UW CSE professor Magda Balazinska has a child at Sand Point Elementary School. Last year, Magda encouraged the school to try out Scratch on the 5th grade class; CSE’s Allison Obourn provided some mini-lectures. This year Sand Point expanded Scratch to the 4th grade, and during CS Ed Week, the 2nd through 5th grades participated in the Hour of Code.
Comments from teachers:
About the Hour of Code: “The kids loved the coding activities with Frozen and Angry Birds. I’m starting in on very beginning Scratch today. Thanks for your support and encouragement. I would not have pursued this without your guidance.”
About Scratch: “All kinds of cool organic things are happening. Yesterday a 4th grader showed his class how he made a game on Scratch and everyone tried to make their own. Very fun!”
Three cheers for Sand Point teacher Julia Schumacher for her instrumental role in all of this!