Kindergarten Coders??? YES!!!

Kindergarten Coders???? YES!!!

(and maybe the teacher can be a coder too?!?!)

Implementing technology into a kindergarten classroom can be a be daunting task. Yes, the smart board technology is great for this age group with interactive games but is this where it has to end? The answer is a resounding no. It is true parents have been putting an I-pad in front of their preschoolers for years to keep them entertained, but now this tool that they are already familiar with can be used for learning in new and exciting ways.   Sylvia Johnson from a recent Coetail cohort https://sjohnston.coetail.com/2018/04/30/course-5-reflection/

shared how she taught her class to use a coding program called Scratch Jr. to create a story with animations and voice.

Retelling a story is an essential skill for kindergartners. Why not do it in a fun way that integrates technology?  Sylvia's class used the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff, but this can be used with any story being used in literacy in a classroom. As the children became more comfortable with this technology they could soon be creating and sharing their own stories. This program simply allows children to create backgrounds, add characters, make the characters move and add their own voice recordings to the story.  This is done by connecting simple puzzle pieces that are color coded to match their function.  As you can see below this is done in a kid friendly easy to understand way.  This is a redefinition of learning teaching tool.  Students are choosing how to move characters, before the characters would just be colored on paper or maybe puppets would be created.  Students are recording their own voice for the characters in the story.  They are creating beginning animation.  This project would stretch them to the higher of Bloom's Taxonomy as they have to evaluate their work, make sure the animation is moving how they want and  be creative innovators the process.  I am so excited to learn how to use this technology. Even if our classroom does not have one to one technology, hopefully there is some technology and we can work on creating stories in small groups.  I am excited to learn Scratch Jr and I think my kindergartners will be too!