Tech Tuesday: Hopscotch- Coding for Tweens

Welcome back to Tech Tuesday! I love trying out different graphical coding platforms and my latest coding adventure has been with the coding app, Hopscotch. I've discussed using Scratch Jr. before (another coding app), but Hopscotch is a different program for youth that is geared towards older children, specifically 8-12 year olds, otherwise known as tweens.

Image from blog.gethopscotch.com

Hopscotch can be downloaded for free here for the Apple iPad. This app has won plenty of noted awards, such as the 2013 Parent's Choice Award for mobile apps and a 2014 KAPi Award winner for Best Educational Technology. So why is Hopscotch so awesome?

As Tech Crunch puts it, "Hopscotch’s special sauce is to be mobile device focused. Its graphical programming language has been specifically designed for use on the iPad". The app focuses on making coding easier by using graphical elements that kids can drag and drop to build programs. The program is basically just like Scratch and Scratch Jr. in concept and functionality, but Hopscotch is just for iPads. Common Sense Media has reviewed the app positively, pointing out that,"Kids get the support they need to create programs and build confidence before they encounter the intricacies of coding". You can watch a short YouTube video here demonstrating how to build in the app.

I personally love the fun graphics in Hopscotch and think that the cute creatures and cheery, bright colors in the app will be especially appealing to those kids who are not as interested in the more industrial look of other graphical coding programs. Another favorite feature of Hopscotch is the ability to program actions to be activated by different events on the iPad, like shaking the iPad. An example of how this could work is that a child could program a bear to jump up and down whenever the iPad is shaken! The open-ended nature of the app is wonderful and allows children to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills while also practicing their tech skills and even fine motor skills for those children not adept at using a touch screen.

Image from educade.org

This app is another great stepping stone to building greater digital literacy and a wonderful in-between program for kids wanting to move on to more complicated programming platforms or even to a real programming language such as Python. As PC Mag says, " ...even though Hopscotch isn't "real" programming and the programs themselves can't run outside the iPad, kids wind up learning programming concepts such as conditions, loops, branching, and variables.".

Interested in trying out Hopscotch but don't have an iPad or in need of some extra help? Stop by the library and use one of our iPads or ask for the Emerging Technologies Librarian, Nicole (that's me!).

Image from gethopscotch.com

Kids in grades 3-6, if you love exploring with technology, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming Creation Station programs that will begin in 2015. In February and April the library will be hosting Creation Station programs after school that will be tech-focused, creative and super fun!

Tech Tuesday: ScratchJr- Coding for Kindergarteners

 Welcome back to Tech Tuesday! We love to explore new technologies and apps here at the library, especially when they are a creation from the always awesome MIT Media Lab. ScratchJr is a free iPad app made possible through a collaboration between the DevTech Research Group at Tufts University, the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, and the Playful Invention Company. They expect to release an Android version late in 2014 and a web-based version in 2015.

Image from kickstarter.com

 The ScratchJr project raised funds earlier this year on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter and also received funding from the National Science Foundation, Code-to-Learn Foundation, Lego Foundation and BT.

We have held Scratch programs here in the past for the tweens and although a wonderful and fun educational tool, Scratch original was more challenging than expected for some of the younger participants. ScratchJr uses the same idea of teaching an introductory programming language via graphical programming blocks, but in a more simple and visual format. This new app enables young children, specifically children ages 5-7 that would have struggled with the original Scratch, to create their own interactive stories, games and more. Children can snap together brightly colored blocks to make their characters jump, sing or dance as well as edit these characters in the paint editor and use pictures of themselves or friends in their projects.

Image from wired.com

You may be wondering "why would coding be a valuable skill for a kindergartener?". Well, coding or computer programming is truly a new type of literacy. Think of it as a type of writing- it enables you to express ideas and organize your thoughts. 

This sort of coding can also be a wonderful stepping stone to more complicated computer science concepts. It also provides a great foundation for young learners who are growing up in a time when digital literacies are more and more important to grasp. Supportingeducation.org wrote, "One incredible feat that ScratchJr accomplishes is reaching an audience who largely cannot read, giving them a considerable head start on critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills." 

Image from scratchjr.org

If you'd like to know more about the research and work put into creating ScratchJr you can read an interesting interview Forbes conducted with Mitchel Resnick, one of the creators of ScratchJr, here.

ScratchJr is rich with educational opportunity and I encourage you to check it out today! Educationnews.org reports that some schools are already using ScratchJr in kindergarten classrooms. If you don't have an iPad, stop by the library anytime during our regular hours to check out an iPad for usage inside of the library. We'd be glad to show you ScratchJr and help you and your little one start coding!

Eliot-Pearson Children’s School in Medford, MA.

Launched in July for iPads, the app, which is offered free of charge, is already in use in Kindergarten classrooms at the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School in Medford, MA.  Teachers across the nation are encouraged to sign up for a ScratchJr Pilot Research Program. - See more at: http://www.educationnews.org/technology/can-kindergarteners-be-taught-to-code-scratchjr-says-yes/#sthash.wOg2KWHf.dpuf

Launched in July for iPads, the app, which is offered free of charge, is already in use in Kindergarten classrooms at the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School in Medford, MA.  Teachers across the nation are encouraged to sign up for a ScratchJr Pilot Research Program. - See more at: http://www.educationnews.org/technology/can-kindergarteners-be-taught-to-code-scratchjr-says-yes/#sthash.wOg2KWHf.dpuf

Launched in July for iPads, the app, which is offered free of charge, is already in use in Kindergarten classrooms at the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School in Medford, MA.  Teachers across the nation are encouraged to sign up for a ScratchJr Pilot Research Program. - See more at: http://www.educationnews.org/technology/can-kindergarteners-be-taught-to-code-scratchjr-says-yes/#sthash.wOg2KWHf.dpu

Every Child Ready To Read~ Reading

Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR) is a national initiative from the American Library Association.  ECRR is a learning model to showcase skills and activities to help build literacy skills for young children.  We follow this model at the Grafton-Midview Public Library and would like to share some  activities and resources with you!  For more information on Every Child Ready to Read, here are some sites for you to peruse:
Ohio Every Child Ready to Read, Early Literacy Crosswalk offers a basic overview of what Every Child Ready to Read is all about.  They also have another site to discover the second edition of ECRR and sample activities for each skill and activity.

This is our final week of exploring ECRR and we hope you have enjoyed the journey.

One of my go-to sites for looking for themes and topics to discuss is SurLaLune.  You can search through for a topic or subject of your choice and find many book suggestions and summaries, along with song ideas to share together.  I appreciate the age suggestions given along with the book recommendations. For answers to your frequently asked questions, check out Read To Me's FAQ page. 

An interesting site to peruse is the Reading Womb.  This site supports that it is truly never too early to begin reading with and to your baby.  The idea behind the Reading Womb is to begin a routine of reading with your child before he or she is even born.  Finding a time to relax, bond, and be close with Baby is going to help get him or her off on the right foot to reading success.  Reading to your baby will help him/her become accustomed to your voice, begin learning language, and it's a soothing activity.  Hopefully this special time will continue for years to come.  Annie Murphy's TED talk on when learning truly begins can be found here (Hint: It's before birth!).

The Hennepin Library has an amazing site that gives book ideas and tips for sharing them.  They include items directly from their catalog, so you are seeing the new releases along with old favorites.  When considering books to read, it's important to think about the differences in development.  A few months of growing can mean a world of difference to our young ones.  For ideas of what to share when, refer to Zero to Three's site. 

Reading is Fundamental shares many great ideas for songs, activities, and even games to explore together that are broken down by age.  These activities complement Every Child Ready to Read very well.  For help with struggling readers, reading lists, and tips, scope out Reading Rockets. 

If you are looking for reading electronically, check out Tumblebooks, a database full of children's books and games that our Library subscribes to.  You can search for books on themes and read along on the screen.

Keep us up to date with what you are reading on Goodreads, an electronic book shelf.  If you want more information on Goodreads you can check out Nicole's past post here. For book suggestions your family can share together, stop into the Grafton-Midview Public Library and check out our Readers' Advisory tools on our web site.  Your Youth Services Librarians will be glad to assist you.  Happy reading!

Banned Books Week

The 2013 celebration of Banned Books Week starts today! You can celebrate from September 22nd to September 28th with us at the library, at home and at school.

You've never heard of Banned Books Week? Banned Books Week is a national effort to celebrate the freedom to read and highlight issues of censorship and free and open access to information. What exactly does censorship mean? Censorship is the suppression of speech or other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, politically incorrect or inconvenient by someone. This someone could be a school principal, a parent or a library patron that decides a book is harmful or inappropriate to read and doesn't want it to be available for anyone else to read either. This event brings together all aspects of the book community, everyone from librarians, booksellers, teachers and readers show support for the freedom to express ideas and read whatever you choose. 

The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. Many books have been and continue to be banned across the country even today but part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that in many cases the majority of the challenged books have remained available. Thanks to librarians, teachers and community members who speak up for the freedom to read many controversial or challenged books remain available for children and adults to read.

You would be surprised to see many children's titles on the frequently challenged banned books lists, some of which may be family favorites! Did you know that the most challenged book of 2012 was the Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey? 

For more information head to the Banned Books Week website or stop at the American Library Association's Banned Books Week website.  Both sites have lists of frequently challenged books, virtual read-out videos, and many resources. 

How can kids get involved?  Check out the Youth Free Expression Project  which supports the rights of youth to access information, as well as their freedom to question, learn, and think for themselves.Kids and teens aged 19 and younger are encouraged to enter their Youth Film Contest. Each year they challenge young people all across the nation to think about their First Amendment rights and the issue of Free Speech. This year's contest, VIDEO GAMES IN THE CROSSHAIRS, asks students to express why video games are important to you. We keep hearing claims about video games being too violent or making kids antisocial. This is the chance for young gamers to speak for themselves on this timely issue. This year's deadline is December 13th! You can also learn about one of the YFEP's initiatives, the Kids' Right to Read Project, an advocacy project that helps educators, students and local activists fight book challenges and censorship in general, by offering valuable support, advice and information.

Stop in the library this week to check out our display of banned and disputed juvenile books in the Children's Department. Snag a title to take home, it's a great way to celebrate your freedom to read!