Each year, Minnetonka Public Schools provides exciting opportunities for students to dive into the world of coding. During Computer Science Education Week (December 6-12), students at Excelsior Elementary have the opportunity to engage in the “Hour of Code,” a one-hour event that introduces students to the basics of coding. Regardless of age and background, the “Hour of Code” helps nurture students’ problem-solving skills, logic and creativity, establishing a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path.

Due to the pandemic, last year’s “Hour of Code” event was not able to take place. However, this year, the event will be virtual, allowing an enriching experience for students at home or at school.

“By including the whole school, as well as our e-learning community, we want to create a sense that everyone can code, and that coding is not just for a certain group,” said Hao Li,  a 5th grade Chinese teacher at Excelsior Elementary who also serves as coding lead. 

The “Hour of Code” event is open to all students to participate! Here are the ways students can join the “Hour of Code” event:

• At Home
  • To join the “Hour of Code” event from home, visit the Hour of Code website. After selecting a grade level, students may choose from a variety of fun coding activities! Many programs are geared towards beginners, but there are programs for more advanced learners as well. For those who want to explore the world of coding  themselves, there are self-led tutorials to follow through independently.
• In Class
  • Students may also get a chance to engage in the “Hour of Code” during class, in which their teacher will set aside an hour for the entire class to engage in coding activities.  

After completing one (or more!) of these activities, students can choose to continue their passion for coding using these resources. These include online programming classes to program popular video games, making web pages and programming robots and devices. 

Minnetonka Schools has a unique K-12 coding program called Tonka Codes. It gives students who aspire to learn more and possibly find a career in computer coding the chance to work on advanced coding skills. To learn more about Tonka Codes, visit: https://www.minnetonkaschools.org/academics/specialty-programs/tonka-codes