everyone Can fInd an hour
Secondary Schools
What do you mean, EVERYONE, not just the STEM kids?
Most high schools worked through the Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers, bringing Hour of Code ™ into classes in all periods. Many participated in all periods using the Learning Blade, a career exploration online platform. Learning Blade created a special Computer Science challenge for the week, allowing students to learn about dozens of careers while learning to code. In addition, through all of the school computer labs, most of the students who were not enrolled in a CTE class participated, and the school librarian advertised the Hour of Code ™, and had students sign up to participate during activity blocks, such as Power Hour, Tribe Time, and other mechanisms where the schedule supports time set aside for special activities.
One of the most innovative approaches was implemented at Fleming Island High School. School leadership convened a meeting with some faculty members and, together, they organized a variety of activities. These included the coding through Minecraft and through a Dance party. Teachers within the elective courses, CTE classes, computer science, math, and robotics teams work together on coding lessons. But the innovation that allowed participation for all students was a schedule hack! The school had the idea to implement the “ Pep Rally Schedule ”, a tradition reserved for football season.
During football seasons, all class periods are shortened, and the bell schedule is modified. This modification allows the time saved in each period to roll into an “ extra ” period, and all students are then able to participate in a pep rally. This strategy opened up a common time for all students to have the time in their schedule to celebrate the Hour of Code ™. School administration believes that if we can make time for football, surely we can make time for coding! We hope to amplify and replicate this strategy across all secondary schools in the upcoming Hour of Code ™. 12
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