This spring, the creators of a special guide reached out to me. Their popular resource for students has millions of copies in print. I’m excited to share it with you in today’s blog post. Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding in One Big Fat Notebook is a study guide for middle schoolers. You can now grab a copy of this new book in paperback or eBook.
Computer Science Study Guide
Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding in One Big Fat Notebook is in use by 6th, 7th, and 8th graders all over the world. It’s a coding and computer science resource guide specially written for middle school students. Instead of focusing on just one coding language, this book provides students with a general overview. This book is part of the Big Fat Notebook series which has more than 4.6 million copies in print.
Middle school is often an age when kids develop an interest in computer science. They might start by creating video games and building websites — and then dive deeper into this topic. Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding in One Big Fat Notebook is specifically for this group of students.
Learning About Computer Science
Computer science is a topic that isn’t limited to a particular time of year, age group, or programming language. Students can explore the foundations of computer science and coding at any time of year — not just during hour of code. Finding just-right resources for middle schoolers interested in learning about computer science can be a challenge.
So when I came across a guide designed specifically for this age group, I knew I had to share it. Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding in One Big Fat Notebook can help students get started with computer science. Let’s dive into some of the details together!
What Kids Need to Know About Computer Science
Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding in One Big Fat Notebook is a study guide to help students learn about computer science topics. They’ll explore the fundamentals of coding and look at programming languages like Scratch, Python, HTML, and CSS. If those programming languages are new to you, you’ll find information about each one in this resource guide.
This guide is designed for middle school students and their teachers. All of the big ideas behind this topic are presented with easy-to-follow information and humor, too. The author of this guide is Grant Smith. He is a former Computer Science teacher and district administrator. Grant also served on the Computer Science Teachers Association task force that created standards for this topic.
If you haven’t heard of the Computer Science Teachers Association before, author Grant Smith was a part of the task force that wrote and revised the newest Computer Science standards for K-12. The standards connection is essential in making sure the text is relevant for students. It also makes sure this resource is helpful for teachers looking for resources align to expectations for middle schoolers.
Getting Started with Computer Science
Who is this book for? Computer science teachers or educators interested in learning more about coding are one group who will find this book useful. If you have work with middle schoolers who want to explore this topic in a self-directed manner, this resource is one to recommend.
Since this book addresses the current computer science standards, it’s a great resource if you’re working with middle school students. It might become part of a computer science after-school program or instruction that takes place during the school day.
Learning Computer Science at Home
As I’m writing this blog post, many schools are closed and may remain closed for the school year. If you are supporting middle school students working from home, you might add this book to a recommended resource list for families.
Even if you aren’t a computer science teacher you might have a few students in mind. Do you know a student interested in exploring computer science? This resource could be an excellent fit for independent study.
Learn more about Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding in One Big Fat Notebook on this landing page. It’s part of a series from Workman Publishing, too. So if you’d like to explore other books that they offer, this page will give you information about the series. In addition to this book on Computer Science and Coding, the series covers Math, Science, World History, American History, and English Language Arts.
Are you teaching computer science or working with middle school students this year? Leave a comment and let me know what you think about this resource!
