Hi there, thanks for checking out our fifth issue of {Kids: Code}! It’s hard to believe that it’s already May - there are many great things happening this month that we’re excited to share with you. We’ll give you some great resources to continue your coding journey while also beginning some review of important concepts you might have come across. If that sounds fun to you, read on!
As always, we are interested in growing {Kids: Code} and that’s done best by feedback. If you have any suggestions or questions about anything you’ve read, don’t be afraid to get in touch!
While exploring the world of computer programming you will definitely come across the word “function.” A function describes the specific job that a program is going to do, and because it’s so useful to know we decided to take some time in this issue to review what a function is in detail with our computer friend here.
There are three important parts of a function: an input, the instructions (you might see it called an algorithm in movies), and an output. The input is the information that you put into a program and the instructions are the rules telling the program what to do. When your function takes the input and follows the instructions, you’ll get the output.
If you look at the function that our computer friend is working on, we can use all the vocabulary we just talked about. We want a function that multiplies the number 10 by 5, so our input is going to be the number 10. Our instructions will then be code that tells the function how to multiply the number 10 by 5. At the end of all of this, we get our answer in the form of the output: the number 50.
Another way you can use functions is having it find the biggest number in an array.
Functions are one of the core pieces of programming: they provide repeatable logic, and you can build more complicated programs by separating your code into functions. Most languages support - Python (via `def`), and even Scratch (known as custom Blocks). Try them out!
Are there other names for functions I should look out for?
Yes, there actually are! It depends on the programming language you’re using, but sometimes functions will be called something else. For example, in Scratch “blocks” are the same thing as functions. You’ll also see functions called “procedures,” but you should know that they’re all same thing.
Every year, the Scratch Team dedicates May 12th as a special day: specifically, Scratch Day where people get to come together, build projects in Scratch, and share them with each other. This year, however, things are going a little differently. Instead of just one day, Scratch Team has decided to dedicate the entire month of May to Scratch and are calling it Scratch Month!
Each week focuses on a different theme, like what you can make out of the things in your recycling bin, or how you have fun when you’re really bored. It’s going to be a great way to practice your Scratch skills while participating in a global celebration! You can follow along by going to their homepage here or even get started by remixing this animation and sharing it.
We’re looking forward to seeing what everyone makes with Scratch this month!
Tynker is a popular app used by students of all ages as well as teachers and parents. They’ve opened up their resources for free due to COVID-19, so why not check it out? It gives you all you need to learn different programming languages and guides you to building apps, websites, and games. It even allows you to create mods for Minecraft if that’s something you’ve always wanted to do!
You can access Tynker from the browser, or you can also download them to your phone or tablet (Tynker Junior is available for both iPhone and iPad while Tynker: Coding is available for iPad and from the Play Store).
But that’s not all! We also have two books we want to share with you.
First one up is Kids Get Coding: Coding in the Real World by Heather Lyons. We’ve talked a lot about making apps, games, and other cool things on your computer, but that’s not the only place where coding can be found. This book helps to show just how important computer programming is and where you can find it, like at the grocery store or in your car! This book is a fun and illustrated exploration of the world around you with great explanations of how things like stoplights and trains work thanks to coding. (Ages 6-10)
Another book we’d like to give our spotlight to is Think In Code: An Introduction to Code, written by Marcus J. Carey. Carey’s book doesn’t focus on how to build in Scratch or Python like the ones we’ve shown you in the past. Instead, it is about making computer programming so much easier to think about altogether. It is a good resource for kids and for parents who are trying to help or teach their kids coding! (Ages 12+)
These books are available for paperback or Kindle if you can’t wait to get your hands on them!
This Issue's Vocabulary Word
Boolean
In coding, a boolean is a quick way to know if something is true or false. For instance, when writing a function, you might have something happen if a condition is true or false. They're a small but powerful tool for building programs.