JS Hour of Code at CDS
In 2016, when our current Grade 5 and 6 students were in Kindergarten, Lara Gee and Annie Dearden introduced Code.org’s Hour of Code to the Junior School. The Hour of Code first started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, intended to demonstrate that anyone can learn how to code. It has become a global movement held every December to celebrate computer science and programming, and reaches tens of millions of students in more than 180 countries. While the students in the Junior School are actively involved in coding year-round, we still join millions around the world in celebrating Computer Science Education Week every year with the Hour of Code. And this year, Mrs. Gee challenged students to try something new!
Our youngest learners in JK and SK were introduced to Kodable where games, activities, and creative tools are used to help students learn fundamental coding concepts in a fun and interactive way. The Grade 1 students used ScratchJr to program their own interactive stories and games, learning to solve problems and design creative projects. Some of the students even taught Mrs. Gee something new in ScratchJr, like how to create an army of sea creatures! Students in Grade 2 used Tynker, an interactive story-based app, to learn the basics of block-based coding. Tynker provides a fun and creative way to learn programming through critical thinking. A special focus in Grade 3 was learning about AI (artificial intelligence) in Code.org, exploring ethical issues and how AI can be used to address world problems.
In Grade 4, students were challenged to use their creativity and imagination to build their own retro-style arcade game in MakeCode Arcade. Some of the students even learned how to hack their games! And our pioneer coders from kindergarten, now in Grades 5 and 6, transformed their digital learning skills. Grade 5 tried their hand at programming with micro:bit, a pocket-sized computer with inputs, outputs, sensors, and radio communication features. Scratch online and Code.org’s Hour of Code activities were reintroduced in Grade 6 and enjoyed by the now coding enthusiasts of the Junior School.
The students at CDS understand that the challenge of problem solving is an invaluable life skill and that learning code is much more than playing games. It is the power of creating, sharing, exploring, and challenging themselves to think in different ways.
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In Grade 4, students were challenged to use their creativity and imagination to build their own retro-style arcade game in MakeCode Arcade. Some of the students even learned how to hack their games! And our pioneer coders from kindergarten, now in Grades 5 and 6, transformed their digital learning skills. Grade 5 tried their hand at programming with micro:bit, a pocket-sized computer with inputs, outputs, sensors, and radio communication features. Scratch online and Code.org’s Hour of Code activities were reintroduced in Grade 6 and enjoyed by the now coding enthusiasts of the Junior School.
The students at CDS understand that the challenge of problem solving is an invaluable life skill and that learning code is much more than playing games. It is the power of creating, sharing, exploring, and challenging themselves to think in different ways.
Land Acknowledgment
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
