This block-based coding course introduces middle school students to fundamental programming concepts using Platypus, a block-based language inspired by Python.
Duration: 50-60 hours
Grades: 6th-8th
Level: Beginner
About this course
Over 50 hours, students will develop computational thinking skills such as decomposition, debugging, and iterative design while exploring key topics like loops, conditionals, functions, and variables. They will also gain an understanding of how computers represent data, including binary and hex color codes. Through engaging miniprojects, students will solve real-world problems, design custom worlds, and create interactive programs, fostering creativity and problem-solving. This course provides a solid foundation in coding for students with no prior experience, preparing them for future computer science learning.
Students will:
Understand the fundamentals of computational thinking using algorithms.
Practice block-based coding in the Python Programming Language.
Gain a basic understanding of how computers represent data.
Use block-based coding to solve real-world problems.
How this course is structured
The course is divided into 4 units, each consisting of several lessons. Each lesson consists of steps. Each step consists of an instructional video as well as a practice activity for the student. Each step is designed to take no longer than 8-10 minutes to complete and each lesson is designed to take no more than 60 minutes to complete.
Additionally, there are projects after each unit, which allow students to build an application tying together concepts they have learned so far.
Course Syllabus
Unit 1: Welcome to Platypus
Lesson 1: Intro to Python with Platypus Coding
Lesson 2: Debugging
Lesson 3: Calling All Functions
Lesson 4: For the Love of Loops
Unit 2: Decisions
Lesson 1: Decisions
Lesson 2: Elif and Else Clauses
Lesson 3: Logical Operators
Lesson 4: Debugging Control Flow Logic
Unit 3: Loop De Loop
Lesson 1: While Loop
Lesson 2: While Loops vs For Loops
Lesson 3: Nested While Loops
Lesson 4: Debugging While Loops
Unit 4: Variables
Lesson 1: Introduction to Variables
Lesson 2: Variables and Loops
Lesson 3: Parameters and Return Values
Lesson 4: Debugging Variables and Functions
