Patricia Harris Ph.D. – författare

This detailed guide explores the historical development of algorithms and how they are used as a way of teaching computers to work through problems. Named for Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, modern algorithms and functions make programing more efficient. Algorithms are simplified for readers using words, flowcharts, and pseudo code to build a beginning understanding of algorithms and how they are used in our modern, computerized world. Young coders and STEM students are sure to strengthen their technical skills with an in-depth and fun exploration of this essential coding topic.

Simulations help people understand large, complex problems using smaller, simpler models. This book delves into the history and thinking behind simulations. Readers will learn about Georg Leopold von Reiswitz’s development of a Kriegsspiel for military training, and other major developments. This volume also gives examples of ways that simulations can be useful, and discusses data sources. A concluding simple simulation will round out the learning experience, and encourage readers to create their own simulation. Sidebars and photographs accompany the text to aid readers in their exploration of simulations.

When computer programming pioneer Admiral Grace Hopper discovered a moth causing problems in a mechanical computer, the term debugging was born. This book explores how fixing programming and hardware problems has developed into a critical process for computer programmers. The text includes case studies and examples of debugging tools. Readers are challenged to review a simple program with a problem, and to locate the bug. This provides young computer programmers the chance to see debugging skills in use. Photographs and sidebars help readers gain a solid comprehension of debugging skills and practices.

Do programmers think differently than non-programmers? How do programmers approach problems and create solutions? This book explores several attributes of thinking used by programmers. Important STEM concepts are incorporated into the text to give readers an understanding of how STEM fits into the everyday work of a programmer. Readers will enjoy a glimpse inside the minds of some of the most creative minds in the computer world. Photographs and sidebars add to engaging text to give readers a clear sense of what it takes to be a programmer. This book empowers young coders to think about problems differently, both in coding and in life.

Why is having a choice important when it comes to both life and coding? How can coders include choices for the user? This book explains the concept of conditionals and introduces readers to the If/Then/Else concept—a way to allow choices in computer programming. The book also explores several conditional statements from programming languages and talks about how we use conditional statements every day. Photographs and sidebars allow readers to deepen their understanding of the concept of conditionals.

Slavery is a sensitive topic in American history. This book provides resources and lesson plans for a week-long unit covering slavery, the Underground Railroad, and the abolition movement built around an award-winning board game. In Freedom: The Underground Railroad, students will take on the role of abolitionists helping slaves reach freedom in Canada. Background knowledge, primary source documents, and detailed lesson plans on teaching slavery and using the game provide full support for instruction. Customized Freedom mini-game scenarios designed by Brian Mayer and Christopher Harris. Game: Freedom: The Underground Railroad. Brian Mayer. Academy Games, 2013.

This book provides broad support for using games in middle and high school science classes including Earth science/living environment, biology, chemistry, and physics. The lesson plans and resources support a play-based approach to evolution, ecosystems, cellular organisms, elements and compounds, and vector motion. Though easy to learn, the included games provide detailed scientific accuracy allowing complex simulations and immersive learning experiences. Games: Evolution. Dominic Crapuchettes, Dmitry Knorre, Sergey Machin. North Star Games, 2014. Strain. Avrom Tobias. HungryRobot, 2011. Compounded. Darell Louder. Dice Hate Me Games, 2013. Bolide. Alfredo Genovese. Rio Grande Games, 2005.

Understanding how computer programming works is a critical part of digital literacy for students today. Even students who aren''t learning how to code can benefit greatly from knowing how programs work. This book uses highly engaging games to immerse students in the world of logical thinking and problem solving. From programming robots to writing stories that work as interactive fiction games, the lessons in this book provide ways to build digital literacy beyond the computer lab. Games: RoboRally. Richard Garfield. Avalon Hill, 2010. Old Town. Stephan Riedel. Clicker Spiele, 2012. Ricochet Robots. Alex Randolph. Z-Man Games, 2013. Parsley Game System. Memento Mori Theatricks.

We all know the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, but too often we forget that the colonies were almost a year into the Revolutionary War by the time of the signing. Can you replicate historical success? Or will your colonies fall back under British rule? Building upon 1775: Rebellion, an award winning board game, this book presents a week-long unit with detailed lesson plans, primary source documents, and additional instructional resources for teaching the American Revolution through play. Exclusive print-and-play game "Intolerable Acts" designed for classroom use by Brian Mayer and Christopher Harris. Game: 1775: Rebellion. Beau Beckett, Jeph Stahl. Academy Games, 2013.

It may only be play money, but the games in this book can help students better understand how important financial literacy is in their real lives. Play-based lesson plans in the book cover topics including spending and saving, risk assessment, and return on investment using fast-paced board and card games. A larger capstone game pulls together all of the concepts in a market-driven game that places students in the role of stockholders investing in and managing train companies. Who will use financial savvy to turn the biggest profit? Games: High Society. Reiner Knizia. Gryphon Games, 2008. Can''t Stop. Sid Sackson. Gryphon Games, 2011. Panic on Wall Street. Britton Roney. Marabunta, 2011. Chicago Express. Harry Wu. Queen Games, 2007.

In 1995, computer programmer Yukihiro Matsumoto introduced Ruby programming language to the world. He created a language that used his favorite elements of other languages, but was more object-oriented and easy to use, even for coding newbies. Ruby is also open-source software, meaning anyone can use, modify, and distribute it. Inside this volume, readers will learn the ins and outs of coding with Ruby, including why using “blocks of text” and mostly plain English text makes it an ideal program for ease of use. Color photographs, sidebars, and a graphic organizer make this volume both informational and enjoyable. Readers interested in STEM topics are sure to love this book.

Coding for elementary students is a new and exciting learning opportunity, and this book will show readers how to get coding in just minutes with the program Hopscotch. Instead of lines of text, Hopscotch provides users with colorful, stackable blocks to create animations, games, and more. The main text is supplemented with informative captions, sidebars, and a graphic organizer. Examples of Hopscotch visuals and photographs of kids engaged in coding are also included. These elements come together to help readers grasp the logic and STEM concepts involved with coding.

The first Lego* Mindstorms sets were released in the early 1990s. Since then, Lego''s line of buildable, programmable robots has become a sensation with budding coders all over the world. More than just toy building blocks, these sets allow users to familiarize themselves with manipulating and customizing computer hardware and software. In this volume, readers will learn what it takes to be a Mindstorms builder and programmer. The manageable text is supported by vivid photographs and a concluding graphic organizer. Young coders are sure to enjoy reading about Lego Mindstorms and learning how to make amazing computer-controlled robotic creations all by themselves. *The LEGO name and products, including MINDSTORMS and WeDo, are trademarks of the LEGO Group, and their use in this book does not imply a recommendation or endorsement of this title by the Lego Group.

Much like its older brother, Lego* Mindstorms, Lego WeDo kits offer young engineers the chance to design and program creations all by themselves. WeDo kits take the fun and technology of Mindstorms'' kits and make it simpler for novice coders and builders. WeDo software is easy to learn and a blast to use. At the same time, using WeDo can easily be integrated into STEM instruction. Accessible text and vivid photographs help readers make sense of a potentially difficult topic. Eye-catching sidebars and a graphic organizer round out this exciting learning experience *The LEGO name and products, including MINDSTORMS and WeDo, are trademarks of the LEGO Group, and their use in this book does not imply a recommendation or endorsement of this book by the Lego Group.

Introduced in 2009, Minecraft* has become an enormous success with gaming kids and adults. Users love exploring and building within Minecraft''s mind-bogglingly large environments. This game allows users to practice STEM skills while having fun. One of its greatest strengths is its ability to teach coding principles with "redstone" blocks. These blocks can be used to make exciting machines and devices in Minecraft''s virtual world. With this volume, readers will learn the logic and technology behind coding with Minecraft. Photographs, diagrams, sidebars, and a graphic organizer help reinforce basic coding concepts. *Minecraft is a trademark of Mojang (a game development studio owned by Microsoft Technology Corporation), and its use in this book does not imply a recommendation or endorsement of this title by Mojang or Microsoft.

Usually we think of coding as something only trained experts and scientists can handle, but not any more thanks to programs like Python. First developed in 1991, Python uses lines of code, letters, and symbols, to create computer programs. Python is easier to read and takes fewer lines of code to accomplish tasks than some programming languages. Python’s creator, Guido van Rossum, wanted to create open-source software that used easy-to-understand coding text. His software allows even novice programmers to see results in a short amount of time. Vivid photographs, sidebars, and a graphic organizer help make this STEM-centric volume a dynamic learning experience.

No, it is not dessert, it''s a tiny single-board computer for budding computer scientists to experiment with. This versatile product can be paired with simple coding software, such as Python and Ruby, enabling young scientists to create fun and useful computer devices. Readers will learn the history of Raspberry Pi* and gain a basic understanding of computer programming through clear photographs and manageable text. Sidebars, captions, and a graphic organizer offer readers more chances to deepen their knowledge of this STEM-related topic. With accessories, Raspberry Pi can be used to create music players, digital picture frames, robots, and much more. *Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Use of the Raspberry Pi name in this book does not imply a recommendation or endorsement of this title by the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Coding was once an inaccessible activity for elementary students, but not any more. Scratch is an exciting and easy-to-learn coding program for people of all ages. Instead of lines of text, users code by dragging and dropping colorful, stackable blocks to create animations. With this colorful, intuitive, and simple application, even new Scratch users will begin to understand the logic behind coding in just minutes! Coding examples and photographs of age-appropriate students help readers feel at ease with STEM concepts. Sidebars and a graphic organizer help readers get the most out of this informative volume.

If computers reduce everything to the binary number system of 0s and 1s, then why are there so many programming languages? In this book, readers explore how different languages have developed to fill specific needs and solve unique problems. Readers will also review the historical development path of languages and see how the future of programming may not even involve coding. Topics include scripting versus computing languages, content-specific programming, and special needs programming. Helpful diagrams and accessible language make this a programming guide every young coder should have on their bookshelf.

Apps and programs are taking over the world, and that’s a good thing. However, sometimes we open apps and programs and have trouble figuring out how to use them. This is a sign of poor-quality user experience (UX) design. Computer users would rather use apps and programs that aren’t difficult to figure out. UX designers focus on the flow of tasks through a program and try to make everything feel intuitive. In this book, readers learn about careers for UX designers as well as how UX design extends to hardware development.

Behind every website is a page of HTML code. Hypertext markup language is a scripting language and not a full programming language. However, it is still one of the most important coding systems in the world. This book shows readers how HTML provides the front end for even the biggest websites and gets them started on simple page design. Topics also include additional web languages and the future of HTML5. Readers will learn about the history of HTML code, as well as the key figures who made it possible.

Elementary students around the globe are taught to count using a base-10 number system. We form numbers using the 10 digits of our base-10 system, which is zero through nine. Readers discover other number systems people have used throughout history. With a binary system, computers only use two digits: 0 and 1. So how does a computer count to 10? Readers will learn the answer inside this book. Also included is a review of hexadecimal numbers, which serve as the old basis of assembly languages and can still be found today setting colors on the web. This volume meets math standards addressing number systems other than base 10.

When gamers want to play a video game, they don''t have to write every line of code while doing so. In this book, readers learn why. Programs and applications can be made with pre-written code, already bundled for easy use. Readers learn how programs and applications are created. An integral part of this process is learning how different sections of code can be packaged together. Many elementary readers already know how to use computer programs and applications, but what''s behind that icon on the computer screen? This book uses manageable text and enlightening visuals to guide budding coders in discovering the answer.

To help programmers develop new applications for both iOS and Mac computers, Apple launched Swift. With this easy-to-learn programming language, readers can create their own apps for iPhones and iPads. Readers will learn how to write simple programs in Swift that take advantage of the coding language’s unique live view of development. Step-by-step instructions on how to code with Swift will surely make this an indispensible guide for young coders.

Readers will learn expert tips to make sure their passwords are secure and their log-in information is safe. They''ll also learn more about the cyberwar that happens every day on the Internet as security experts and malicious hackers do battle. Topics include passwords, encryption, network security, and cyberterrorism. Readers will also learn about the power and importance of really, really big prime numbers. Diagrams and accessible text help make this the perfect guide to digital security. Readers will decode the secrets of this book and see if they can crack the security code embedded within.

Have you ever wondered why the play button for most music players is still the same right-facing triangle that was on every cassette player and VCR? User interface (UI) designers try to develop icons and controls that are so obvious they endure through the years and across technologies. For example, iPhone apps often feel so familiar because many designers use the UI toolkit from Apple with standard fonts and icons. Unlike user experience (UX) design, which has to do with the flow of a program, UI is all about the look and feel of software and hardware. With colorful photographs and helpful illustrations, readers will make the most of this essential coding topic.

From Pokémon GO to Google Search results, geolocation lets your computer or phone know exactly where you are. Young readers are already becoming familiar with geolocation through exciting new apps and games that make the most of GPS location services, but are these services also invading our privacy? This book explores the pros and cons of geolocation and looks towards the future of location-driven applications. Topics also include indoor location technologies and beacons. Supportive visuals help students make the most of their reading experience.

In this volume, readers learn that early computers were housed in large rooms, and each individual circuit and part was separate from the others. Today, thanks to miniaturization, a whole computer system can be integrated or combined on a single chip. An X-ray of a tablet reveals that most of the case is filled with batteries. The actual computer board is much smaller than most people would imagine. This book traces the development of integrated circuits and shows what they might make possible in the near future.

Hopscotch is a block programming language designed for the Apple iPad and iPhone that makes learning about code accessible, exciting, and fun. Because coders drag blocks of code to write programs, they can learn the major concepts of coding without having to struggle with the syntax, special vocabulary, or even the typing of text required in text-based languages. In this instructive resource, coders will learn how to create drawings, simple animations, or games they can share with others, and they can have fun doing it.