WRITING CODE Essential Question: Will You Be a Code Writer? Learning Targets: Students will: • • • •

Identify a design problem whose solution could benefit people. Use a variety of media to develop and deepen their understanding of a topic or idea. Effectively engage in collaborative discussions with peers. Discuss important issues with peers.

Lesson Overview The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to MIT App Inventor and key vocabulary necessary to begin writing code. Through modeling, students will learn how to develop the Hello Purr app using the App Inventor software. Students are then introduced to a real-world problem that will begin the process of relating needs people have to the design of mobile applications.

IT Module: Writing Code Pathways to Prosperity Network

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Lesson Agenda Opening (10 min)

Work Time

Closure (5 min)

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Student Survey

• • • •

MIT App Inventor Setup and Tutorial (30 min) Human Bar Graph: Media Exposure (10 min) Political Cartoon Analysis (10 min) Common Text (20 min)

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Exit Ticket

Materials o o o o o o

Young Professional student packet MIT App Inventor Setup and Tutorial: Hello Purr Equipment to project on a screen Political Cartoon Analysis (transparency) Common Text: Data strips Common Text: Text strips

FACILITATION NOTES Set Up. Set up the computers with MIT App Inventor student accounts ahead of time. It is important that every student feels that he or she has easy access to the program. Instruct students to bookmark the URL for future access. It is also important to determine how students will test the apps they build. If you have access to Android devices that can be shared with students, one option is to connect the App Inventor to these devices over a Wi-Fi network: http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/ai2/setup-device-wifi.html. If Android devices will be used, but a Wi-Fi network is not available, devices can be connected directly to App Inventor through the local computer’s USB drive: http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/ai2/setup-device-usb.html. If Android devices will not be used, the App Inventor Android emulator can be used for testing: http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/ai2/setup-emulator.html. Computers. Be prepared to follow your school’s computer lab or computer assignment procedures. Alternative Activities. If you do not have enough computers or a student has lost the privilege, a possible source for alternate activities is the following site: http://csedweek.org/learn. Virtual Interview. If you have the time, space, and transportation, students might like to visit a work place of computer programmers or to Skype with a computer programmer who telecommutes. Telecommuting is considered a big perk in the industry—you can work from anywhere in the world with good internet access.

IT Module: Writing Code Pathways to Prosperity Network

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Instructions for App Inventor. Your lesson should start with students viewing the MIT App Inventor tutorial, Hello Purr. The text and video of the instructions can be found at http://ai2.appinventor.org/content/videosAI1/beginning/helloPurr. Don't worry if this is the first app you have built—this tutorial walks you through the process. ELL Students. This is a vocabulary-intensive lesson. Focus on process and function, rather than having students learn definitions. Consider sheltered language protocols such as: preteaching simplified vocabulary, using a pictorial input chart, or offering an invitational group to support English language development. Content Vocabulary Chart. All students, especially ELL and struggling readers, will benefit from an ABC chart to record vocabulary from this lesson: See http://www.ellsense.com/uploads/2/1/2/1/21212296/good_words_for.pdf and https://www.google.com/search?q=abc+esl+chart&espv=2&biw=1276&bih=636&tbm=isch&tbo= u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjpx6nCjfjLAhUMLyYKHZcuD98QsAQIGw#tbm=isch&q=gl ad+ell+strategies+abc+chart&imgrc=bZOJW7ANAdpUHM%3A for an example of its use. Read to Learn. The common text in the Building Background Knowledge workshop during work time is a tiered activity, meaning students can choose to build knowledge by looking at data or by reading short excerpts. They should be given the choice based on what type of text they prefer—numbers or words. Differentiation. For students with more experience or a high interest in coding, encourage them to work through more advanced MIT App Inventor Tutorials. Differentiation. If students struggle with reading for information, you may choose to show this video as their common text: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_ffSw-z_FE. Planning. This lesson may need to be extended over two class sessions.

IN ADVANCE o Every student will need an MIT App Inventor account (it’s free!). Have computers on and the app inventor page ready to go for students as they enter the room: www.appinventor.mit.edu. o Complete the tutorial for the MIT App Inventor mobile application, Hello Purr. It is crucial you review each of the videos and complete all of the steps on your own so you can describe and model for students adequately as they navigate the tutorial for the first time: http://ai2.appinventor.org/content/videosAI1/beginning/helloPurr. o Consider preparing an ABC chart to support students as they encounter new vocabulary throughout the module (see examples in Facilitation Notes). o Review the protocol, and set up the labels. The purpose of this activity is to assess student media consumption in a physical representation of data. o Cut apart the data and text strips and place them in two different areas of the room.

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o Review the protocol included in the body of this lesson.

Vocabulary Content blocks editor tool, mobile applications, Android operating system, graphical user interface (GUI), cloud-based, programming, tutorial, app, component designer, emulator, components, palette, viewer, properties

Tier II analysis, survey, engage, media, argument

Opening (10 min) Student Survey With a survey, we can learn more about you and your experience with digital media and devices. This survey is going to help me know how to best support you as your programming coordinator. As IT specialists you will be working closely with computers and other devices; knowing your level of expertise and comfort with these technologies will help to get us started. 1. Ask students: What is a survey? o o

Ask volunteers to provide the definition. Listen for: A set of questions designed to gather information about people’s behaviors or opinions.

2. Tell students that the word media refers to the mass communication of information and ideas. The singular form, medium, is most commonly used to refer to the specific tool (television, newspapers, etc.), whereas the plural of media is used to speak generally of all the ways we communicate to broad audiences. 3. Ask students: What are examples and non-examples of media? o

Invite students to turn and talk with a partner.

In defining media, emphasize the concept of mass communication of information and ideas. For example, texting is not considered media because it is not used for mass communication (group texts are not considered mass sharing of ideas).

4. Draw a T-Chart on the board with ‘Examples’ and ‘Non-examples’ as headers of the columns. When students have discussed the question for 2–3 minutes, use equity sticks to call on pairs to provide an answer. Write the answers in the appropriate column of the T-chart, or have students come to the board to write their answers.

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o

Listen for examples: Newspaper, magazines, radio, music, art, graphic novels, books, apps, video games, Facebook, Twitter. Listen for non-examples: A conversation, a group discussion, texts, private messages, letters, passing a note in class.

5. Distribute the . Allow 3-5 minutes for students to complete independently. 6. Collect the surveys to review their answers before the next lesson.

Work Time App Inventor Introduction (30 min) App Inventor is a software coding blocks editor tool that was developed by Google. It allows new programmers to build mobile applications for the Android operating system. A Consider using a blocks editor is programming software that uses a graphical user interface (GUI). The flow chart or a graphical user interface allows the user to interact with the computer to build a program pictorial input chart that contains blocks that the user can drag, drop, and snap together. to help illustrate the The Android operating system was developed by Google and is used on many mobile processes and touch screen devices, such as cell phones and tablets. These devices are what functions for each of these terms and how computer programs called mobile applications operate on. Many of these mobile applications were developed through App Inventor, a cloudbased software that requires only an Internet connection and a Google account. Cloudbased software allows computers to connect to shared resources made available via the Internet. It will be challenging, but be prepared to become creators, not just consumers, of technology! App Inventor was turned over to MIT a few years ago. We will use MIT’s updated version, App Inventor 2, during these lessons as the platform for building our own mobile application!

they are related. These visual charts can be especially helpful for ELL students.

Be sure to bookmark the MIT App Inventor website and any others used in these lessons. That way, if a student accidentally closes a browser window, they can easily find the correct page again.

1. Tell students to listen and watch closely as you take them on a walkthrough of App Inventor while building the first app . 2. Project MIT App Inventor website (www.appinventor.mit.edu). Click on the orange box that reads “Create apps!”. Demonstrate how to log into the Google account to access App Inventor. When the application MIT App Inventor Version 2 is requesting permission to access your Google Account, choose allow. Then agree to the terms of service and decline participation in the survey. 3. Guide students to now complete the steps you just modeled. Circulate to ensure all students have logged into App Inventor correctly. Students should see the App Inventor 2 Project page. IT Module: Writing Code Pathways to Prosperity Network

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4. Begin the tutorial at http://ai2.appinventor.org/content/videosAI1/beginning/helloPurr. 5. Describe to students the components of App Inventor (components designer, blocks editor, and emulator), and use the correct terms (palette, viewer, components, properties) presented in the tutorial. o

o

A good analogy to share with the students is that of a construction site. Before a building can be constructed, all of the materials (concrete, fasteners, wood, drywall, etc.) need to be on site. In App Inventor, the components are taken from the palette and added to the viewer and configured by adjusting the properties within the viewer. Once the materials are at the site, the building can be constructed. In App Inventor, once the components are within the viewer of the designer, the blocks editor can be opened to program (build) the app. Consider adding these words to a .

6. Model the behavior you are seeking from the students by projecting each step: first watch, then build. o

o

For example, play and then pause the video tutorial immediately after each step in the building process has been presented. Then build what was presented in the video within App Inventor and then resume playing of the video. Complete the app while the students watch.

7. Demonstrate how to load the emulator to test the app. o

o

Analogies can be used to help encourage deeper learning. By connecting new vocabulary to a wellknown construct, you are activating the use of comparisons, which facilitates information processing to long term memory.

Share with students that to test their app they will need to either connect to an Android device (if this is available to them), or they will need to use the Android emulator. When modeling, Run the app. The cat meows when its face is clicked/touched. Success!

8. Invite students to sit at a computer and begin working on the first MIT App Inventor Tutorial called by following the process you just modeled. o o

For students with more experience or a high interest in coding, encourage them to work through more advanced MIT App Inventor Tutorials.

Circulate and assist students in completing the tutorial, as needed. Encourage students to use the protocol. Explain that they should use three resources other than the teacher in an effort to solve their problem. Resources can include other students, textbook resources (http://ai2.appinventor.org/apps/hellopurr/hellopurr.pdf), the video tutorial, and message board resources on the MIT App Inventor site.

IT Module: Writing Code Pathways to Prosperity Network

emphasize the use of the video tutorial as a problem-solving resource. Encourage the young programmers to first re-watch the video if confused, then reach out with questions. Normalize the challenge in the process and highlight persistence when trying on problemsolving activities.

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Human Bar Graph (10 min) 1. Tell students that they are going to create a graph out of their bodies by standing in a line at the label that best represents their answer to the question. 2. Invite students to think about their answer to this question: Based on your behavior most days, how many hours on a typical weekday do you consume digital media? This includes listening to recorded music, playing video games, surfing Facebook or other websites, watching Hulu or YouTube, and playing with apps like Snapchat or Vine. 3. Offer students a personal example: I like to watch television____ hours a night and check Facebook for ___. That is ____ hours total. Then demonstrate your answer by standing in front of the appropriate label. 4. Tell students that the labels for the four possible choices on the bar graph are 0–2 hours, 2–4 hours, 4–6 hours, and 6+ hours. 5. Invite students to form a human bar graph by standing in the line that best represents their average amount of time spent consuming all digital media on a weekday. o When students have arranged themselves, ask for volunteers to describe their collective digital media habits and to tell what they notice about the graph. Ask for a student volunteer to record the class’ answers in a bar graph. 6. Lead a brief discussion on the data trend. o This is a place to connect to common math concepts: data, outliers, average, range, mean, mode, etc. As an extension, ask the YPs to graph the digital media use of their family.

Political Cartoon Analysis (10 min) 1. Explain to students that political cartoons are cartoons that illustrate a point about a political issue or event. These cartoons are usually located in the editorial section of the paper, not the comics. 2. Project the . 3. Tell students to study the cartoon in silence for a moment. 4. Explain that there are no “right answers” for interpreting a political cartoon; the viewer uses evidence to make an interpretation. 5. Ask students: There are many possible interpretations of political cartoons. What do you think is the issue this political cartoon addresses? o o

Invite pair-share thinking with a partner before collecting responses from the group. Listen for: The cartoonist is suggesting that kids used to play outside, but today kids spend most of their play-time using computers.

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6. Ask students: What do you think is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue? o o

Invite pair-share thinking with a partner before collecting responses from the group. Classroom Talk: Listen for: The cartoonist may just be pointing out a difference, Giving each student or the cartoonist might think outdoor play is superior to computer an opportunity to vet time. their ideas with a

7. Ask students: Do you agree with the cartoonist’s position? Why or why not? o

Use equity sticks to solicit responses.

Common Text (20 min) 1. Explain to students that they are going to close in on the topic of the lesson by choosing from two different types of content—the and the . 2. Explain to students that they should choose one strip, either data or text, depending on whether they prefer working with words or numbers. o o

partner can increase classroom participation to 100%, since every student is given an opportunity to verbalize their thoughts. It can also help encourage more students to share with the entire class, as they might feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts with the group after first vetting their ideas with a partner.

After students select their strips and return to their seats, give them two minutes to read and think about their strips. Once students have finished, direct them to find a partner who is interested in working with the same type of content.

3. Tell pairs to select one of their strips and spend three minutes thinking about it and discussing it together. They should then draft a sentence that summarizes the central point of the strip.

Closure (5 min) Exit Ticket 1. Distribute the : Describe your first programming experience. Was it challenging? If you got stuck, how did you solve your challenge? 2. Provide a few minutes for students to write their responses, then collect the exit tickets and review the students’ answers before the next lesson.

IT Module: Writing Code Pathways to Prosperity Network

Write to Learn: This technique of having students answer via an exit ticket provides them with a non-threatening way to respond without having to verbalize their thoughts to their peers. Having students write an exit ticket also provides a way for you to quickly assess the level of understanding of students in the class while letting them reflect on the day’s learning. 8

Name: Date:

WRITING CODE: Will You Be a Code Writer? Today’s Learning Objectives: I can: o o o o

Identify a design problem whose solution could benefit people. Use a variety of media to develop and deepen their understanding of a topic or idea. Effectively engage in collaborative discussions with peers. Discuss important issues with peers.

The purpose of this lesson is to become introduced to MIT App Inventor and key vocabulary necessary to begin writing code. Through modeling, I will learn how to develop the Hello Purr app using the App Inventor software. Then I will be introduced to a real-world problem that will begin the process of relating needs people have to the design of mobile applications.

Today’s Learning Activities: o o o o o o

Student Survey MIT App Inventor Setup and Tutorial Human Bar Graph: Media Exposure Political Cartoon Analysis Common Text Exit Ticket

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UNIT 1 LESSON 1

STUDENT SURVEY Name: ________________________________________________________________ Date: _________________________________________________________________

1. Do you use any of the following devices at home? (check all that apply) F ____ Computer F ____ Smartphone F ____ Kindle or other eReader F ____ Tablet F ____ Gaming Devices F ____ MP3 Play/iPod 2. Have you ever written computer program code before? F ____ Yes F ____ No 3. If you answered yes to number 2: a. Have you used MIT APP Inventor 2? F ____ Yes F ____ No b. Have you completed the Hour of Code through Kahn Academy? F ____ Yes F ____ No c. Have you done any of the 20-hour Beyond the Hour of Code course? F ____ Yes F ____ No 4. Do you create anything using a digital device? (check all that apply) F ____ Art F ____ Music F ____ Film F ____ Text documents F ____ Games or other apps

POSSIBLE FUTURES, POSSIBLE SELVES | IT MODULE | UNIT 1 LESSON 1

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UNIT 1 LESSON 1

POLITICAL CARTOON ANALYSIS

Cartoon by Randy Bish

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UNIT 1 LESSON 1

COMMON TEXT—DATA STRIPS > It’s estimated that children in 1995 get 10% of their total energy intake from fast foods > It’s estimated that children received 2% of their total energy intake from fast foods in the late 1970’s. > The number of fast food restaurants is 250,000 in 1995. That’s more than double the number in 1972. —Health and Health Care in Schools, Feb 2004.

> % of overweight children ages 6-11 in the US, 1980: 7% > % of overweight children ages 6-11 in the US, 2002: 16% > % of overweight adolescents ages 12-19 in the US, 1980: 5% > % of overweight adolescents ages 12-19 in the US, 2002: 16% —as reported in “Education Vital Signs 2006.” Research attributed to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 1991, obese adults made up less than 15 percent of the population in 45 out of 50 states in the US. In 1995, this was true for only 21 states, and by 2005 only one state could claim this distinction. —Harvard School for Public Health

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2010 2, 3 > More than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or obese. > More than 1 in 3 adults are considered to be obese. > More than 1 in 20 adults are considered to have extreme obesity. > About one-third of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered to be overweight or obese. > More than 1 in 6 children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered to be obese. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistic

Findings from a study 7 conducted in 2003–2004 that measured physical activity using a tool that records movement suggest the following: > In the age group of 6 to 11, almost half of boys (49 percent) and about a third of girls (35 percent) get the recommended amount of physical activity. > Physical activity declines with age. While 42 percent of children ages 6 to 11 get 60 minutes a day of physical activity, only about 8 percent of adolescents ages 12 to 15 reach this goal. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics

POSSIBLE FUTURES, POSSIBLE SELVES | IT MODULE | UNIT 1 LESSON 1

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UNIT 1 LESSON 1

COMMON TEXT—DATA STRIPS

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UNIT 1 LESSON 1

COMMON TEXT—DATA STRIPS FIGURE 1. PERCENTAGE OF YOUTH WHO WERE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, BY NUMBER OF DAYS PER WEEK AND SEX: UNITED STATES, 2012

Does not meet standard of statistical reliability and precision (relative standard error of ≥30% but