Coding For Kids For Dummies

Coding For Kids For Dummies

by Camille McCue
Released November 2014
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781118940327

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Book description

An easy-to-grasp introduction to coding concepts for kids

Coding For Kids For Dummies breaks coding into a series of small projects, each designed to teach elementary-to-middle-school-aged students a core concept to build a game, application, or other tool. In this his hands-on, friendly guide readers will get access to a leading coding tool that has been designed specifically for kids, showing them how to create the projects provided in the book as well as how to implement them into their own creative work.

Written by a teacher and leading advocate of coding education, Coding For Kids For Dummies explains to kids in plain English how to apply the math and logic skills they already have to the subject of coding. In no time, they'll be grasping basic coding concepts, completing their very own technical feats, and arming themselves with the computer science experience and know-how to prepare for a future working with technology.

  • Lay-flat binding allows for easy access as students work on projects

  • Full-color, large-print design make the information more approachable to kids

  • Kids interested in computer science get a competitive edge

  • The author has dedicated her career to enhancing coding and other STEM education in schools

    • If you're a student who wants to learn coding, a parent who wants to help your kid pursue an interest in coding, or a teacher who is in need of a supplemental course book for your computer science class, Coding For Kids For Dummies has you covered.

    Table of contents

      1. Introduction
        1. About This Book
        2. Foolish Assumptions
        3. Icons Used in This Book
        4. Beyond the Book
        5. Where to Go from Here
      2. Week 1: Basic Drawing, Motion, and Text Handling
        1. Project 0: Getting Started with Coding
          1. Understanding What Coding Is
          2. Learning to Code with MicroWorlds EX
            1. Examining why MWEX is a good language to start with
            2. Taking a look at what projects you can make
          3. Getting Started with MicroWorlds EX
            1. Downloading and installing the software
            2. Starting a project
            3. Getting to know the interface
          4. Coming Up with Your Ideas, Your Projects
        2. Project 1: Art Toy
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Add a Title to the Toy
          4. Add a Turtle
          5. Test Primitives in the Command Center
          6. Create Buttons to Execute Primitives
          7. Write New Procedures in the Procedures Pane and Add Associated Buttons
            1. Write the square procedure and create a button
            2. Write the spirosquare procedure and create a button
          8. Save, Test, and Debug
        3. Project 2: Mini Golf
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Draw a Golf Green, Water Trap, and Hole
          4. Create a Title Text Box
          5. Create a Golf Ball and an Obstacle
          6. Set the Starting Position of the Golf Ball
          7. Create Controls for Aiming and Hitting the Golf Ball
            1. Create buttons for aiming the ball
            2. Create buttons for hitting the ball
          8. Code the Ball to Bump Off the Obstacle
          9. Code Universal Color Conditionals
            1. Create the universal color conditional for the water trap
            2. Create the universal color conditional for the hole
          10. Write a Watertrap Procedure
          11. Write a Win Procedure
          12. Save, Test, and Debug
        4. Project 3: Sketcher Etcher
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Paint and Freeze the Background
          4. Create a Drawing Stylus
          5. Add Horizontal and Vertical Drawing Controls
          6. Set Up Horizontal Boundary Conditions for the Stylus
          7. Set Up Vertical Boundary Conditions for the Stylus
          8. Make a Button to Clean Drawings
          9. Save, Test, and Debug
      3. Week 2: Motion, Animating Shapes, and Reacting to Input
        1. Project 4: Horse Race
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Paint the Simulation Page
          4. Create a Racing Horse Character
          5. Make Copies of the Horse
          6. Line Up the Horses at the Starting Gate
          7. Set Up Horses to Recognize the Finish Line
          8. Create a Button to Start the Race
          9. Add Trotting Sounds
          10. Make a Button to Play the Trotting Sounds
          11. Save, Test, and Debug
        2. Project 5: Winter Wonderland
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Paint the Scene Page
          4. Create Bulb Characters
          5. Create Snowflake Characters
          6. Add Music
          7. Write a Blink Procedure
          8. Write a Fall Procedure
          9. Make a Let it Snow Button
          10. Write a Day and Night Procedure
          11. Make a Day and Night Button
          12. Save, Test, and Debug
        3. Project 6: Sports Vote
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Add a Sports-Themed Background
          4. Add Text for the Title and Directions
          5. Create Candidates
          6. Add Shapes to the Turtle Candidates
          7. Write a Startup Procedure
          8. Make a Bell Sound to Ring When a Vote Is Cast
          9. Write a Get Vote Procedure and Add It to the Candidates
          10. Save, Test, and Debug
      4. Week 3: Variables: Counting and Conditionals
        1. Project 7: Happy Birthday
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Apply a Hospital Theme to the Workspace
          4. Create a Title Text Box
          5. Create Boy and Girl Characters
          6. Create Variables
          7. Write an Initialize Procedure and Make an Associated Button
          8. Write a Reproduce Procedure and Make an Associated Button
          9. Write a Make 10 Babies Procedure and Make an Associated Button
          10. Save, Test, and Debug
        2. Project 8: Number Guessing Computer
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Paint the Background
          4. Create a Title Text Box
          5. Create a Secret Number Variable
          6. Make a Slider to Set the Maximum Value of the Secret Number
          7. Create a Turtle and Paint Shapes for It
          8. Write a Compchoosesecret Procedure and Make a Button
          9. Write a Checkguess Procedure
          10. Make a Tune Play When the Player Answers Correctly
          11. Save, Test, and Debug
        3. Project 9: Monster Mashup
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Color the Background and Add a Title
          4. Create and Name Turtles for Different Monster Parts
          5. Create and Name Hair and Face Shapes
          6. Create and Name Body Shapes
          7. Create and Name Feet Shapes
          8. Make Drop-Down Lists for Each Part
          9. Code Selection Procedures for the Drop-Down Lists and Make Buttons
          10. Code a Procedure and Add a Button for the Monster Mashup
          11. Save, Test, and Debug
      5. Week 4: Keyboard Control and Shooters
        1. Project 10: Viral Outbreak
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Color the Background and Paint a Hospital
          4. Create a Turtle
          5. Write an Initialize Procedure and Make a Button
          6. Make a Clone Button and Instruction
          7. Make a 1 Sick Button and Instruction
          8. Make an Infect Procedure and Add It to the Turtle
          9. Write a Health Command and Add It to the Turtle
          10. Write a Roam Procedure and Make a Button
          11. Save, Test, and Debug
        2. Project 11: UFO Pilot
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Add a Space-Themed Background
          4. Create a UFO Character
          5. Create Asteroid Cluster Characters
            1. Creating asteroid cluster turtles
            2. Creating a cluster of asteroids for each turtle
          6. Create a Score Variable
          7. Write a Reset Procedure and Make a Button
            1. Write a reset procedure
            2. Create a Reset button
          8. Code Gravity and Collisions
          9. Write a Keyboard-Controlled Fly Procedure
          10. Write a Scoring Procedure for Navigating Asteroids
          11. Code the Motion of the Asteroids and Include the Scoring Procedure
          12. Create a Go! Button to Start the Game
          13. Save, Test, and Debug
        3. Project 12: Squid Ink
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Add an Ocean-Themed Background
          4. Create an Animated Squid Character
          5. Create an Ink Cloud Character
          6. Create an Animated Shark Character
          7. Write a Go Procedure and Make a Button
            1. Write the go procedure
            2. Create a Go button
          8. Write a Swimshoot Procedure and Add It to the Squid
          9. Write a Shoot Procedure
          10. Record “Argh, Inked Again” and “Chomp” Sounds
          11. Write a Geteaten Procedure and Add It to the Squid
          12. Write a Hit Procedure and Add It to the Ink
          13. Write a Float Procedure and Add It to the Shark
          14. Save, Test, and Debug
      6. Week 5: Advanced Coding
        1. Project 13: Rock, Paper, Scissors
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Paint the Game Page
          4. Add a Title and Text Labels to the Game Page
          5. Create Rock, Paper, and Scissors Characters
          6. Make Rock, Paper, and Scissors Buttons
          7. Write a Compchoose Procedure
          8. Write a Checkwin Procedure
          9. Save, Test, Debug, and Enhance
        2. Project 14: Where’s Wallace Walrus?
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Name the Search-and-Find Page
          4. Paint the Background of the Search Page
          5. Create a Main Character
          6. Create Distracter Character Shapes
          7. Make a Slider to Vary the Number of Distracters
          8. Write a Populate Procedure and Make a Button
            1. Write a populate procedure
            2. Create a Populate button
          9. Write a Get Ready Procedure and Make a Button
            1. Write a getready procedure
            2. Create a Get Ready button
          10. Add Page Directions to the Search Page
          11. Write a Found Him Procedure and Add It to the Main Character
          12. Create and Name the Splash Page
          13. Paint a Background on the Splash Page
          14. Add a Title and Backstory to the Splash Page
          15. Add a Let’s Play to the Splash Page
          16. Remove Turtle Tooltip Naming
          17. Save, Test, and Debug
        3. Project 15: Traffic Dodge
          1. Brainstorm
          2. Start a New Project
          3. Paint and Name the Level 1 Game Page
          4. Create a Frog Character
          5. Create Traffic Characters
          6. Make Traffic Move
          7. Create a Project Variable for Lives
          8. Show Lives Remaining
          9. Create the Splash Page
          10. Write a Start Procedure
          11. Make a Start Button
          12. Move Between Pages and Add a Page Transition
          13. Write a Play Procedure
          14. Write a Jump Procedure and Add It to the Frog
            1. Writing the jump procedure
            2. Adding the jump procedure to the frog
          15. Write a Hit Procedure and Add It to the Frog
            1. Writing the hit procedure
            2. Adding the hit procedure to the frog
          16. Write an End Game Procedure
          17. Write a Succeed Level 1 Procedure and Add It to the Frog
            1. Write the succeed1 procedure
            2. Add the succeed1 procedure to the frog
          18. Lay Out and Code the Level 2 Game Page
            1. Create the level 2 game page
            2. Write the succeed2 procedure
            3. Add the succeed2 procedure to the frog
          19. Save, Test, and Debug
      7. About the Author
      8. Cheat Sheet
      9. More Dummies Products

    Product information

    • Title: Coding For Kids For Dummies
    • Author(s): Camille McCue
    • Release date: November 2014
    • Publisher(s): For Dummies
    • ISBN: 9781118940327