Computer Science Education Week 2022
Posted on November 14th, 2022 by Jaqster
Along with the holidays, Computer Science Education Week is coming up December 5th - 11th. This is an annual event to raise the visibility of computer science in education, and to inspire all teachers and students to do an “Hour of Code” during this week.
At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person on the planet to achieve more. And with technology being pervasive in the modern workplace, this mission extends to empowering every young person with the opportunity to learn computer science and develop career-ready skills. In the US, only 1 in 2 high schools offer a CS class, only 5.6% of high school students are enrolled in a CS class, and only 32% of these enrolled students are female.¹
Every year we create some fun, simple coding activities that anyone can do during an Hour of Code - either in your classroom, or at home. And you don’t have to wait until December to try them out, these are all available for free today - check them out below.
Join us to help inspire the next generation of technology creators by supporting inclusive CS education for all!
¹ https://advocacy.code.org/stateofcs
Code a Carnival
Step right up and code a carnival game in less than an hour! Using step-by-step tutorials in MakeCode Arcade, students will be able to code and design their very own carnival games like “Whack-the-Mole” and “Burstin’ Balloons”! MakeCode’s visual drag-and-drop blocks make it easy for beginners to get a full working game completed in no time, and once they’re done, they have the option of playing their games with others!
Along with the guided tutorials, Code a Carnival provides a free easy-to-use teacher resource guide with lesson materials and teacher preparation information.
Start Coding your own Carnival here: https://aka.ms/hoc22
Minecraft Escape Estate
Minecraft: Education Edition invites students to try to escape from Dr. Breakowski’s mysterious mansion by solving coding challenges and computational thinking puzzles. In this free Hour of Code world, students will unlock secrets, open trap doors and reveal hidden clues, all while learning basic coding concepts.
Head over to https://aka.ms/HourofCode2022 to get started.
Wakanda Forever
Create your own Wakanda Forever inspired adventure - Shuri, Okoye, and Riri are on a mission to protect Wakanda. Code your own Wakanda themed game using MakeCode Arcade.
Stand with Wakanda and level-up your coding skills! - https://aka.ms/wakanda
MakeCode for micro:bit
If you have micro:bits in the classroom, there are many fun introductory projects that will light up imaginations and creativity through physical computing. Here are a couple examples:
Which Way Now? - Your micro:bit knows the way! Code a program that will show you which way to walk when you shake it.
Micro:bit Dice - Transform your micro:bit into a six-sided digital dice! Use the accelerometer and the pick random function to code this simple project.
If you have questions, or would like to participate in the MakeCode community, please join the Forum or follow us on social @MSMakeCode.
Happy Making and Coding!
The MakeCode Team