is the latest iteration of the block-based coding language created by MIT's Lifelong Kindergarten Group. It can be used online or downloaded and used without an internet connection. Like its predecessors, Scratch allows students to learn and put to use all the essential elements of coding and computer science. From creating variables to building functions, students snap drag-and-drop blocks of code together to create programs for animation, digital storytelling, art, math -- you name it. With Scratch, students can also program a variety of peripheral devices (like the micro:bit) for robotics, science, and engineering learning. This latest version of Scratch isn't much different from previous versions, so users won't have trouble getting used to it. Instead, it's another iteration of a very powerful learning tool. In addition to the new look and layout, Scratch programmers have new extensions that allow them to include text-to-speech and language translation. For teachers, the most important upgrade in 3.0 is that Scratch now runs on tablets, too.

The Scratch screen is divided into three sections: the stage on the right side (where you see the results of your code in action), the workspace in the center (where you put the code together), and the blocks palette on the left (where you find all the code blocks). Students code the actions of multiple sprites (the different characters) or screen elements and can also add sounds, images, and textual elements to build almost anything.

Itch is like a learning management system (LMS) for Scratch, the block-based coding platform. It brings the Scratch universe of projects, sharing capabilities, and commenting tools into a virtual classroom environment. There are some major advantages for teachers and schools that want to make coding a key part of learning. First, all those projects your students make are in one place: the online Scratch/Itch classroom environment you create. No more looking around for someone's project or asking students to send you a link. With Itch you can log in, select your class, and see an individual student's work. You can assign projects (your own or those developed by Itch) and check progress. You can even assess projects using rubrics created by Itch. It's a one-stop shop.

For schools concerned about privacy and the commenting features that Scratch offers, Itch puts all of it in your own virtual classroom. Students can still comment on friend's creations, participate in discussion boards, and share projects, but it's within the parameters of your school or classroom. The Scratch world is generally a friendly one, but Itch makes it even safer.