Teach 4 Basic Coding Concepts Through Music and the Code It Series!

Coding and computer science is such an important part of education and the world around us.  

According to the Code.org website, Every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science.  We need to support our students in computer science by reaching them at the skill-level, location and background they are and find ways to inspire them to keep learning, growing and excelling in such an important and essential concept.  

We brought coding through Hour of Code to all of our students in kindergarten through twelfth grade at Van Meter. 

It was amazing to watch them become engaged, passionate and inspired by the different apps, websites and connections we made through Skype with computer programmers, authors and others passionate about computer science.  I loved watching them create something new from everything they were learning about coding and with these resources.  

Through this work with teachers, students, families and my own learning over the last several years, I always wished there were books and songs for teaching basic coding concepts to our young learners. 

Well, guess what?  

Cantata Learning just published the perfect set of coding books for teaching basic coding skills through music and so much more!

This series supports the future-ready skills we want our students to possess such as being critical thinkers, creative, problem solvers and responsible digital citizens, while connecting to real-world situations and solutions.  

The Code It! Set introduces four basic coding concepts through music giving students a fun first look at....

 Loops: Repeat, Repeat, 

 Debugging: You Can Fix It, 

 Sequences: Order Matters,

 and Algorithms: Solve A Problem!  

Nadia Higgins, Blake Hoena and Patricia M. Stockland did such an amazing job writing this series.

The hip hop styled songs arranged and produced by Drew Temperante makes learning how to code so much fun.  Listen to Algorithms above and see what I mean.  

As Cantata Learning shared on the Code It Set page, these titles support future-ready standards for responsible digital citizenship and innovative problem solving.  

Let me show you inside this special series.  

All four of the coding terms are explained in the front of each book.

Throughout the books, illustrator Sr. Sanchez brings each book to life with engaging and brightly colored illustrations that truly do help children understand these four coding concepts.

I love how easy directions are demonstrated with real life examples...

 

...that give children the confidence to learn how to code.

As with all of the Cantata Learning books, the music is available online for streaming or downloading.  

You can get to the coding songs online here or by scanning the QR code on any of the four books. 

In the back of the book, you will find the song lyrics and...

...sheet music, which can also be downloaded online too.

You will also find the Guided Reading Activities and...

Glossary important resources in teaching and supporting these skills, along with lessons and projects you teach.

On the Cantata Learning site you will also find a Lesson Plan for Code It!, which is filled with...

a step-by-step plan on how to use the series and extension activities for art and technology.  

Don't forget to play and share all four of the Code It series on the Cantata Learning YouTube Channel.  

You will find all of the Cantata Learning titles and seasons here. 

Loops! Repeat, repeat.  Each task is a step. When we repeat s step, we loop.  This loopy beat has pep!  Loops! Repeat, repeat.  Each task is a step. When we repeat a step, we loop.  This loopy beat has pep!  

Over the last week of playing and reading these books, I learned so much as I sang the songs over and over.  I know about sequences, debugging, algorithms and loops now!  

I can't wait to see what you and your students learn about coding with Code It too!