Hope everyone enjoyed last week.

This week we are going to use a drawing application Paint.net or msPaint, whichever people prefer to use to finish the Calculator off properly.

What we need to do is set the Background in the Calculator to a picture of a real calculator, something like this one…

And then using Paint.net or any other graphics tool we are going to cut out the different numbers and save them all of to seperate files and then use these files as the Sprites.

You should end up with loads of these…

Do one for each number, one for +, -, X and divide. Oh and don’t forget the dot 🙂

If any one is feeling adventurous we might even try and do something with Memory.

Please let us know what stream you/your child will be part of in CoderDojo Athenry this season, so that we can plan for the numbers expected.

If you are answering on behalf of more than one child, please “vote” multiple times. Thank you!

We had a great turnout for our information & registration session at CoderDojo Athenry on Saturday 28 Sept. We didn’t count the numbers, but we ran out of registration forms after 70 new sign-ups.

If you didn’t get to sign up, don’t worry – the first Saturday that you come along, you can fill out a registration form and jump right in.

If you are already registered from last year, you don’t need to register again.

Here are all the slides from the information session:

1. Overview (Michael): CoderDojoAthenry-InfoSession-2012-09-15.pdf
2. Scratch Beginners (Martha): CoderDojo_InfoSession_28_9-2013.pdf
3. Scratch Advanced (Oliver): YearThreePresentation.pdf
4. Python (Declan): Python who and why.pdf
5. Claire (HTML): HTML_C_Lally.pdf
6. Minecraft Mods (Michael): CoderDojoAthenry-Info-Minecraft.pdf
7. Belts (Michael): CoderDojoAthenry-Info-Belts.pdf

As the picture above shows, we are planning 5 topics this season, spread over 4 rooms:

• Scratch Beginners, led by Martha:
  • Aimed at the younger ones and those who are new
  • They will progress to Scratch Intermediate after a few months
  • If possible, download Scratch 2 here before next Saturday: http://scratch.mit.edu/scratch2download/
• Scratch Advanced, led by Oliver:
  • Topics will include music, animation, file systems, operating systems, and a programming language
  • Aimed at those who have a yellow cert/belt in Scratch
• Python, led by Declan:
  • Aimed at those who have Blue belts in Scratch or have being doing HTML and would like to try something different
  • Will be mainly command line based to begin, moving to Pygame later
  • Will also involve Raspberry Pi and electronics boards
• HTML, led by Claire:
  • Create your own webpage
  • HTML, images, links, stylesheets
• Minecraft Modding, led by Michael:
  • Aimed at the older/more experienced group
  • Will involve learning how to program in JavaScript and Java, which are advanced programming languages, to create new mods
  • NOT just playing Minecraft or installing other peoples’ mods!

As in previous years, CoderDojo Athenry will be on Saturdays from 12:00 until about 1:30 or 2pm, in Gairmscoil Mhuire VEC school in Athenry, Under 13s must be accompanied.

Please make sure you are on the CoderDojo Athenry mailing list: if you are not receiving weekly email messages from us, then send an email message to coderdojoathenry@gmail.com and we’ll add you.

See you soon!

Michael and the CoderDojo Athenry mentors.

CoderDojo Athenry is restarting after the summer!

We will have an Information Session on Saturday 28 September at 12:00, and our first coding session of the new season will be on Saturday 5 October at 12:00, and every Saturday afterwards. As always, we will be based in Gairmscoil Mhuire, Athenry.

New members are welcome, both kids and teenagers, and of course we hope our existing members will return also. We will be repeating some topics from last year and adding some new ones. In particular, we hope to have some new topics that will appeal to teenagers.

To register, just come along for the information session or you can come along any Saturday, fill out a registration form, and jump in!

See you there!

Scratch Beginners – White and Yellow Belts

Python Coders

And the Scratch Advanced

And the Party!