Teaching Python

Sean and Kelly invite Eric Matthes, teacher and author of Python Crash Course to discuss student projects in computer science. Eric was with us on Episode 33 and we ended the episode with discussions about completing projects and programming with purpose. In this episode we discuss finding a project, separating academic and project success criteria, helping student coders find a project, how to deal with failure, and some examples of great projects for learning.Special Guest: Eric Matthes.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Python Crash Course, 2nd Edition: A Hands-On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming: Matthes, Eric: 9781593279288: Amazon.com: Books — Python Crash Course is the world's best-selling guide to the Python programming language. This fast-paced, thorough introduction to programming with Python will have you writing programs, solving problems, and making things that work in no time.Teaching Python Episode 33: Interview with Eric Matthes — Kelly and Sean interview Eric Matthes, author of Python Crash Course, about how he began programming, what led him to teaching, and the important lessons from Python to be learned both inside and outside of the classroom.Adafruit Matrix Portal Starter Kit - ADABOX 016 Essentials ID: 4812 - $69.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits — If you missed out on AdaBox016, it's not too late for you to pick up the parts necessary to build many of the projects! It doesn't come with tissue paper or the nifty extras, but it does have all the electronic goodies you need.Introduction to command line · HonKit — It's exciting, right?! You'll write your first line of code in just a few minutes! :) Let us introduce you to your first new friend: the command line! The following steps will show you how to use the black window all hackers use. It might look a bit scary at first but really it's just a prompt waiting for commands from you.Write once. Deploy everywhere.— BeeWare — BeeWare allows you to write your app in Python and release it on multiple platforms. No need to rewrite the app in multiple programming languages. It means no issues with build tools, environments, compatibility, etc. PREORDER: Beyond the Basic Stuff with Python: Best Practices for Writing Clean Code: Sweigart, Al: 9781593279660: Amazon.com: Books — Welcome to Beyond the Basic Stuff with Python. More than a mere collection of advanced syntax and masterful tips for writing clean code, you'll learn how to advance your Python programming skills by using the command line and other professional tools like code formatters, type checkers, linters, and version control. Sweigart takes you through best practices for setting up your development environment, naming variables, and improving readability, then tackles documentation, organization and performance measurement, as well as object-oriented design and the Big-O algorithm analysis commonly used in coding interviews. The skills you learn will boost your ability to program--not just in Python but in any language.

This week's guest is Russell Keith-Magee from the Beeware project. Our conversation this week is about teaching students Python with native desktop applications, mobile, and the web. Plus, why do we have to use the command line? And do coding books from the early 80s hold up in Python? Django core developer and the founder and maintainer of the BeeWare project Former president of the Django Software Foundation BeeWare is a collection of tools and libraries for developing desktop and mobile applications; BeeWare aims to make it easy to write a native application for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, or Android that you can then distribute to end users as an installable app. BeeWare isn't a single tool or library - it's a collection of projects that can be used to help develop, debug, and launch Python software. Each tool follows the Unix philosophy of doing one thing well. Each tool can be used in isolation, or they can be chained together to provide a rich set of programming tools. Special Guest: Russell Keith-Magee.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Write once. Deploy everywhere.— BeeWare — Write your apps in Python and release them on iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web, and tvOS using rich, native user interfaces. Multiple apps, one codebase, with a fully native user experience on every platform.Introduction to command line · HonKit — Let us introduce you to your first new friend: the command line! The following steps will show you how to use the black window all hackers use. It might look a bit scary at first but really it's just a prompt waiting for commands from you.Computer and coding books from Usborne — Usborne has been publishing award-winning computer books since the 1980s. Our latest books will give today's kids a clear understanding of computers and coding, which are compulsory school topics in the UK. To celebrate the release of Coding for beginners using Python, we've released five more 1980s Usborne coding books. Scroll down to download the free pdfs. starship_takeoff.py — Sean's Python version of a Usborne BASIC game. STARSHIP TAKEOFF Adapted from Usborne Book Computer Spacegames https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxv0SsvibDMTNlMwTi1PTlVxc2M/viewCode With Mu — Code with Mu: a simple Python editor for beginner programmers.

Sean and Kelly invite Ali Spittel to talk about how teachers can go beyond their first programming language and help students learn to create more robust projects. If you’ve started with Python, how do you learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to make a front end for a project? Or vice versa? Ali is a Senior Developer Advocate at AWS, the co-host of the Ladybug Podcast, and a frequent tech writer and speaker. She has been employed in the tech industry since 2014, holding multiple software engineering positions at startups and a Distinguished Faculty and Faculty Lead role at General Assembly's Software Engineering Immersive.Special Guest: Ali Spittel.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Introduction · HonKit — Welcome to the Django Girls Tutorial! We are happy to see you here :) In this tutorial, we will take you on a journey under the hood of web technologies, offering you a glimpse of all the bits and pieces that need to come together to make the web work as we know it. As with all unknown things, this is going to be an adventure - but no worries, since you already worked up the courage to be here, you'll be just fine :)Ladybug Podcast — We started the Ladybug Podcast as a few lady Twitter acquaintances looking to add our voices to the male-dominated tech podcast space. We published our first episode on July 1, 2019. Since then we’ve published nearly 50 episodes, interviewed many amazing guests, and become close friends in the process.Home · We Learn Code — Hi! I'm Ali I’m a software engineer and teacher. I blog about the things I wish I knew when I was learning to code. You'll find technical tutorials, career advice, and more all right here!Github - aspittel (Ali Spittel)

Sean and Kelly invite Jeff Olson (@jolson_codes) to the show. Let’s take a look at language in the Computer Science classroom and focus on how we can put our students first by engaging them in the “right language for their learning.” Special Guest: Jeff Olson.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Model inclusive language - Eberly Center - Carnegie Mellon University — As instructors, you can have a great impact on the classroom climate through the very language you use. Yet it can be hard to recognize in one’s own speech that some of the most basic idioms and examples are often not inclusive, for they are actually very specific to one group in society (e.g. men/women, Christians, whites, heterosexuals, etc.). This tendency can inadvertently marginalize minority groups. For instance, research has shown that using gender-exclusive language (e.g., using he to indicate he or she) in professional settings affects women’s sense of belonging and lowers motivation (Stout and Dasgupta, 2011; Sczesny, Formanowicz, & Moser, 2016).The Trouble with Real-ish Problems — We've all seen math problems like this. Problems where the context or numbers are ridiculous. And what might we say to a kid in this situation? "Don't worry about that, just do the math."What Are You Talking About?! The Need for Common Language around Personalized Learning | EDUCAUSE — As a former language teacher, I love examples of translations that didn't turn out quite as they were intended. There's the famous example when the U.S. auto-maker Chevrolet marketed the Nova in Latin America: no va in Spanish means "doesn't go". Airports seem to be a great place to find language problems, such as the sign helping people find the restrooms. My point is that language matters.Students Don’t Need Simple Examples | by Jeff Olson | upperlinecode — In my post about coding for predictions, I wrote a sentence that got edited out of the final draft, but that’s played on repeat in my head ever since. Students don’t need simple examples. They need clear ones. I’m realizing that this catchy little antithesis is essentially my whole teaching philosophy rolled up into one line.Education Summit 2020 - YouTube — The Summit is a gathering of teachers and educators focused on bringing coding literacy, through Python, to as broad a group of audiences as possible. -Jeffrey L. Olson Jr, Foo and “Bar” Must Die - Teach Less and Do More with Context, Predictions, and PlaytimeHumble Book Bundle: Learn to Code the Fun Way by No Starch Press (pay what you want and help charity) — Sean's Win of the Week is the If Hemingway Wrote Javascript from the current Humble Bundle. --- We've teamed up with No Starch Press for our newest bundle! Get ebooks like Learn You a Haskell for Great Good!, Practical SQL, and Eloquent JavaScript 3rd Edition. Plus, your purchase will support UNCF and No Starch Press Foundation!Amazon.com: If Hemingway Wrote JavaScript eBook: Croll, Angus: Kindle Store — What if William Shakespeare were asked to generate the Fibonacci series or Jane Austen had to write a factorial program? In If Hemingway Wrote JavaScript, author Angus Croll imagines short JavaScript programs as written by famous wordsmiths. The result is a peculiar and charming combination of prose, poetry, and programming.

This week, Sean & Kelly discuss how they are using Python to teach robotics in middle school, including the hardware and software it takes to get students thinking about how robots sense, process, and move in the world. With coronavirus precautions in place, our traditional approaches to robotics competitions through organizations like FIRST Lego League have been put aside. We're using this as an opportunity to get back to basics and teach students about sensors, servos, Python code, and more.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Adafruit CLUE - nRF52840 Express with Bluetooth LE ID: 4500 - $39.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits — Do you feel like you just don't have a CLUE? Well, we can help with that - get a CLUE here at Adafruit by picking up this sensor-packed development board. We wanted to build some projects that have a small screen and a lot of sensors. To make it compatible with existing projects, we made it the same shape and size as the BBC micro:bit and with the same edge-connector on the bottom with 5 big pads so it will fit into your existing robot kit or 'bit add-on.Adafruit CRICKIT for Circuit Playground Express ID: 3093 - $29.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits — We designed Crickit - That's our Creative Robotics & Interactive Construction Kit. It's an add-on to our popular Circuit Playground Express that lets you #MakeRobotFriend using CircuitPython, MakeCode, or Arduino. Bolt on your Circuit Playground using the included stand-off bolts and start controlling motors, servos, solenoids. You also get signal pins, capacitive touch sensors, a NeoPixel driver and amplified speaker output. It complements & extends the Circuit Playground so you can still use all the goodies on the CPX, but now you have a robotics playground as well.Adafruit CRICKIT for micro:bit ID: 3928 - $29.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits — Plug your :bit into the 40 pin edge connector and start controlling motors, servos, solenoids. You also get signal pins, capacitive touch sensors, a NeoPixel driver and amplified speaker output. It complements & extends micro:bit so you can still use all the goodies on the :bit, but now you have a robotics playground as well.Amazon.com: DFROBOT Maqueen Micro:bit Robot Platform - Graphical Programming Educational Robotic Car for Kids - STEM Learning DIY Mini Robot Kit for Maker Education (Without Micro:bit Board): Toys & Games — Hello, my name is Maqueen, is a graphical programming robot for STEM education, which inherits playability and simple operation of micro:bit. The Mini-body, interesting features and plug-and-play allow children to quickly learn graphic programming in entertaining, nurturing children's interest in science and logical thinking.Amazon.com: Yahboom BBC Micro:bit Coding Robot STEM Education Kit for Kids to Programmable DIY Toy Car with Tutorial for 10+ (Without Micro:bit): Toys & Games — Robot toy car is a collection of BBC micro:bit board, learning kits, and expansion boards, allowing you to learn micro:bit from simplest to more complex,turn ideas into reality and let more children become maker. The vehicle model is small and cute. Most of the parts are connected with screw and a few parts are designed with anti reverse socket, which makes installation simple and safe.Amazon.com: Adeept BBC Micro:bit Sensor Starter Kit | Microbit Programmable Starter Kit for Micro:bit with 35 Projects PDF Tutorial Book | Micro:bit and Expansion Board Included: Toys & Games — Micro:bit Starter Kit for BBC, micro:bit is a tiny programmable computer, designed to make learning and teaching easy and fun! BBC Micro:bit Development Board is included. Provided with: Blocks and Python code. Compatible with micro bit. Includes common sensor modules such as: buzzers, LEDs, push buttons, sound sensors, soil moisture sensor, Ultrasonic module etc, allow you make a lot of interesting projects like Traffic Light, Magnetic Check, Temperature Test, Joystick Test, Ultrasonic control DC motor, Ultrasonic control RGB bar, Changes of the Soil Moisture, Temperature Alarm, Neopixel etc. Easy to assemble, encourages learning: Perfect DIY inventor project for micro:bit experiment and programming beginners.Adeept BBC Micro:Bit Expansion Board v3.0Gikfun 1V-6V DC Hobby Motor Type 130 Micro Motor Toy Motor DC Motor for Arduino (Pack of 5PCS) EK1894 - - Amazon.com — DC1V-6V Cable Length:about 70mm Used to connect spindle gears and propellers, model cars, aircraft, etc.Amazon.com: Miuzei 10 pcs SG90 9G Servo Motor Kit for RC Robot Arm Helicopter Airplane Remote Control: Toys & Games — Application Fields: remote control helicopters, micro robot, robot arm and boats. ALL kind of R/C Toys and Arduino experiments Interface Type: compatible with JR & Futaba interface. No Load Running Speed: 0.09±0.01 sec/60° at 4.8V Rotary Angle: 120°Amazon.com: [4-Pack] MG996R 55g Metal Gear Torque Digital Servo Motor for Futaba JR RC Helicopter Car Boat Robot: Toys & Games — This MG996R Servo motor which updated from SG90 and MG90S micro servo motor. (the Speed, Tension and Accuracy all increase) The MG996R model compliant with most standard receiver connector,for Futaba, Hitec, Sanwa, GWS etc.uxcell 5 Pcs 10K OHM Linear Taper Rotary Potentiometer 10KB B10K Pot Zinc Plating with 13mm Shaft: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific — Features: 10K ohm, 3 terminals, single linear (Type b), suits most standard knobs. Top adjustment Type and knurled shaft for easy operate in daily use time. Main used to control electrical devices such as volume controls O

This week, Kelly and Sean interview Philip Guo, associate professor of cognitive science at UC San Diego. As a grad student in 2010, Philip created Python Tutor, the most widely-used program visualization tool for education. Using this tool, teachers and students can write Python programs directly in the web browser (without installing any plugins), step forwards and backwards through execution to view the run-time state of data structures, and share their program visualizations on the web. Over ten million people in more than 180 countries have used Python Tutor to visualize over 100 million pieces of code, often as a supplement to textbooks, lectures, and online tutorials.Special Guest: Philip Guo.Support Teaching PythonLinks:Python Tutor - Visualize Python, Java, C, C++, JavaScript, TypeScript, and Ruby code execution — Python Tutor helps people overcome a fundamental barrier to learning programming: understanding what happens as the computer runs each line of code. You can use it to write Python, Java, C, C++, JavaScript, and Ruby code in your web browser and see its execution visualized step by step.Repl.it - The collaborative browser based IDE — Use our free, collaborative, in-browser IDE to code in 50+ languages — without spending a second on setup.

Let’s take a look at the tools we’re using in our classroom for the 2020-2021 school year to teach Python for middle school students. From IDEs to flash cards, coding challenges to Colab notebooks, and micro:bits to eBooks, we’ll look at what we’re currently using and how each one contributes to the learning experience of our students. Episode Outline Importance of variety in Lessons Motivation Increase Focus/Keeps classroom live and Active Combat Boredom/Avoids dullness Demonstrating concepts in multiple settings reinforces learning Importance of Lesson Planning Basic Objectives Activities Assessments Time Management Result- oriented Creating Environments for learning:Good Teaching Tools for SEL/21st Century Skills Delivery and sharing of resources LMS Weekly Overview Screenshots Sharing of Colab documents SEL Core Competencies: Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness, Relationship SKills, Responsible decision making. Padlet- reflection and sharing ideas? Focusing Tools: Strick Workflow : block specific sites for 25 minutes by a click of a chrome extension Self Learning Opportunities: “Curiosity is the main driver of learning.” Teaching Techniques/Communication Tools Looking at a lot of code: Screenshare (Currently feature in Zoom) - allow students to share their code and have students look for errors on other student codes/Air server/Cast Use of Videos: Loom/Screencastify- give students short videos that they can use on their own time. Use of Class Time: Time to Talk it out (Think alouds) - give students time to talk about code verbally Pre-Teaching Vocabulary Pause, Ask Questions, Pause, Review Class Challenges Share the tools and how we use them IDE’s (details in episode 25) Mu Editor Great IDE for beginners and comes packaged with Python Works for pure Python, hardware, web development, games Intentionally limited to encourage students to move beyond In 2020: Kelly & Sean use it for programming micro:bits with sixth grade Best Audience: complete newbies to Python, hardware hackers Available for Mac, Windows, Linux Colab - Jupyter Notebooks in Google Apps system Pure Python with visualizations, graphing, etc. In 2020: Kelly & Sean use it for Python review sheet & quick demos Showing iterations/versions of code without Git Includes sharing/commenting features of Google Drive Best audience: newbies already familiar with Google Docs, more accomplished programmers that want to practice concepts without writing full “software” Repl.it Web-based coding environment for Python Multiplayer mode, assignment submissions with automated testing Classroom environment works well for adult learners In 2020: Kelly & Sean use it for student projects, especially those that run 3rd party packages Best audience: students that want to live code with others and share programs easily with teacher or peers Advance coding Options Used for differentiation with students or advanced applications like EV3 coding We use these ourselves to write software for school use Goal is to have 8th graders ready for these environments Options Visualization Tools Python tutor Python Turtle Mu Debugger Class Challenges versus Codechalleng.es Manipulatives: Robots and Hardware Microbits CircuitPython devices DFRobot Maqueen Plus Support Teaching PythonLinks:Code With Mu — Code with Mu: a simple Python editor for beginner programmers.Welcome To Colaboratory - Colaboratory — Colaboratory, or "Colab" for short, allows you to write and execute Python in your browser, with Zero configuration required Free access to GPUs Easy sharingRepl.it - The collaborative browser based IDE — Use our free, collaborative, in-browser IDE to code in 50+ languages — without spending a second on setup.Visual Studio Code - Code Editing. Redefined — Code editing. Redefined. Free. Built on open source. Runs everywherePyCharm Edu — A Professional Tool to Learn and Teach Programming with PythonPython Tutor - Visualize Python, Java, C, C++, JavaScript, TypeScript, and Ruby code execution — Python Tutor helps people overcome a fundamental barrier to learning programming: understanding what happens as the computer runs each line of code. You can use it to write Python, Java, C, C++, JavaScript, and Ruby code in your web browser and see its execution visualized step by step.

Let’s take a deeper look at how we teach students about one of Python’s most venerable data structures: the list. For many learners, the list is the first data structure that they encounter and it can be tricky to understand at first. Episode Outline: Start with clear goals for topic Why are we teaching this? Backwards by design process What do we want the kids to do? What should students know when we’re done? Are the objectives differentiated? Can students demonstrate more advanced understanding according to Bloom’s Taxonomy? Where do they go next? What do students need to know before we start? Introducing the List Mathes’ : cheat sheet https://t.co/KZdJkdPz7i?amp=1 The problem of organizing too many bits of data Programmers use data structures to organize related data Vocabulary Data structure Ordered Mutable Sequence Examples and Demonstrations Real World Grocery List Brainstorming types of lists in the real world Python Grocery List Practical applications List sizes Small lists (choices, menus, limiting options) Medium Lists (class rosters, schedules, phone apps, etc) Large Lists (weather data, sensor measurements, etc) List limits (when not to use a list) Order doesn’t matter Searching by key (use dictionary) List shouldn’t change (use tuple) List indices are confusing at first Zero-indexed Negative index List methods Append & Insert Pop & Remove Sort & Sorted Tools for visualization and understanding Python Tutor Mu Debugger Synthesis Opportunities Using for loops with lists List slicing List of Lists Functions/methods Creativity & Fun Class Schedule Rock Paper Scissors Support Teaching PythonLinks:Python Tutor - Visualize Python, Java, C, C++, JavaScript, TypeScript, and Ruby code execution — Python Tutor helps people overcome a fundamental barrier to learning programming: understanding what happens as the computer runs each line of code. You can use it to write Python, Java, C, C++, JavaScript, and Ruby code in your web browser and see its execution visualized step by step.Python Flash Cards: Syntax, Concepts, and Examples: Matthes, Eric: 9781593278960: Amazon.com: Books — These colorful programming study cards help new Python coders drill and reinforce the concepts, syntax, and terminology they'll need to become successful professional programmers. Keep your coding skills sharp on the go! Python Flash Cards take a tried-and-tested method and give it a programming makeover. Eric Matthes, author of the best-selling Python Crash Course, distills essential Python programming knowledge into this 101-card deck you can use anywhere.UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN® FRAMEWORK — The Understanding by Design® framework (UbD™ framework) offers a planning process and structure to guide curriculum, assessment, and instruction. Its two key ideas are contained in the title: 1) focus on teaching and assessing for understanding and learning transfer, and 2) design curriculum "backward” from those ends.Will Richardson (@willrich45) / Twitter — It's the most amazing time to be a learner. Time to explore what comes next for schools. Co-founder of http://BigQuestions.Institute. Parent, speaker, instigator.

Kelly and Sean discuss many of the upcoming changes for a school year heavily influenced by COVID, distance learning, hybrid/flexible classrooms, and prioritizing health and safety over content. Episode Contents: Wins of the Week Main Topic: The Upcoming School Year Integrating New Ideas Safely Teaching Physical Computing PyBites / CodeChalleng.es Flipped Classroom Using Reflection Choice Boards Routines and Rituals Teacher Self Care Setting Realistic Expectations Follow @TeachingPython on Twitter. Send us a message at teachingpython.fmSupport Teaching PythonLinks:Amazon.com: Logitech MeetUp HD Video and Audio Conferencing System for Small Meeting Rooms: Computers & Accessories — Logitech's premier conference cam specifically designed for business grade video meetings in huddle rooms and small conference roomsPython Testing with pytest: Simple, Rapid, Effective, and Scalable: Okken, Brian: 9781680502404: Amazon.com: Books — Do less work when testing your Python code, but be just as expressive, just as elegant, and just as readable. The pytest testing framework helps you write tests quickly and keep them readable and maintainable - with no boilerplate code. Using a robust yet simple fixture model, it's just as easy to write small tests with pytest as it is to scale up to complex functional testing for applications, packages, and libraries. This book shows you how.PyBites Platform | Hone Your Python Skills — Whether you aspire to become a web developer, data scientist, DevOps or cybersecurity engineer, good chance you will greatly benefit from being well versed in Python!Edpuzzle — Make any video your lesson Choose a video, give it your magic touch and track your students' comprehension.Pythex: a Python regular expression editor — Python Regular Expression testerLoom: Video Messaging for Work — The expressiveness of video with the convenience of messaging. Communicate more effectively wherever you work with Loom.Amazon.com : Meeting Owl Pro - 360 Degree, 1080p Smart Video Conference Camera, Microphone, and Speaker (Automatic Speaker Focus & Smart Meeting Room Enabled) : Electronics — BEST TEAM MEETING EXPERIENCE Meeting Owl Pro is the top 1080p resolution 360° smart video conferencing camera It automatically highlights and shifts focus to different people in the room when they speak so you know what's happening as if you're thereDevice Simulator Express - Visual Studio Marketplace — Make without limit! Device Simulator Express, a Microsoft Garage project, allows you to code microcontrollers without the hardware on hand! You can program your Adafruit Circuit Playground Express (CPX), your BBC micro:bit or the Adafruit CLUE! Test and debug your code on the device simulator and see the same result when you plug in your actual microcontroller. Curious about the output of the device, the serial monitor allows you to observe the device output.

Ever had one of those moments where you thought you did something but then found it unfinished months later? Here's an episode we recorded back in May about how to keep your distance learning fresh and new. We're calling it the Lost Episode. New episodes are coming every Tuesday starting on August 18! In this episode, Kelly and Sean talk about ways they keep their distance learning sessions fresh and engaging for students. From refresher exercises to virtual classroom management, we've got some ideas that can help you teach no matter where you or your students are sitting.Support Teaching Python