During the week of December 5, 2022, schools across the Diocese of Rockville Centre participated in Computer Science Education Week. This annual event calls for students from kindergarten to grade 12 to learn about computer science, including coding and other aspects of computer science, careers in the field, and important contributions individuals have made to computer science.
One of the most popular activities of Computer Science Education Week is the Hour of Code. During the Hour of Code, students spend time learning basic coding skills from one of the many applications available online. The goals is to have ten million students participate during that week. Kindergarten through eighth students from St. Aidan School in Williston Park used their iPads to practice their coding skills through code.org. The students each have an account and work on specific lessons for their grade level. At Maria Regina School in Seaford, third and fourth grade students wrote code to control Ollie robots.
First and third grade students from St. Mary’s Elementary School in Manhasset also participated in the Hour of Code. The first-grade students used Kodable, where they met fluffy friends and learned how to care for them. The “Pets” are in-game puppies that require love and attention. The students used “Carebots”, where they used coding concepts to help take care of their pets. The third-grade students had a great time using Code.org to code dance parties.
The seventh-grade students at Our Lady of the Hamptons Regional School in Southampton used Scratch to create their own unique video games, including three states with loops, conditionals, and even a “game over” screen. They then had the opportunity to play the games they created. The second graders participated in a Hopscotch coding activity where they were tasked with creating an algorithm for a Christmas-themed hopscotch board with loops and a specific sequence to follow, including a specific start and end. They then enjoyed trying out the hopscotch boards they created.
At Trinity Regional School in East Northport, students completed a variety of coding activities. With their teacher Mr. George Dancause, the second and third grade students participated in Tynker lessons and used coding concepts to animate a Robot Party. The fourth and fifth grade students used Tynker to fly a dragon, animate a card, create a comic book, and draw patterns. Middle school students used their Scratch accounts to create projects using different commands, such as “wait” (for dialogue) and “glide for ___ sec. to (x,y)” to practice movement.
The students in all our schools enjoyed learning how to code and will continue to practice this important skill throughout the year.
If you are interested in enrolling your child in any of our schools, you can find which school is closest to you.