Computer Science Unplugged: CS Activities For K–12 Beyond Programming

I'm sitting in 'Computer Science Unplugged: CS Activities For K–12 Beyond Programming' a session at NECC being given by Tom Cortina and Tim Bell. They are talking about the exercises in the Computer Science Unplugged book. They just opened a new version of their website today.

CS Unplugged is very interactive so of course the workshop is as well. We've had several interactive exercises that have involved people working at the front of the room. I like this technique because it is a great step away from the old fashioned "pundit on the platform" form of teaching that is so common not only at conferences but in the classroom.

Right now the people in the front of the room are working on a deadlock exercise. This is a concept that can be difficult to understand but I think this activity is really a great way to make the concept more real and less abstract. 

These exercises really make me wish I had a class to try these exercises out.

A reminder that there is a CS4HS workshop this summer. Information at https://www.cs.cmu.edu/cs4hs The ideas in CS Unplugged are taught in those workshops.

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