Code.org is a great site to introduce children to the world of programming.

How I Use It

I have used code.org for the past two years. I started with the site in December 2013 during the "Hour of Code." The short tutorials provided on the site were created very well. Most of my 7th and 8th graders enjoyed the lessons. I decided to use the site again December 2014 for this year's Hour of Code. Code.org created an entirely new set of activities based on the "Frozen" characters Anna and Elsa. I have also used the extension provided on the site to provide more introduction into programming logic and thinking. There is a set of lesson plans and handouts to guide you through this process. Some of the activities are from the 2013 Hour of Code, but it goes way beyond that level. There are other activities on the site to engage the highest of abilities. Everything on the site is very well planned out. I did find this year, 2014, the site was slow during the Hour of Code week. I suspect that will change after this week.