LEARNING COMPUTER CODE

All 4th and 5th grade students in Hauppauge School District’s Elementary Schools recently participated in the Hour of Code program through Khan Academy. “Hour of Code is a fun, simple way to teach students the basics of computer programming in 60 minutes,” described Forest Brook 4th Grade Co-Teachers Jeanine Brusca and William Boehle. “Coding makes it possible for individuals to create computer software, websites, apps and video games. The students learned how to construct simple Snowmen using code.”

“The Hour of Code program is designed to spark the young students’ interest in computer science and to encourage them to pursue careers in this STEM field,” stated Brusca and Boehle. “The program showed the students that coding actually plays a role in everything we do, and why it is important for everyone to have access to this information. The students really enjoyed participating in the Hour of Code and found it to be a worthwhile and meaningful classroom experience.”

Hour of Code is part of a national campaign, whose goal is to raise awareness of what coding is and to introduce coding into the U.S. educational curriculum. Computer programming jobs are growing twice as fast as the national average of other jobs.