No Fear Coding: Computational Thinking Across the K-5 Curriculum

This new edition of the popular book No Fear Coding offers current research, updated tools and more cross-curricular connections for K-5 teachers to integrate into their classes.

Coding has become an essential skill for finding solutions to everyday problems, while computational thinking (CT) teaches reasoning and creativity, and offers an innovative approach to demonstrating content knowledge and seeing mathematical processes in action. No Fear Coding introduced many K-5 educators to ways to bring coding into their curriculum by embedding computational thinking skills into activities for different content areas.

This second edition features updated tools—including programmable robots and other physical computing devices—as well as new activities aligned to the ISTE Standards for Students and Computational Thinking Competencies.

Also new in this edition:

• New tools for teaching coding—including physical computing devices, block-based programming and AR/VR— along with methods for introducing, tutorials and lesson plans.
• Teachable examples and activities that illustrate CT concepts—decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction and algorithmic thinking.
• Resources for deeper understanding and discussion questions for professional development and reflection on the practice of teaching coding and CT.
• Tips on demystifying basic coding concepts so that teachers are comfortable teaching these concepts to their students.

No Fear Coding, Second Edition will help build students’ coding and CT knowledge to prepare them for the middle grades and beyond.

Audience: K-5 classroom teachers

Heidi Williams is a passionate coding and computational thinking advocate. Over her 25+ years of experience in education, she has served as a language, science and mathematics teacher for grades 6-8 and held roles as a differentiation specialist, technology integration specialist, instructional coach, gifted and talented coordinator, elementary principal and K-8 director of curriculum. Williams has shared her passion for integrating coding into the curriculum at local, state, regional and national conferences, and has provided her expertise for conference presentations, coding coaching, professional development and K-12 scope and sequence alignment of computer science skills throughout the curriculum.