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Welcome to the CodeClubSessions wiki!

Notes:

not using accounts on Scratch site, as school is not comfortable with that - instead will save work to the children's network drive. If there are issues with that, we have a few USB sticks as a last resort. However Scratch will still be used on the website -not the local/offline version.
seems to be quite a variety of skill levels, so perhaps later consider splitting the children into several groups, so each can work on 'appropriate' level lessons. And/or perhaps get the advanced ones to help the ones still working through the project. They could also prepare to demonstrate it - eg copy to usb, put onto whiteboard PC - explain the results and what was easy/hard to do.
also consider giving them 'tinker time' to 'try things out'
if child has completed the project, then recruit them as a helper for the whole session
consider stopping halfway through to share whats been done so far, things learned, tips etc.

Per session prep work:

setup classroom - desks, laptops on desks, started/logged in, turn on whiteboard, getting what we want onscreen. The children should help.
have current and next lesson or two printed, ready to use
have all lesson resources on volunteer USB sticks, so that we can copy to student machines/USB sticks, as needed (at lesson start, perhaps)
work will get lost. If following along with the class, may need to help them catchup. If working individually, probably good practice for them to redo it
after each session, one of the attendees to send email to everyone involved (use the mailing list) with updates on progress, things needs for next time, etc. - e.g. complete lesson 2, need to bring set of lesson 3 for everyone.

First Session

(assumption is that it will go slower, much more guided than the rest)

Have the webpage on screen for first lesson (Rock Band) - includes the demo of the finished project and the teacher notes (if needed)
Intro – introduce us, names, goal of the following weeks – to teach them how to write computer games, things like our own computerised rock band!

* Who has a computer at home?
* Who likes computer games?
* What’s your favourite game?
* Does anyone know what coding is?
* Explain that coding is telling the computer what to do.
* Explain that they’ll be using Scratch then moving on to harder languages

Demo of first goal – Rock Band lesson - make some noise, bang the drum!
Get the children logged in – into PC, into Scratch – just go to http://scratch.mit.edu and click on the top “Create” link.
Walk through the basics of the Scratch interface - backdrop, sprites, scripts, costumes, anything else? Show them the Scratch Cards, which give tips for doing various things. ?? Consider using some of the Pluralsight Scratch course to introduce basics??
Walk through the first few pages of Rock Band session – do it page by page , show them , then get them to do it (and repeat) – aim to keep everyone at same stage. Kids who complete things quickly should help those who don't, as well as the volunteers.
5 mins before the end, get everyone to save their work (to their network drive). Should have been doing this along the way.
Wrap up – feedback, what did they like/dislike, "everyone worked hard", will complete this next lesson (if not completed). Maybe demo the next project now, as a taster?
NOTE: Its unlikely that they will complete the first lesson. So probably that's to be done in the next session, probably working individually.

## Subsequent Sessions

Intro – who we are, what we are going to do today (optional - usually they just dive into things before we arrive)
Children work on the lesson themselves, with our (and each others) help as needed (not as guided as first session) (- but then maybe we should? Might help ensure all complete a minimum level.)
Our aim is for all children to be at roughly the same stage in the lesson, to progress a minimum amount. Some will be more advanced than others, in which case direct them to the "challenge" parts of the session. And/or get them to help the others...
Wrap-up – "show and tell" - demonstrate one or two projects that were worked on (ideally by the child themselves), feedback, what’s in next session

Alternative formats

CodeClubDay - several sessions in one day with different classes, like a taster for Code Club

Admin

Student account on Scratch website: our school is not keen on this – kids to save work offline, to their network drive. You can use Scratch without an account. Questions: How can they look at stuff at home - Email themselves...?
Tracking progress: Last year we kept a register of who had attended and who had done what. Some of the children seemed to be vaguely keen on getting things "ticked"
Flash cards for Scratch – there are several one page sheets available covering specific tasks in Scratch – we have laminated a few of each of these - should be at the school. http://scratch.mit.edu/help/cards/
Lesson plans – print out enough for one per child, print some for several sessions in advance, just in case some are real keen, have done it at home etc. Probably better to print out some of the 'extra'/later sessions for advanced kids who completed lessons already - so they can do those and still follow along for lessons they have not done before. Can also view these online, if needed. Note, you will need the Code Club id/pin code to access these.
Order of sessions, as per 2015-16 CodeClub/Scratch projects guide: 1) Rock Band 2) Lost in Space 3) Ghostbusters 4) ChatBot 5) Paint Box 6) Boat Race
Need to identify/print the extra/advanced lessons so they are handy.
Keywords – there are several keywords used in the Scratch environment – stage, script, sprite, costume, etc. Would be good to have a little guide/screenshot highlighting what is what.
the classroom whiteboard/monitor works ok with scratch – via the school laptop.
Prefer to use Google Chrome browser, need to check with school .

Rules

None given out/nor told the kids, that would just tempt them to break them!
Suggestion is to perhaps have some ‘unwritten’ rules – if they overstep the mark, then say its not allowed. For example, no commenting on shared projects, no ‘remixing’