Showing posts with label coding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coding. Show all posts

Book Review: Little Learning Labs: Unofficial Minecraft for Kids by John Miller, Chris Fornell Scott

Little Learning Labs: Unofficial Minecraft for Kids by John Miller and Chris Fornell Scott is a nonfiction book for children, but more so their adults. Balancing screen time can be difficult, especially when it comes to wildly popular, open-ended video games like Minecraft. Minecraft offers players an environment focused on explorationimagination, and creation, but its nonlinear game structure can mean spending a lot of time in the game. The book by covering some common Minecraft language and examining each of the four game modes: survival, creative, adventure, and spectator. Then readers can use that information in the six different quests that encourage child and adult participationThe quests offer rewards as readers complete quests. Instruction includes how to screencast and narrate your own videos to share with family and friends.

Little Learning Labs: Unofficial Minecraft for Kids is a good resource for families that want a better understanding of Minecraft, want to learn and grow together, and want to make the most of the skills and entertainment that Minecraft can offer. I like that Minecraft is explained well, neither talking down to the reader or expecting too much prior knowledge. Sometimes it is hard to walk that line, fully explaining without being condescending. The information and tasks are well explained, and easy to follow. I really like how the book offers so many opportunities for non-screen based time, and time together as a family or a team.  The marshmallow catapult, sugar cube building, and shadow puppet projects were among my favorite, and I think would be a hit even without the Minecraft tie in. Many pages also offer a 'more to explore' suggestion and ideas on how to use the skills and information. The images and text boxes are balanced nicely, keeping the pages easy to read and not too crowded. I found the book as a whole to be well organized and informative, and I think it will help parents or teachers that want to better understand Minecraft and use it as a tool to better connect with the young people in their lives. Unfortunately, just as I get a handle on Minecraft my kiddos have moved on to other obsessions, but it might just come back around. 

Little Learning Labs: Unofficial Minecraft for Kids is a good starting point for parents or teachers that want to understand Minecraft while encouraging the young people in their lives to get the most out of their screen time.

Book Review: Unofficial Minecraft STEM Lab for Kids by John Miller, Chris Fornell Scott

In Unofficial Minecraft STEM Lab for Kids readers will find  forty eight projects that can help make learning science, technology, engineering, and math more fun or exciting. There are six Quests, each with four unique Labs that pair a hands-on activity with an in-game project. Readers start with the basics of terminology and gameplay, and how to keep track of their activities. Information from five Minecraft experts share the challenges and experiences, and how the game has helped with their overall success. Some of the real world activities include making glow in the dark slime, the classic volcano, pipe cleaner snowflakes, electromagnets, and more. In game challenges include carving a crystal ice castle, making and using a teleporter, building a dam, and building labs and field stations. 
Unofficial Minecraft STEM Lab for Kids is a well organized and accessable book for young scientists. The six quests include; Pistons, Rails and Redstone, Construction Zone, The Sky is Not Your Limit, Rocks, Minerals and Gems, Cycles in Science, and Engineering Challenge. In the beginning of the book there is information for parents and teachers to help them engage young readers with the activities, understand why this book might help them interest and motivate their readers, understand the basics of the game and tools that will be mentioned and used through out the book, and information about the people involved in making the book. I highly suggest that both adults and the young readers at least browse this section, because the Minecraft tools and the Sketchnoting might be new or more complicated than either have fully explored in the past.  At the end of the book there is also a helpful glossary, connections between the projects in the book and classroom standards, resources for further research and exploration, and information about the authors. 
I really enjoy the fact that this book is not just for the kids, it is about tackling projects as a family or team. The directions are well done and understandable, and the photographs and screenshots were used well and labeled in a way that worked to enhance the instructions. I liked the secondary challenges and tidbits of information that were included in blocks within each challenge, as well as the notes of other things you can try or interesting things you can find online that relate to the projects at hand. While the missions and focus might not be a perfect fit for everyone, I think there is a large potental for finding the perfect (enthusiastic) audience for this book. 
Unofficial Minecraft STEM Lab for Kids is a great resource for getting our minecraft fans more interested in real world science, and our more hands on readers to delve into coding and computers. I think this is the best of both, getting any young scientist with even the vaguest notion of Minecraft to try some new experiments and activities. I am going to have to get my own paper copy for my soon to be middle-schooler and I to tackle over summer vacation. 

Book Review: Get Coding! Learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and Build a Website, App, and Game by Young Rewired State

Get Coding! Learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and Build a Website, App, and Game by Young Rewired State is a guide for all ages in the tools of today's coding. Want to make a website from scratch? Create an app? Build a game? All the tools are laid out in a user-friendly format that leads kids on an imaginary quest to keep a valuable diamond safe from dangerous jewel thieves. Young Rewired State, an international collective of tech-savvy kids, offers readers an easy-to-follow book of instruction in bite-size chunks. It focuses on the real-life coding skills taught in an engaging, comprehensive guide.
Get Coding! Learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and Build a Website, App, and Game is a good tool for those that want to get started with some serious coding, while still having some fun. The book is user friendly and well organized, with challenges that will keep young coders engaged and focused. I really like the idea of giving the coders a mission to complete, and the goofy artwork that is included. I do think that this is for those dedicated to learning, and those youngsters that have already tried some of the basic coding games and tools in the past. Some of the challenges might be too much for those that are easily frustrated or just casually interested in coding. I know that I did not attempt the app making or some of the more complicated coding, mainly because I did not have the time and enthusiasm to put in the effort. However, those children and even adults that want to get a handle on coding and are ready to get to it will get solid instruction and a good foundation.