From the series Adventures in Unplugged Coding
Coding with Mythical Creatures
Reading Level Grade 4Interest Level Grades 3 – 8Copyright 2024
Reviewed
From the series Adventures in Unplugged Coding
Reading Level Grade 4Interest Level Grades 3 – 8Copyright 2024
ReviewedLearning coding skills without a computer isn’t just a myth! This unplugged coding title teaches readers important skills such as critical thinking and optimization through fun activities like guiding the Minotaur through the labyrinth and teaching Cerberus fetch, all without a computer! Short paragraphs explain and clarify each coding concept and how it applies to the activity. Follow-ups ask readers to think critically about how it went or what could be done better, while bonus challenges give readers more opportunities to test the concept. This engaging title can help young students gain coding skills that could become legendary!
Adventures in Unplugged Coding is a series of books that takes the reader through 4 unplugged challenges that help the reader understand how to use higher-level thinking skills to solve problems. The connection is made between the activities and how computer code writers think. This series of books is categorized as Express! Which are classified as maker space books. Coding with Mythical Creatures has 4 unplugged activities: 1. Hey Cerberus, Fetch 2. Gnome Coder 3. Minotaur Maze 4. Memorize the Myth! Each activity requires a minimal amount of supplies: Paper, tracing paper, index cards, pencils, markers, dice, game pieces, timer, and small toys. The activities would be best accomplished with a partner or small group. The readers would have opportunities to solve problems together and work towards a solution, also when turning the page they will be able to learn about the solution and how that activity is related to coders. Readers who use this book would need to read about a 3rd or 4th grade level but as long as there is one strong reader in the group they could guide others through who may be younger or have a more difficult time reading.', Kim Moore, South Sound Book Review Council, Washington,'Coding and storytelling collide in this fun educational series. Burns defines coding as “…communicating with computers so they can perform tasks,” so the unplugged coding activities suggested in each book use problem-solving coding concepts, such as sequences and debugging sans computer. Different types of coding ideas help kids draw cool creations like a value-variable gnome in Coding with Mythical Creatures and a loop sequence stegosaurus in Coding with Dinosaurs. Coding with Video Games includes an imaginative story activity that uses hieroglyphics and hidden messages to help readers problem solve their way out of the mummy’s tomb. The writing is inviting and engaging, offering an interesting method of teaching coding literacy concepts without the need for any tech. For each experiment, essential equipment is listed on the first page, most of which is readily available to many readers, like paper, pencils, and rubber bands. VERDICT A welcome addition to most libraries.
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