Think computer science is only for an elite group of professionals? An Hour of Code could change your mind – and inspire your students!

Join more than 63,000 schools, libraries, and other organizations around the world to celebrate Computer Science Education Week this year by hosting hour-of-code events from December 4 to 10. (Get how-to details here… or see How To Host an Epic Hour of Code webinar.)

The “largest learning event in history” – which marks the birthday of computer pioneer Grace Hopper – includes Star Wars-based tutorials for beginners as young as four, a way-finding with code lesson from Disney’s Moana, inspiring videos about learning computer science, a new Minecraft Hour of Code adventure for student in grades 2 and up, create a virtual pet activity from Grok Learning, and even “unplugged”Hour of Code activities for people without a computer or Internet connection (available in Spanish).

Check out these teacher-led activities and other educator resources to get free curricula and ideas for your classroom. There are also resources for policy advocacy, including a state-by-state list of proposed, successful, and failed legislative efforts to promote computer science education.

The National Science Foundation-sponsored Computer Science for All Teachers Computer Science Education Week photo contestinitiative includes a website with free resources, teaching tips, help desk, blog, and event calendar with webinars, hackathon challenges, and contests – including the .

No computer science teacher at your school? Edhesive offers a free AP Computer Science massive, open online course (MOOC). It’s one of more than a dozen providers of curriculum, classroom tutorials, and platforms for teaching computer science to kids that you can integrate in your lessons.

Seek more information? The September 2013 eGFI Teachers newsletter focuses on computer engineering activities. Cybersecurity was the theme of the October 2015 newsletter, as does the eGFI Teachers blog post with computer science education resources.

Meanwhile, states are moving to adopt new computer science education standards based on the K-12 Computer Science Framework. According to the Atlantic magazine (October 19, 2016), Arkansas, Indiana, and Florida have made major computer-science pushes at the K-12 level, as have cities like New York and Chicago. California is moving to create its own standards, as are Virginia, South Carolina, and Washington state.

Download the full standards or get tips for integrating computer science into literacy, math, and science instruction from the Computer Science Teachers Association, which developed the standards.

Filed under: Class Activities, K-12 Outreach Programs, Special Features, Web Resources

Tags: Class Activities, coding, Computer Science, Computer Science Education Week 2017, hour of code, Internet Resources, programming, Resources for Teachers, Web Resources