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Coding MasterClass for kids: Cats, Robots, and Pythons!

Name: Coding MasterClass for kids: Cats, Robots, and Pythons!
Rating: 4.4 (162 reviews)

We learn TONS of stuff and have fun while doing it : using Scratch 3.0, PLUS Robotics PLUS Python, and **LOTS** more

Created byHofmeyr de Vos

Last updated 9/2023

English

What you'll learn

Coding for complete beginners on multiple platforms
Learn that important stuff like math and geometry can be fun!
Learn to think in a very specificity, problem solving way that applies to not only coding, but every walk of life
Apply important coding concepts in both SCRATCH and Python. (How awesome is that !?)

Course content

12 sections • 158 lectures • 25h 53m total length

Introduction. What will you be learning in this course?5:43
Creating a perfect learning environment.7:45
What, How, and Whhhhyyyyyyy ? Brief overview of curriculum.10:13
Requirements for this course2:36
Foster an inquisitive mind and use a computer with reliable internet to access free coding platforms like Python and Scratch, wear comfortable headphones, and create an environment conducive to learning.
Why all these videos?1:41
** SURPRISE** How to get a course certificate.2:13
Get a Udemy certificate that looks pretty standard PLUS an Apparatus certificate that displays all of the outcomes covered in this course. As soon as you are done, send an email to .... with the student name that completed the course and we will send you a digital certificate that you can print out and proudly hang on your wall.
How the Questions and Answers(Q&A) section works3:40
a Message for the grownups : should kids learn to code?7:57
Explore whether kids should learn to code in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, AI, IoT, and big data, and why coding to learn matters for today.
Another resource for grownups : digitally SMART children7:15
Educate guardians to keep children safe online by teaching digital safety and smart literacy, guiding them from digital consumers to proactive digital producers in a connected world.

Setting up a Scratch account7:10
We create a username and password for our intrepid coders, and use Google to find Scratch on the internet
The drag ...how to operate a mouse in Scratch5:06
What do you do with an itchy face ---You Scratch it !11:55
Our first look at Scratch, and we learn what the computer science word "Interface" mean. We learn about the different parts of scratch, mainly blocks, sprites, stages, and scripts.
Our first code ! (You are obviously a genius)14:57
Chocolate cake, GoogleFu and Algorithms7:23
We look at the computer science word "Algorithm", and use Google to look up the meaning of the word. We look at the ingredients and instructions for our recipe : the coding that we have done so far and lastly learn what the word "Resource" mean in computer science terms .
Hey, were did my code go ?2:53
In this lesson we see how to load your previous code, and learn that saving your work regularly is also a good programming practice
a Notebook....... For taking notes silly !2:22
It's important that the learners get used to the idea of using a workbook to write their coding projects and solutions in, to wire their brains to a Computational Thinking way of solving problems. We look at an example of the workbook I use. (A fancy term for this workbook is a design journal. )
Uh Oh ... We are thinking about chocolate cake again14:18
We introduce the term "algorithmic thinking" to our brave and intrepid coders and explain the why and how behind this complex idea using simple terms and clear examples. We also use our notebooks for the first time to break down a problem into smaller steps ( the very heart of algorithmic thinking) using "natural language"
Our first assignment. (Like homework, but FUN !)1:38
The difference between homework and our assignments is …..our assignments are fun !
Solution for our first assignment ( Did you have fun ? Well did ya ?)13:10

Even more blocks to play with. Yaaay !17:33
We play with sounds and events, and have our first look at the computer science concept "parallel computing"
Solution for above quick assignment on parallel computing4:42
This is a possible solution for the quick challenge set in the previous lesson
Let's make our code look super cool13:08
Backdrops ! Backdrops ! Get your backdrops while they are still warm !
Don't lose focus !8:36
We see how Scratch handles focus, and how to manipulate multiple sprites with parallel computing practices
An open ended, totally awesome assignment5:01
Solution for the totaly awesome assignment10:25
You have to eat your variables. Uhh, I mean vegetables.7:01
Move cat move ! an Assignment on Variables1:47
Solution for variables assignment ( Move cat move !)4:26
Solution for the moving cat, and a quick look at the terms "clockwise "and anticlockwise"
The power of Scratch : sharing is caring11:19
So what on earth is Computational Thinking ?10:10

Scratch on the move again….(he is definitely not a lazy cat)16:38
Scratch the cat is on the move, but this time we are using basic geometry to do so.
Assignment for "Scratch on the move"3:58
We use the geometric principles we learned about in the previous lesson to make Scratch move about, and we learn how to retrieve previous code we worked on.
Solution for "Scratch on the move"9:14
CopyCat !7:10
a Quick look a management of files, including copying files, and starting a new project. We use a mistake I made in the previous lesson to cement the ideas behind file management and saving your work without losing anything.
Go to Mouse Pointer : Of mice and cats3:58
We look at the "go to mouse pointer" block and learn more about game mechanics and an example of an event in the process .
Challenge : The flying bat4:00
Our tireless Batty flies from corner to corner, making sounds and doing all sorts of whatever a bat does.
Solution : The flying bat20:11
Learn to program a bat sprite to glide to four corners from the center using x and y coordinates, count corners, play chirping and owl sounds, and save the project.
What a random thing to say!3:47
We look at the term "random" and learn how this apply in Scratch and computer science
Hardware, Inputs and outputs (Computer sciency stuff)8:13

Introduction to animation and loops and an assignment with "Flappy the Bat"18:41
We animate Scratch the Cat, and you get to build your own animation.
Solution for "Flappy the Bat" assignment.7:54
Learn to animate Flappy the bat with parallel computing, two scripts, a forever loop, and green flag events.
Another Loopy Lecture12:35
Scratch the running bouncing happy cat11:06
We make an animated Scratch the Cat bounce all over the place, look at degrees quickly AND you get another AWESOME batty challenge to play with.
Solution for bat BOUNCING challenge10:23
a Possible solution for bouncing a silly bat around the screen. If yours look different then that's fine too ! We look at the Computational thinking term "Pattern Recognition" and use a very simple example of this to further cement the idea.
Garbage in .....Garbage out3:50

What BatShooter 9000 will look like when we are done1:55
Batshooter 9000 : Step 1 , Planning the game2:58
Batshooter 9000 : Step 2 , Building the scene and designing resources21:11
We start by using one of our previous codes as a base to build the rest of the game on, look at adding comments to our code blocks (good programming practices for the win!) , build a completely new sprite with multiple costumes from start to finish , and lock our new sprite onto our mouse cursor as an aiming device. ( Phew ! What a mouthful !)
Batshooter 9000 : Step 3 , I'm sensing there may be a bug in my mouth. EEUUW !!23:34
We look at the concepts behind sensing and bug fixes, and how to properly test your scripts by adding temporary code to your program. Also an in depth look at "IF " statements .
Batshooter 9000 : Step 4 , Pew ! Pew ! Pew !8:28
We add shooting effects to our game. Poor bats …..
Batshooter 9000 : Step 5 : No IFs or BUT's. Only ANDs And ANDs pesky Booleans19:13
In this lesson we learn about nested IF statements, and also look at the three main types of variables : Letters, Numbers, and Boolean (True/False) .
Batshooter 9000 : Do this count ? Adding a counter9:44

We ad a score counter for every time a bat is hit, create new variables, and use these new variables in our game.
Batshooter 9000 Challenge : Ad a counter for each Bat1:10
Solution for " ad a counter for each Bat"7:06
a Possible solution for our "Score for each bat" challenge.
Batshooter 9000 Challenge : Add a total for all the scores ** DIFFICULT !!**3:13
Solution for the " add a total score" challenge. This is a difficult one !15:13
Not only do we build a solution for the challenge, but we also uncover a bug in our game AND we fix the bug.
Batshooter 9000 : 'Tis but a Scratch : adding a costume when shot7:21
We change the costume of a very important sprite, and look at the importance of naming your costumes something meaningful to know exactly what each costume does
Batshooter 9000 : Ask what the score should be: Getting user input using Scratch13:02
We ask for user input, join two variables together, and learn about the computer science term ConCATenation . (And it has a CAT in it so how bad can it be ?)
Batshooter 9000 : Game over PART 124:07
We start adding events for a "Game Over " scenario, and look at the super cool function in Scratch called a broadcast , and use this to fix a very subtle bug in our game.
Batshooter 9000 : Game over PART 221:34
We ad a "Game Over" Sprite to our game, re-use a bunch of code, fix another pesky bug or two, aaaannnddd record our own sound to signify a game over ...
Batshooter 9000 : Adding a Start Game Button16:18
Not only do we ad a start button to the game, but also lots and lots of coding, hiding sprites, adding broadcasts , and tons of stuff to make the game more playable .
BS9000 CHALLENGE : each score counts down independently. Hide when dead3:09
Solution for each score counts down independently. Hide when dead18:31
** Bonus challenge** Balloon example3:35
** Bonus challenge** SOLUTION12:52
**ANOTHER** Bonus : Random breaths (Random revisited)12:34
We have a close look at the Random function in Scratch, and apply it to our balloon popping code
BONUS lecture : The backpack7:56

Working with numbers in Scratch5:22
Sprite clicked for assigning a value5:16
Click on a Sprite to do a calculation... and a mini CHALLENGE !!12:51
Create a working calculator in Scratch by assigning numbers to variables with sprites, implementing an equals sign, adding values, and broadcasting the answer from Scratch the cat.
Solution for mini challenge : add extra sprites to above lesson13:14
first sorta calculator PART 114:06
Explore computational thinking by decomposing a Scratch calculator project into displays, variables, and buttons, then design a multi-display calculator with a plus operation and clear functionality.
first sorta calculator PART 214:41
first sorta calculator PART 39:53
**BONUS** lecture : orders of operation17:00
We added this bonus lecture in order for you to successfully complete the next challenge
Another **BONUS** lecture how to apply orders of operation in SCRATCH15:46
Challenge ! Using our sorta calculator, built a better calculator3:42
Solution for the better calculator PART 118:03
Learn to design a complete working calculator with three displays and an answer display, wiring number buttons 0-9, handling display updates, and using broadcast messages to sync displays.
Solution for the better calculator PART 213:44
Develop a calculator by implementing digits 0–9, four operators, and display of results, while applying the order of operations with parentheses to compute correct results.
Solution for the better calculator PART 310:09
Design and program a working calculator in a kids' project, implementing division, multiplication, rounding, and checks for whole numbers, with sprites, costumes, displays, and operators.
The better calculator becomes better : add a square of the answer CHALLENGE1:29
We ad exponents to the mix : a short lesson on what "Squaring" means and applying it to our calculator.
Better calculator squared SOLUTION12:20
Not only do we look at the solution for our challenge, but we also have a look at what exactly "Squaring"means, and how it can be applied to the real world
Add a square root to your calculator (opposite of square) CHALLENGE1:00
Solution for the square root challenge11:14
We look at a solution for the square root challenge, and have a mini lecture on what a square root is exactly.
Calculate your age in years CHALLENGE0:51
Launch a new scratch project that asks for your birth year at start and automatically calculates your age in years using a sensing block.
Calculate your age in years SOLUTION ( and a bonus challenge !!)9:18
The SUM game : CHALLENGE3:44
The SUM game : SOLUTION Part 114:48
The SUM game : SOLUTION Part 220:18
The SUM game : SOLUTION Part 315:24
The SUM game : SOLUTION Part 417:59
**BONUS** lecture : More fun with numbers using MOD29:56
We look at the "MOD" block, and test variables for divisibility, whole numbers, and odd/even numbers, and add comments to all our code

Review : Making characters move using the arrow keys6:14
Build a zombie hunter game in Scratch and program a sprite to move with the arrow keys using sensing blocks, motion commands, and a forever loop.
Revenge of the clones : Cloning a Sprite4:41
Loading new sprites and costumes5:44
How to make a sprite shoot projectiles12:29
Making the bullets go in the right direction5:58
Move the hand, shoot in the correct direction by syncing bullets to the hunter pistol, and control rapid fire with a timed delay.
Hitting a target4:17
Animating, Spawning and killing the zombies14:16
Super challenge: add stuff! Cool stuff! Awesome stuff!3:59
Solution for our first ZombieHunter challenge PART 125:48
Solution for our first ZombieHunter challenge PART 215:25
Solution for our first ZombieHunter challenge PART 323:28
Solution for our first ZombieHunter challenge PART 411:56
CHALLENGE ! Add new guns to the game4:06
Solution for Add new guns to the game challenge PART 120:43
Learn to swap gun costumes with number keys, assign sounds and fire rates using variables, and synchronize loaded gun with Scratch-style scripting for pistol, rifle, and shotgun.
Solution for Add new guns to the game challenge PART 226:15
Solution for Add new guns to the game challenge PART 39:54
Add thorough comments to all scripts to explain firing, moving, and gun switching, adjust variables, ensure the game starts with the pistol, test progress, and complete the challenge.
Using the RANDOM function, add a strong zombie that gives you more ammo14:38
How to add stages to Zombiehunter22:17
Tweaking the guns9:10
Bugs !12:37
Fix bugs in the zombie hunter game by adding an all-time high score alongside per-game scores, resetting on restart, and enable edge bounce to keep the hunter on screen.

Why Python ?5:08
Installing Python on your computer6:18
Install Python on your computer from the official Python website, then launch IDLE—the integrated development and learning environment—to start coding locally on Windows.
Hello World ! (Yes, we went there)9:53
Coding multiple lines in IDLE6:09
Drawing half a pyramid.10:37
Open a new Python file in your IDE, save as half_pyramid.py, and run the script to draw a half pyramid using print statements and quotation marks.
CHALLENGE ! Draw a COMPLETE pyramid1:11
Solution for drawing a complete pyramid challenge4:51
Variables and data types in Python20:12
Working with Strings PART 1 , Operators11:25
Working with Strings PART 2 , the Escape Character6:35
Working with Strings PART 3 , Functions : Length of a String5:02
Working with Strings PART 4 , More Functions to play with6:21
Working with Strings PART 5 , Indexing6:57
Working with Strings PART 6 , The Index function4:38
Working with Strings PART 7 , the Replace function4:28
a Quick overview of working with strings in Python4:46
Explore strings in Python by reviewing concatenation and escape characters, and practice key methods like length, lower, upper, islower, isupper, plus indexing, in, replace, and the index function.
CHALLENGE ! Working with Strings in Python3:49
Solution for Working with Strings challenge38:07
Working with numbers PART 116:38
We look at types of numbers and common operators used in Python
Working with numbers PART 27:40
PEMDAS : Order of operations in Python
Working with numbers PART 33:37
We have a closer look at the MOD operator
Working with numbers PART 47:55
How to convert numbers to strings ( and strings to numbers)
Working with numbers PART 54:58
We look at three functions in this lesson : pow() , max() , and min()
Working with numbers PART 64:38
The round() function in Python
Working with numbers PART 74:48
a Quick overview of working with numbers in Python3:04
Explore working with numbers in Python, including integers, decimals, and negatives; use variables, operators, order of operations, modulus, square root, and functions like max, min, round, power.
Challenge : Working with Numbers in Python1:49
Practice working with numbers in Python by applying orders of operations, the modulo operator, string conversion, and using functions like power, max, min, round, and square root.
Solution : Working with Numbers in Python19:26
Getting input from people using your code (also known as "users"8:46
Learn how to collect user input in Scratch and Python, assign responses to variables, and display personalized messages using input and print functions.
Calculate your age : another example of using input from a user7:52
Building a (basic!!) calculator6:58
Build a very basic calculator in Python by getting two user inputs, converting them to numbers, and handling integers and floats to avoid string concatenation.
a User Input CHALLENGE1:41
User Input SOLUTION2:39
Learn to handle multiple user inputs in Python, including six variables for numbers and a name. Fix syntax errors, perform a multiplication calculation, and display the result.

Requirements

An inquisitive mind
a Computer or Laptop with decent internet access to access all the free coding platforms to unleash that inquisitive mind
Comfortable headphones to get the most out of your course is strongly recommended
an Environment conducive to learning (we cover what we think this may look like in one of the first videos
Nothing else ! Your computer and a mind primed for learning is all you need to make a success of this

Description

Coding for kids

** Welcome to the most comprehensive and in depth course of its kind on Udemy !! **

So what makes this course different from the tons of courses out there? Simple answer: EVERYTHING!

This course is so much more than merely teaching kids how to code.

But first a very important aspect :

Those under 18 may use the services only if a parent or guardian opens their account, handles any enrollments, and manages their account usage. We love it that young ones want to learn, and that parents or guardians allow for this, but is extremely important to us that all of this is done with your child's safety in mind.

This is why we've added a short video to this course about the safety of our kids while online. Please take the information contained in it to heart and apply it to your child's time online.

To facilitate this it is important to know that the course is intended for PURCHASE by adults, and that account usage must be under full-time management by a parent or guardian. We've also added Academy's terms of usage on this matter to the end of this page.

OK, so back to the fun stuff !

Sure, kids, young adults, and anybody interested will learn to code with this course, yes, but as you will discover this is the mere tip of the iceberg. For one, we teach this course using the principles behind the term Computational Thinking, effectively preparing our students for the brave new world that lies beyond the much talked about Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). What this boils down to is that we use Scratch 3.0 as a tool for bigger and bolder things.

We instill the very essence of complex ideas like Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction and the all-important Algorithm Design without our students even realizing that they are using these principles. (They just think they are having fun !)

We look at basic Algebra, Trigonometry, and yes, even Robotics, all the while encouraging and focusing on critical 21st century Life, Literacy and Learning Skills. Skills like Creativity, Collaboration and Initiative are encouraged during this course as we cycle through easy to understand small bits of information. (And YES, we even build a robot together, using the skills learned during the course!)

After we are done with code-based programming (using Scratch 3.0 ) we move over to the incredibly popular, incredibly powerful Python, and teach our students the basics using the same principles as we utilized up to this point, linking the two coding platforms as not to overwhelm our budding student coders. (FUN being one of these principles)

You see, we believe, very much like Mitch Resnick, director of the MIT Media Lab, that people should not be merely learning to code, but instead coding to learn, and when people learn to code in the right way, they learn important strategies for solving problems, designing projects, and communicating ideas.

This is but a glimpse of an absolutely MASSIVE course, not only in terms of content and variety of topics, but also in terms of the critical skills that we all , but especially our young ones will need to possess in order to be relevant in this modern environment where concepts like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and the Internet of Things are fast becoming commonplace.

This , for us as the course creators and educators, Is the true essence of what a "Masterclass "needs to be : not a course that attempts to cram as much (or as little) information as what is deemed to be required into brains, but rather a course where a student walks away with a true understanding of not only the technical aspects of the subject matter, but the reasoning behind the methodology. We have found, time and time again, that this way of doing things result in a student that can apply what he or she have learned to whatever the need may be, and carry these skills with them for the rest of their lives.

This, however, is not all! For your hard-earned money you also get :

Lifetime access to this course
Constant updates and additions to course materials
a Very responsive instructor (that loooves what he does)
Quizzes formulated to ask the right questions, testing knowledge in a very specific way, not just "fillers "to make a course seem longer and devoid of substance.
Challenges that challenge the right skills at the right time, with step by step walkthroughs of solutions.
A Certificate of Completion

So what makes this course different you ask? E-VE-RY-THING !!

PS : We also have a huge bonus for those students that successfully finish this course : a Certificate !

We will send you a digital certificate detailing all of the outcomes of this course, apart form the standard Udemy completion certificate, absolutely free of charge. How awesome is this !

-------------

VERY IMPORTANT

** It is very important for us that our young ones remain safe while online, and as such we adhere to Udemy's Terms of Use , especially regarding young people using this facility. Please read the terms of service below very carefully **

Terms of Use

Udemy’s mission is to improve lives through learning. We enable anyone anywhere to create and share educational courses (instructors) and to enroll in these educational courses to learn (students). We consider our marketplace model the best way to offer valuable educational content to our users. We need rules to keep our platform and services safe for you, us and our student and instructor community. These Terms apply to all your activities on the Udemy website, the Udemy mobile applications, our TV applications, our APIs and other related services (“Services”).

Students and instructors must be at least 18 years of age to create an account on Udemy and use the Services. If you are younger than 18 but above the required age for consent to use online services where you live (for example, 13 in the US or 16 in Ireland), you may not set up an account, but we encourage you to invite a parent or guardian to open an account and help you enroll in courses that are appropriate for you. If you are below this age of consent to use online services, you may not create a Udemy account. If we discover that you have created an account that violates these rules, we will terminate your account. Under our Instructor Terms, you may be requested to verify your identity before you are authorized to submit a course for publication on Udemy.

Who this course is for:

Kids from 7 to 70 will absolutely benefit from this amazingly put together course

Coding MasterClass for kids: Cats, Robots, and Pythons!

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction9 lectures • 49min

Scratch : Let the coding begin!10 lectures • 1hr 21min

More coding than you can shake a stick at11 lectures • 1hr 34min

Making your characters move around using geometry9 lectures • 1hr 17min

Animation ! Because walking the walk and talking the talk is the cat thing to do6 lectures • 1hr 4min

BatShooter 9000 : Our very first fully playable shooter game !22 lectures • 4hr 15min

Basic Algebra using scratch25 lectures • 4hr 52min

PEW ! PEW ! PEW ! Intro to Object Orientated Programming (OOP)20 lectures • 4hr 14min

Enter the Python : here be cats, and snakes.33 lectures • 4hr 19min

We are going turtling ! (with python of course)7 lectures • 1hr 10min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: