Teach

Explore the various teaching lessons and resources developed for common CS platforms.

  • Blue background with video game block floor, clouds and bushes on each side. In the center are blocks of code with an on start event and nested within it is a set sprite block named my sprite with an image of a donut followed by a my sprite say play for all block.

    Play for All: Teaching Accessible Game Design with MakeCode Arcade

    Zero Day Camp is seeking feedback on its draft curriculum, “Play for All,” a four-lesson computer science unit for grades 4-6. Students learn computational thinking by modifying a game called Catch It! to enhance accessibility. The curriculum includes lesson plans, multilingual vocabulary, and resources, aimed at diverse learners. Feedback is welcome.

  • screenshot of makecode arcade editor with keyboard illustration overlayed

    Makecode Arcade Keyboard Accessibility

    Blockly has been hard at work over the past year or so working to improve accessibility. It’s latest version, V13, now supports both screen readers and full keyboard accessibility. One of our favorite tools, Makecode Arcade, has added the keyboard functionality allowing users who cannot access a mouse or struggle with cursor controls to use…

  • screenshot of block based coding puzzle to move a character across a path.

    Volunteers Needed: Accessible CS Curriculum Testers

    Are you passionate about inclusive education and eager to make a difference? We’re looking for volunteers and caregivers to join a project that empowers students with physical disabilities to explore the world of computer science! Project Overview: The NYC Metro Chapter of Makers Making Change and Kirsty McNaught are looking for families, educators, disability professionals…

  • young student seated in a wheelchair in a classroom smiling. He has an assistive switch located near his cheek and on the table in front of him is an xbox adaptive controller connected to a monitor displaying a video game.

    Leveling Up Accessibility: The Power of Custom Game Design for Switch Users

    In the world of special education and disability services, we often talk about “access.” But access isn’t just about being in the room; it’s about having the agency to change what happens in that room. For individuals with limited mobility, adaptive gaming is one of the most joyful and effective ways to build that agency.…

  • Screenshot of the Microbit makecode editor highlighting the simulator, toobox, and workspace with block of code

    Simplify the MakeCode Editor

    The MakeCode integrated development environment (IDE) created by Microsoft is a great platform for learning computer science starting with beginner friendly block based coding and transitioning to language based programming. It is web based and open sourced, lowering the entry bar. Many flavors of MakeCode exist depending on your teaching objectives these include: The IDE…

  • Screenshot of a web based communication grid showing logic buttons and a message window with a phrase for if button A pressed play melody daddum to correspond with Microbit code blocks.

    Giving Your Students Accessible CS Alternative Communication for Collaboration

    Computer science education is critical in supporting students’ understanding of the world around them and helps develop skills beyond “coding”. It serves as a foundational pillar that equips learners with essential problem-solving abilities, logical reasoning, and computational thinking, all of which are vital in our increasingly technology-driven society. It is critical that we ensure as…