Unplugged to Plugged: An Introduction to Coding for Elementary School Children

Abstract

This course introduced 4th and 5th graders to coding concepts like sequencing, loops, and decomposition through an unplugged-to-plugged learning sequence. Over four after-school learning sessions, students explored programming first through their bodies (i.e., unplugged), then in the block-based programming environment, Scratch (i.e., plugged). The goal was for learners to transition from concrete forms of programming to an abstract understanding needed for block-based programming. To achieve this goal, the plugged activities were intentionally designed around the concept of concreteness fading, where the unplugged programming challenge mirrored the plugged Scratch environment, allowing students to move from a concrete to more abstract understanding of computer science. The activities in the course drew from ready-to-use materials for computer science education (e.g., Code.org) as well as free, block-based coding websites (e.g., Scratch)