[Dummies 01] • Helping Kids with Coding For Dummies by McCue, Camille -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title Page Table of Contents Introduction

About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Where to Go from Here

Part 1: Getting Started with Coding

Chapter 1: Welcome To (Or Back To) Coding

Why Kids Are Coding Why You Need to Know Coding Where Do You Come In? Working with Young Coders

Chapter 2: Understanding the Big Ideas

Seeing the Big Picture in Coding Acting Out the Big Picture, Unplugged Creating an Algorithm Representing Algorithms Organizing with Sequence, Selection, and Repetition Including Randomness in Your Coding

Chapter 3: Figuring Out Programming Languages

What You Want in a Language Free Languages for Tots and Kids Free Languages for Youth and Tweens Languages for Teens and Older Other Awesome (Not-So-Free) Languages

Part 2: Getting Your Hands on Code

Chapter 4: Working with Words

Communicating with Text Showing Text Onscreen Words In, Words Out Combining Text Onscreen Formatting Text Onscreen A Mad Libs Example

Chapter 5: Knowing Where You Are… and Where You’re Going

Acting Out Position, Unplugged Setting and Finding Position Positioning Objects Randomly Setting and Finding Direction Setting Object Direction Randomly Turning Acting Out Motion, Unplugged Making an Object Move Asteroid Blaster

Chapter 6: Getting Fancy with Graphics and Sound

Sizes of Images and Sounds, Unplugged Using Graphics in Your Programs Adding Sound to Your Programs Creating a Sound Board

Part 3: There IS Math on This Test!

Chapter 7: Tackling These Ever-Changing Variables

Acting Out Variables, Unplugged I Do Declare (And Initialize) Checking on Variable Values Incrementing and Decrementing Variables Creating a Stock Ticker

Chapter 8: Computing Using Math

Acting Out Math, Unplugged Doing Simple Math Doing Advanced Math Operations Oh So Mod — Using the Mod Operation Ordering Those Operations (PEMDAS) Rounding Generating and Using Random Numbers Coding a Crypto Code Maker

Chapter 9: Helping with Logic Operations

Simple Logic, Unplugged Programming Simple Conditionals Advanced Logic, Unplugged Coding Compound Conditionals (aka, AND, NOT, and OR Will Get You Pretty Far!) Rock, Paper, Scissors

Chapter 10: Getting Loopy

Loops, Unplugged Loop Types and Structures Nesting Loops Coding the Classic Fibonacci Sequence

Chapter 11: Adding Lists

Lists, Unplugged Introducing Lists Sorting Lists Searching Lists

Chapter 12: Coding Subprograms

Subprograms, Unplugged Starting with Pseudocode Creating a Spirograph with Subprograms Coding Subprograms with Parameters

Part 4: Applying What You Know

Chapter 13: Fixing Problems by Debugging

Debugging, Unplugged Finding Common Syntax Errors Finding Common Semantic Errors Strategies for Debugging Walking Away

Chapter 14: Creating a Webpage

Getting Set Up Creating a Basic Webpage Layout Getting Fancy with Color and Graphics Adding Hyperlinks Going Interactive with JavaScript Combining HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Chapter 15: Building a Mobile Game

Getting Started with MIT App Inventor Using an Emulator versus a Real Device Designing Mobile Apps Adding the Components in Design View Coding Your Mobile App Distributing Your Apps

Chapter 16: Programming Simple Electronics

Gathering Your Hardware Accessing the Software Don’t Wake Baby Gadget Trying Wacky and Fun Variations

Part 5: The Part of Tens

DO Find the Right Entry Level DON’T Assume Cost Equals Quality DO Balance Lessons with Free Exploration DON’T Instantly Dismiss Teaching Languages DO Consult CSTA for Guidance DON’T Buy “Coding” Toys for Babies DO Emphasize the Soft Skills DON’T Let Kids Get Stuck in a Loop DO Present the Bigger Picture DON’T Stereotype Coders

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Keep the Coding Learning Going

Unplugged Research Pioneers of Computing Go Lateral from Code Language Tracking Smart Home Projects Include Outside Passions Open-Source Projects Group Projects Community Support Portfolios

About the Authors Connect with Dummies Index End User License Agreement