North Country Education Services

Keynote: Jennifer Wang, Ph.D. Computer Science Education Outreach Program Manager at Google  
 
At Google, Jennifer works to advance research and opportunities in CS education. Her background is in teaching, developing, and researching engineering and CS activities and the impacts of open-ended tinkering activities on STEM/CS learning. She obtained her Ph.D. in the Graduate Group in Science and Mathematics Education (focusing on Engineering Education), B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.

Break-out Workshop Choices:

A. PLTW Launch
Presenter: Bethany Taylor, Mill Brook School, Concord School District, Elementary Technology Integrator
Even our youngest learners can be computer scientists! Come see how Project Lead the Way LAUNCH gives elementary students the opportunity to problem solve, think critically, and fail forward in both virtual and unplugged programming environments. This workshop will be hands-on, so devices are welcome!
User level: Participants will be actively involved in both device-based and unplugged computer science activities at the elementary level.
Intended audience: PK-5
Participants should bring: If you have an iPad, we suggest downloading these free apps in order to participate in the workshop: Tynker, Hopscotch, and ScratchJr.

B. KIBO Robotics - Programming in the Early Childhood Classroom
Presenter: Beth Sommers, Extended Learning Coordinator at Greenland Central School
Learn how to use technology in a developmentally-appropriate and engaging way with 4-7 year-olds! The KIBO robot is based on over 15 years of research in learning technologies and child development at Tufts University, including testing with thousands of children.
User level: Beginners
Intended audience: Grades K-2
Participants should bring: Nothing needed

C. TECH (Tackling Elementary Coding Honestly)
Presenter: Jenna Buinicky, Technology Teacher, East Rochester and Chamberlain Street Schools
Coding is everywhere.  Our students often have a myriad of skills already cultivated and are hungry to develop more.  We will take a look at how to realistically include coding into our classrooms and what we can do to reach all of our learners.  We will be looking at iPad apps, and the use of Chromebooks to help our students progress.  We will explore hands-on activities that do not require devices that help increase student's understanding of coding.
User level: Beginner - No prerequisite skills needed
Intended audience: 1-5
Participants should bring: Please bring a device that can connect with Google Drive to this workshop.

D. Bitsbox
Presenter: Jennifer Corrigan, STEM Program Director, Gorham Middle High School
Bitsbox.com is a highly engaging learning tool that emphasizes a language arts model. By using their wacky, funny, and very creative programs (as short as 2 lines of code), kids learn to code by conversing and imitation. The bonus with this platform is that kids make very creative smart phone and tablet apps that can go right onto a teacher's phone or a student's tablet with a quick scan. It's almost magic.
User level: Beginner and up
Intended audience: Grades 1-6
Participants should bring: Laptop. Optional is for folks to bring their phone with a QR Code scanner on them.  Bitsbox recommends Mixerbox for iOS and Scan Inc. for Android (play store).

E. Scratch + Makey Makey + Play Doh = Differentiated Fun!
Presenter: Tammy Andrew, Computer Science Instructor, Milford High School and President, CSTA - NH Chapter
User level: Beginner and up
Intended audience: 4 - 12
Participants should bring: Laptop recommended (with USB connection if possible). Will work in small groups so not everyone needs a laptop.

F. Confident Coders
Presenter: Heather Drolet, NH Technology Integrator and 2017-2018 Christa McAuliffe Sabbatical Recipient
Heather will share her NH Kids Code initiative, which is a yearlong effort to engage New Hampshire's elementary children in critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration through coding and mobile app development. She will also share her Confident Coders program, an after-school or recess club curriculum that targets 3rd - 5th grade girls who are interested in learning more about coding. Participants will have a chance to develop a mobile app using Thunkable.
User level: Beginner and up
Intended audience: Grades 3-5
Participants should bring: A laptop/Chromebook and Android smartphone/tablet are recommended.

G. Teaching Mobile App Development in Middle Grades
Presenter: Michael Thompson, Tech Ed Teacher, Haverhill Cooperative Middle School
In this workshop Mike will discuss how he has been teaching Mobile App development to middle grade students using MIT App Inventor 2
User level: Any user, no prior knowledge necessary.
Intended audience: Grades 6-8
Participants should bring: Laptop

H. CoderZ Cloud-Based Curriculum
Presenter: Robert Clarke, Intelitek
Learn how to use CoderZ's online learning environment where students learn coding using virtual 3D robots.

User level: Beginner and up
Intended audience: Middle and high
Participants should bring: Laptop and please pre-register for a free trial account at gocoderz.com

I. Project Lead The Way, Computer Science Principles
Presenter: Ron Danault, White Mountains Regional High School, Computer Science Teacher
Learn how PLTW CS Principles helps students develop programming expertise through programs like App Inventor, Scratch, and Python.
User level: Intermediate
Intended audience: Grades 10-12
Participants should bring: Laptop

J. Using Python to Teach Mathematics and Science
Presenter: Norman Messa, Computer Science Educator, Seacoast School of Technology
Python is a powerful tool that consists of a high-level general purpose programming language that supports the object oriented programming paradigm. Python is also extensible by the use of external modules such as PyLab. PyLab actually consists of 3 other modules; NumPy, SciPy, and MatPlotLib. NumPy is the fundamental package for scientific computing with Python. It contains among other things: a powerful N-dimensional array object. SciPy is an open source Python library used for scientific computing and technical computing. MatPlotLib is a plotting library for the Python programming language and its numerical mathematics extension NumPy.
User level: Some coding experience helpful but not absolutely necessary
Intended audience: High school
Participants should bring: Nothing needed, laptops will be available.

K. Growing a Computer Science Program
Presenter: Raji Gupta, Computer Science Teachers, Windham High School
By the end of the workshop teachers will have built a specific, actionable plan to implement at their school.
Intended audience: High school
Participants should bring: Laptop

Agenda

8:00 - 8:30: Light breakfast and networking

8:30 - 8:35: Welcome and brief overview of the day, Lori Langlois

8:35 - 8:45:Opening remarks: NHDOE Commissioner Frank Edelblut

8:45 - 9:30: Keynote: Jennifer Wang, Ph.D.

9:40 - 12:10: Concurrent workshops

12:20 - 1:00: Lunch

1:00 - 1:20 What’s new with CS in NH and Next Steps: David Benedetto, NHDOE Office of STEM Education

1:20 - 2:10: “Flash talks” by each panel members moderated by David Benedetto

• Suzanne Snow, Project Lead the Way
• Karen Locke, Code.org representative
• Mihaela Sabin, Coordinator of the Computing Technology Program in the Division of Science and Technology at UNH Manchester
• Jennifer Wang, Google
• Aimee Rosate, TEALS Regional Manager for NYC

2:10 - 2:40 Breakout discussions with panel experts

2:40 - 2:45: Closing remarks

2:45 - 3:00: Door prizes

Learn more about CS4NH at CS4NH.org

This year's CS4NH summit is organized by:

and

with support from:

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an in partnership with