Unlock Creativity and Coding Skills with Hour of Code and Strawbees: Make the Invisible Visible!

In recent years, the Hour of Code has transformed how we think about digital skills and STEM education, especially for young learners. This global initiative aims to make coding accessible, fun, and empowering for all students, whether they’re first-timers or budding programmers.

For educators, the Hour of Code is an exciting opportunity to introduce students to coding, creativity, and problem-solving with just an hour-long activity. And if you’re looking for an innovative way to take your Hour of Code session to the next level, integrating Strawbees into the lesson could be just what you need!

What is the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code provides a one-hour introduction to coding and computer science designed for all ages. The current theme, "Make the Invisible Visible," invites students to explore how coding brings abstract concepts to life, transforming lines of code into dynamic, visible creations. This initiative showcases that coding is for everyone and can unlock endless creative possibilities.

Whether you’re introducing young students to basic programming concepts or engaging older ones with robotics, Hour of Code activities are designed to encourage curiosity, confidence, and excitement about coding, making what’s “invisible” – like code – come to life in tangible ways - like Strawbees!

Why Choose Strawbees for Your Hour of Code?

Strawbees is more than just a STEAM education tool, it’s a platform for hands-on learning and creativity. With Strawbees kits, students can build physical models that come to life through simple coding. Strawbees’ compatibility with platforms like micro:bit makes it easy for students to see their code in action as they create interactive structures and robotic models. This year’s theme, "Make the Invisible Visible," aligns perfectly with Strawbees, as it helps students turn invisible code into a visible, moving creation they can interact with and control.

Key Benefits of Using Strawbees for your Hour of Code Session

1. Hands-On Learning: Strawbees allows students to see the immediate results of their code in physical form, bridging the gap between digital and tactile learning.

2. Encouraging Creative Innovation: Students can design anything they imagine, from robotic animals to moving sculptures, encouraging them to think critically and inventively. They cannot fail, only learn!

3. Building Confidence and Problem-Solving Skills: By experimenting with different designs and code, students develop resilience and learn to troubleshoot, building confidence in their ability to solve complex challenges.

4. Ideal Coding for Kids: Strawbees makes coding accessible for younger students with simple-to-understand projects that inspire a love for STEM and STEAM, utilising the easy to use MakeCode editor.

Lesson Plan Highlight: Getting Started with Strawbees and micro:bit

If you’re new to using Strawbees for coding, here’s a simple yet impactful lesson plan you can use for your Hour of Code, direct from Strawbees' free online resource hub - Strawbees Classroom. 

This activity will have students coding with micro:bit to control their own Strawbees creation!

Example Activity: Engage with a Responsive Friendbot

Objective: Introduce students to the basics of coding, robotics, and physical computing through a hands-on project that makes the “invisible” logic of code “visible” through a moving, interactive robot.

1. Build Your Robot: Using Strawbees connectors and straws, guide students in building a simple robot frame. They can create anything from a basic crawler to a waving robot arm. Encourage them to think creatively or simply follow this lesson plan.

2. Connect the micro:bit: Attach a micro:bit to the robot. The micro:bit will be the “brain” of the creation, controlling its movements.

3. Write the Code: Have students log into Microsoft MakeCode for micro:bit, a free, beginner-friendly coding platform. Guide them through coding simple commands to control the robot’s movements.

4. Test and Tweak: Let students test their code and see their robot come to life. They can make adjustments to the design and code to explore how changes impact the movement.

This activity incorporates cross-curricular learning, combining elements of engineering, coding, and even art, as students personalize their robots. It’s ideal for coding for kids and brings excitement to your Hour of Code, turning abstract code into visible, interactive fun away from a screen.

Tips for Teachers: Making the Most of Your Hour of Code with Strawbees

• Prepare with Pre-Built Examples: Kickstart the session by showing a pre-built Strawbees Responsive Friendbot with some basic movements. This gives students a clear idea of what they’ll be creating and gives educators peace of mind when teaching students.

• Encourage Exploration: Let students experiment with different code blocks and design ideas, reinforcing that there’s no “one right way” to build or code their project.

• Celebrate Successes (and Failures!): Emphasize that each test and iteration brings them closer to a working project. Encouraging resilience is a big part of the Hour of Code and coding in general.

Ready to Try Strawbees for Your Hour of Code?

Strawbees offers the perfect combination of hands-on building, coding for kids, and creative learning that transforms the Hour of Code into an unforgettable experience. 

By engaging students in building physical models that respond to code, you start to see confidence, collaboration, and critical thinking come to life, skills that will serve learners well in future STEAM activities and develop 21st-century skills that are lacking in today's workforce.

If you’re ready to bring creativity and excitement to your Hour of Code, Strawbees is the ideal tool to make coding accessible, engaging, and fun for your students. 

Give it a try, and watch as your classroom comes alive with coding innovation!

Here are just a few of the many lessons available on Strawbees Classroom that are ideal for Hour of Code Sessions:

Engage with a Responsive FriendBot

Engage with a Responsive FriendBot

Have a conversation with a friend!

Construct a Drawbridge

Construct a Drawbridge

Make a shifting bridge for boats to cross under safely.

Ask the Magic 8-Ball

Ask the Magic 8-Ball

Program a variety of responses when asking about your future.

Make a Light Sensing Plant

Make a Light Sensing Plant

Create an animated potted plant responding to light.