Fall '23 Coding/Robots NJ

Fall 2023 Coding and Robot Programs at Genius Gems 

Coding K-2nd: Coding & Robots (Level 1)

In this introductory level class, students in kindergarten through second grade will be introduced to the exciting world of programming! Using app-based visual tools, the students will be eased into virtually text-free coding while enjoying themselves making games and controlling robots. Without even realizing it, the students will gain a strong foundation for the basics of computer science, and will reinforce their early math skills, like directionality and number recognition. Students must be in kindergarten, 1st, or 2nd grade to participate. They should have a basic, grade level appropriate, foundation in beginner reading. Please email us at information@geniusgems.com if you have any questions about your child’s class placement.

Coding 2nd-4th: Coding & Robots (Level 2)

In this class, students in second through fourth grade will be exposed to the inspiring world of programming! They will develop fun and exciting games and robotic control systems, using app-based visual tools that require only minimal keyboard typing skills. Over the course of the semester students will learn the fundamentals of coding by exploring the use of variables, conditionals, loops, functions, and objects. The students will come away from the course with a strong foundation in computer science, and will have reinforced fundamental math skills, like magnitude, directionality, comparison, and simple addition. Students must be in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade to participate. Second grade students must have taken a prior coding class or have experience with coding to enroll. Second grade students new to coding should enroll in the Coding K-2 class. Please email us at information@geniusgems.com if you have any questions about your child’s class placement.

Coding 3rd-6th: Coding & Robots (Level 3) with Vex © Robotics and more

In this class, while developing fun and exciting games and robotic control systems, students in third through sixth grade will gain fluency in computer programming. Not only will they learn about and become comfortable with fundamental coding concepts like variables, conditionals, loops, functions, and objects, they will have the opportunity to transition from visual, block-based, coding to text-based programming with Python. Although Python is a widely used professional level programming language, it is well suited to beginners of all ages, and is an ideal first text-based language for children. The students will come away from this course with a strong foundation in the basics of computer science, and will be ready for the more rigorous programming classes they will inevitably face in the years to come. Students must be in 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th grade to participate. Fourth grade students must have taken a prior coding class or have experience with coding to enroll. Please email us at information@geniusgems.com if you have any questions about your child’s class placement.