What's Happening: A Shift to the "Hour of AI"
Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) kicked off internationally this month, honoring the legacy of computing pioneer Grace Hopper and promoting computer science education. This year marks a significant evolution in the global celebration, as the annual "Hour of Code" transitioned to the "Hour of AI"—reflecting the growing importance of artificial intelligence literacy for all students.
A change to this year's focus was the middle school experience, where students were given the opportunity to engage with coding, robotics, and the foundations of AI during the day and after school!
Smith Middle School Highlights:
After-School Python Immersion: Computer Science Teacher, Mr. Josh Frisch, hosted an after-school event, where students gained an introduction to the powerful and widely-used Python coding language.
Media Center Lunchtime Labs: Media Specialist, Ms. Megan Lynn, welcomed students during their lunch periods over two days for interactive sessions. Students explored various AI and gaming activities, utilized their favorite coding sites, and engaged in "unplugged" hands-on activities with gadgets and robotics, encouraging creativity and computational thinking away from the screen.
The K-5 Experience: Robotics and Foundational Coding
Ramsey's youngest learners will be actively engaged in their computer science journey throughout December and January:
Grades K-3: Students begin their coding experiences using hands-on "screen-free" tasks with Bee Bots and Mouse Bots, focusing on collaboration, sequencing, and directional language.
Grades 4-5: Students are using Ozobots for a deeper dive into robotics. They program movement via color-coded line tracing and advance their skills using OzoBlockly, a block-based coding interface, to integrate sequences and conditional statements into more complex programs.
Why It Matters: Preparing Students for the AI-Powered Future
Computer Science education, and specifically exposure to concepts like AI, is critical to building the competencies outlined in the Ramsey Profile. This exposure provides students with the opportunity to:
Think Critically: By debugging code and analyzing algorithmic output.
Be Creative: By designing and programming robotic solutions and digital projects.
Communicate and Collaborate: By working in teams to solve complex coding challenges.
Go Deeper: Explore the World of AI
Want to understand the concepts behind the Hour of AI and try some activities at home?
Visit Code.org to explore the Hour of AI and discover interactive, age-appropriate activities: Hour of AI Activities
