Experience PAC Campus Life Youth Education After School Programs

After School Programs

Bits ‘n Bytes

Bits ‘n Bytes Online is an after-school program for students in grades 3-7 to explore coding languages and tools, computational thinking, and digital literacy. Provided in collaboration between Palo Alto College and Youth Code Jam, participants will enjoy online activities like virtual scavenger hunts, coding custom characters, practicing email etiquette, animation tutorials, typing competitions, and more!

Together, we’ll take creativity and computer skills to the next level. Join us via Zoom for live sessions at 4:30 p.m. CT on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Registration closes for each session at noon (12 p.m.) CT on the day of the program.

Thank you to our partner, Youth Code Jam for their generous support.

Session information and registration

Mar. 15–24 – Bits ‘n Bytes Series #5: Puzzle Club

Session 1: Monday, March 15, 2021: Sudoku Puzzles

Session 2: Wednesday, March 17, 2021: Program Design: Fairytale Adventure

Session 3: Monday, March 22, 2021: Reverse Word Search Puzzles

Session 4: Wednesday, March 24, 2021: Program Design: Draw a Feast

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Apr. 26–May 5 - Bits ‘n Bytes Series #8: Code Adventures with MakeCode Arcade

Session 1: Monday, April 26, 2021: Animate a Sprite

  • Students will learn how to create a realistic walking animation that they can use in any video game project.

Session 2: Wednesday, April 28, 2021: Touchdown

  • In this lesson, students will code a mini football game where their player must score a touchdown before being tackled by the opposing team.

Session 3: Monday, May 3, 2021: Space Turret

  • The starbase is under attack from a rogue cluster of meteors. You are the last line of defense to blast them out of the sky. In this program, we will create a game that will create new clones of a sprite, make sprites move, shoot projectiles, and interact with each other.

Session 4: Wednesday, May 5, 2021: Pocket Pet

  • Inspired by the popular '90's toy, students will learn how to make their own virtual pocket pet that they can feed and play with (via the game controllers, of course)!

Technology Requirements: Students will need a laptop or desktop computer with WiFi access. Students can use a tablet device to work with Microsoft's MakeCode Arcade editor, but may have some issues running or interacting with their programs.

Register now

May 10–19 - Bits ‘n Bytes Series Series #9: Puzzle Club

Session 1: Monday, May 10, 2021: Nonogram puzzles

  • Students will learn about and how to solve nonogram puzzles.

Session 2: Wednesday, May 12, 2021: Design and Code a Program

  • Students are given a prompt for a coding program. They must plan what their program will look like, either with the class or on their own, and then turn those plans into code using a block-code editor, such as Scratch, Snap!, Makecode Arcade, Beetle Blocks, etc. 

Session 3: Monday, May 17, 2021: Self-referential puzzles

  • Students will learn about and how to solve self-referential puzzles.

Session 4: Wednesday, May 19, 2021: Design and Code a Program

  • In this activity, students are given a prompt for a coding program. They must plan what their program will look like, either with the class or on their own, and then turn those plans into code using a block-code editor, such as Scratch, Snap!, Makecode Arcade, Beetle Blocks, etc. 

Technology Requirements: Students will need a laptop or desktop computer with WiFi access. 

Register now

May 24–June 2 - Bits ‘n Bytes Series Series #10: Code Adventures with Tynker

Session 1: Monday, May 24, 2021: Ninja Training

  • Students will create a program to help their ninja character improve their speed and dodging skills.

Session 2: Wednesday, May 26, 2021: Floating through Space

  • Students will learn a little bit about physics, specifically how gravity affects their character’s movement.

Session 3: Tuesday, June 1, 2021: Sketchpad

  • Students will combine art and coding with this activity by learning how to make their own drawing program using Tynker.

Session 4: Wednesday, June 2, 2021: Life on Mars

  • While exploring Mars, their character discovers alien life! In this activity, students will use code to tell the story of that first meeting.

Register now

Register for all 2021 Bits ‘n Bytes Online Series sessions!

Register now

    

Contact Information

Erron Gonzalez 
pac-stem@alamo.edu

 
Youth Education