2024 Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code

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This year Computer Science Education week runs from Friday, December 6th through the 12th. Hour of Code, one of their main events, kicks off Monday, the 9th. Hour of code encourages students to code for an hour to hone their skills, but it also allows teachers to discuss careers in coding and computer science how students can explore their interests and plan their path to achieve their goals. Below are several suggestions for how you can get your students involved in CS week or Hour of Code.

Hour of Code

Activities for PreK through high school. No coding experience necessary! Filter topics by grade level band and then by content to find something that works for your classroom. Topics include Art, Music, AI, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and more! Explore the Hour of Code library directly from Classlink.

Minecraft Hour Of Code


The 2024 theme is The Show Must Go On! Minecraft invites students to step into the theater to find the show’s missing star, unlock hidden gags, solve backstage coding puzzles, and more. Resources include a facilitator guide complete with answer keys, solution guides, teacher training and a video walk-through to ensure success. If you’re new to Minecraft Education in the classroom and need additional support, they even offer live “play-along” webinars where professionals walk you and your students through the challenge step-by-step. Events occur on Dec 5th, 10th and 12th.

Want to keep going with Minecraft after CS Ed Week concludes? Minecraft includes coding challenges designed to teach coding in the context of cybersecurity, digital citizenship, AI literacy and so much more. These can be found directly within Minecraft Education! Select Play → Library → Subject Kits → Computer Science. Visit the Session in this Year’s Hour of Code page and click on your preferred date and time in order to register.

For more information on Minecraft Education, visit Teacher Intro to Digital Tools> Application Support> Minecraft Education.

Coding with Sphero indi

All AACPS elementary schools have a class pack of 8 Sphero indi robots available in the media center. Check out the student kits and challenge Prek- to Grade 5 students to complete the included challenge cards, or explore other options in the AACPS’ indi guide.

Coding with Sphero Bolt

All AACPS middle schools have a power pack of 15 Sphero Bolt robots available in the media center. Have students complete beginning coding activities found on Sphero’s site or from the AACPS Creative Coding website> Sphero Bolt.

Coding with Sphero RVR

All AACPS high schools have 6 Sphero RVR robots available in the media center. Have students complete beginner or advanced coding activities found on Sphero’s site or from the AACPS Creative Coding website's page for Sphero RVR.

Wixie Computer Science Resources

For younger students, Wixie has an entire folder full of computer science resources for teaching students computational thinking, or for them to complete coding projects. There is even a City Map Coding template where students create the destinations and obstacles on the map and then code their car to visit each stop while avoiding the obstacles.

Nearpod: Coding Lessons for Teaching k-12 Students

Read Nearpod’s updated 2024 coding lessons article which explores what is digital literacy, how coding can support SEL initiatives and links to various resources and activities supported by Nearpod to teach about coding and computer science. They also have a collection of Computer Science and Coding lessons and activities in the Nearpod library that can be modified by teachers as needed.

Discovery Education: Channel Computer Science 

Videos, activities, and other resources found in Discovery Education that focus on STEM and Computer Science. Use the grade bands in the upper left to toggle to the appropriate resource level. Students can explore computer science careers and engage in activities designed to teach coding and computational thinking.

Student Project ideas

Don’t have time for a full lesson dedicated to computer science, computational thinking or coding, but want your students to get involved in CS Ed Week or Hour of Code? Consider a project where students explore independently and create a PSA to get others excited about these events. Adobe Express has templates to create a poster or a webpage sharing what they know about coding. WeVideo has Assignment Ideas that would work too including Screencast Your Thinking, Key Concepts, TED-Style Talks, or the Photobooth Explainer Videos.

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