Week of Code


Overview

What if you spent your summer learning to make your own apps instead of just playing them? This camp introduces the fundamentals of coding. Students will create websites, mobile apps, and video games all while having fun with our energetic team.

What you will do this week

  • Learn basic Computer Science concepts
  • Write code in C#, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  • Build iOS and Android mobile apps with Thunkable
  • Design and Publish your own Website
  • Create your own Video Game with Unity 3D
  • Receive 1-on-1 support from our instructional team
  • Share a project presentation with peers and parents

Prerequisites

  • The ability to type text on a computer (e.g. write an email, edit a Word document). We recommend 20 WPM or faster.
  • Experience using a variety of websites, games, and apps

Equipment and Account setup

Schedule Summary

Pre-work - Intro to programming concepts with Angry Birds, Codecademy, Scratch, JavaScript

Mon - Making Mobile Apps with Thunkable

Tues - Making Websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Wed - Making Video Games with Unity 3D

Thurs - Project day: go in-depth on a track (Web, Mobile, Game) of your choice

Detailed Schedule

Pre-work (self-guided prep session)

Computer Setup

Each student will need to provide his/her own laptop for the course. Either Microsoft Windows-based PC’s, or Apple macOS computers will work, but iPads and Chromebooks will not work for this course. We recommend a laptop made within the past 3-4 years. Computers should be free from viruses/malware. We have a limited number of rental laptops available for $25/day.

To be ready for Day 1 of camp, students should complete the following laptop setup steps:

  1. Install any available operating system updates for your computer (see Windows Update or macOS software update)
  2. Install the Google Chrome web browser
  3. Use your Google account (Gmail, Google Drive, etc) to sign into Thunkable

There are other setup steps (eg installing Unity 3D) that can be completed after Day 1 of camp.

Coding Basics

Prior to the Week of Code summer camp, it’s a good idea to try some basic coding exercises on your own. If you have not yet done an Hour of Code session on your own or in school, we recommend starting there:

Monday - Mobile Apps

Thunkable screenshot

1pm

  • Introductions - students, instructors
  • Why it’s important to learn to code
  • Awesome Inc Core Values
    • Be Good
    • Be Excellent
    • Be a Friend
    • Be You
  • What ground rules should we have?
    • When the instructor is talking, _____.
    • Keep your hands to _____.
    • Read, Try, _____, Coach.
    • Be positive and _____.
    • No _____ or _____ on the table.
    • Bring the _____.
  • Text editor skills and vocabulary
    • Copy, Cut, Paste, Switch windows
    • Arrow keys vs Mouse, Shift-to-select

1:15pm

2:00pm

  • Break/Snack

2:15pm

3pm

  • Break / Game

3:30pm

  • SpaceInvaders App V2
    • Keeping Score
    • Resetting the Game
    • Testing Game Play

4:30pm

  • Confirm Web (Google Chrome, Mozilla Thimble) setup for Tuesday
  • More Thunkable
    • SpaceInvaders App
      • Customize colors and font
      • Change up speeds/clocktime
      • Code an end to the game
  • Want to go more in-depth with Mobile?

5pm

Tuesday - Websites

Website about animals

1pm

  • What is “The Web”?
  • View Page Source, see HTML, CSS, JavaScript
  • Chrome Developer Tools
  • Design a wireframe for our site
    • Heading, Navigation, Images, Text Content
    • Two pages: home page, fun facts
  • Use Mozilla Thimble to make our first web page
    • Create account and sign in
    • Disable “auto close tags” and “autocomplete code”
    • Add HTML Elements
      • Headings
      • Paragraph
      • Images
      • Links
      • Lists

2pm

  • Styles with CSS
  • Embed YouTube video
    • Share -> Embed

3pm

  • Break / Game

3:15pm

  • Web Page 2: Animal Fun Facts

4pm

  • Publish and share
  • Add your site to our list

References:

4:30pm

5pm

Nick's favorite animal is the Wandering Albatross

Wednesday - Video Games

Making Pong with Unity

1pm

  • Unity Game Engine interface overview
  • Run a sample project

1:30pm

3pm

  • Break / Game

3:15pm

4:30pm

5pm

  • Homework:
    • Finish Unity Pong
    • Pick a tutorial/project for Friday
  • Reminder to students: bring headphones 🎧 for Friday tutorials

Thursday - Project Day

Week of Code projects

1pm

Note: most projects here will take longer than 4 hours to complete. That’s OK! Our goal during project day is to help you get started on something significant that you can continue working on after the Week of Code.

2pm

  • Work time

3pm

  • Break / Game

3:15pm

  • Work time

4:15pm

  • Show and Tell
    1. Show us one thing you made this week
    2. Tell us one interesting thing you learned
    3. What’s one thing you want to create next?
  • Recap
  • Next steps for learning
    1. Online resources: Code.org, Codecademy, Udacity
    2. Awesome Inc Fall/Spring weekly classes:

5pm