Coding with a T-Rex

My first experience with coding occurred in my first year of university. Computer science was a mandatory requirement for my business degree and I signed up for the course riddled with fear. During the first lab, the instructor informed us that we were all going to code a website from scratch. I was super nervous and felt like I knew nothing! However, the labs were very helpful and I ended the semester feelings accomplished and with a new appreciation for coding.

During my internship in a Grade 6/7 classroom, my cooperating teacher introduced me to Hour of Code. The first time I saw my class engage with Hour of Code was after skating for most of the afternoon. I was shocked to see how quickly they settled in and were excited to code. I saw many benefits of coding for students through watching my class including:

• building confidence with problem solving skills
• thinking creatively and outside of the box
• getting excited about future career opportunities using code

For my coding exploration this week, I experimented with Create a 3D T-Rex Game which is aimed for Grade 2 and up on Hour of Code. I enjoyed the step by step guide for how each action can be coded and having the opportunity to code independently at the end. I also liked how I was able to code using the user friendly block coding, but still able to few the JavaScript coding that I made. I really enjoyed my hour of code, and think it is a great way for both students and adults to learn a valuable new skill.