<Code Club> & 2012 National STEM Video Game Challenge

Beginning January 2012, the STEM classes at Skiles Test Elementary have been immersing in the world of Scratch. As students learn to code and develop scripts, some have found a strong love for computer programming. In response to this interest, I established <Code Club>, an after-school group of 5th and 6th graders who show a strong interest in coding. We use Scratch mostly, but also work with more text-based computer languages such as HTML and Scala through a program called the Kojo Learning Environment.

Recently, the students have been creating video games to enter into the 2012 National STEM Video Game Challenge. They've learned a great deal about problem solving, tinkering with code, and math. Here is a short screencast showing a 6th grade student at work on his project. He developed a maze game using Scratch that involves multiple levels and creepy villains that chase the hero. I'm looking forward to continuing with Scratch as a primary curriculum in my STEM classes and after-school clubs.