PyCon UK 2017 Code Club Raspberry Pi

Join Code Club at PyCon UK 2017

PyCon UK’s Education Day in partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation is returning for its sixth year on Saturday 28th October at Cardiff City Hall, and we would love to see Code Club children, parents, and volunteers in attendance!

What’s happening?

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Kids (and parents): come learn how to build the future! Experts in computing education and professional programmers will be on hand to deliver a series of fun, practical, and interesting workshops that will help you learn the basics of programming, develop your computing skills, and make cool projects.

Code Club

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For children aged between 8 and 13, we will be hosting a very special Code Club from 09:00 to 17:00. Sessions include:

  • From blocks to text with EduBlocks: A workshop hosted by 13-year-old Josh Lowe
  • Learn Python with Code Club projects: Race turtles with your friends!
  • Get hands-on with Raspberry Pi in a junk modeling workshop using Python
  • Build your own project with support from the education team and PyCon UK’s very own volunteers

Raspberry Jam

Raspberry Jam PyCon UK 2017

For teenagers and young adults, we will be hosting an all-day Raspberry Jam, with Jam Makers on hand to help everyone out. Learn new skills in sessions like:

  • An introduction to Minecraft hacking for kids and teachers: Getting started with Python and Minecraft Pi
  • Get hands-on with embedded devices like Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Circuit Playground Express, and micro:bit
  • Python project pyrotechnics – Make a project to take home with you!

Educators

Raspberry Pi Code Club Python PyCon UK 2017

The fun isn’t limited to the younger generation. If you are a classroom teacher, Code Club volunteer, librarian, or interested parent, then we also have sessions just for you! Come learn about Python, its vibrant community, and its uses in education; meet colleagues from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Micro:bit Foundation, and Python Software Foundation; and observe experts giving lessons to kids on the children’s day. Sessions include:

  • An education keynote from Tom Crick, Professor of Computer Science & Public Policy, at Cardiff Metropolitan University, and Vice-President of the BCS: Chartered Institute for IT about computer science education in Wales and beyond
  • Code with Mu: How we built a code editor for beginner programmers in Python
  • Using Python in schools: A student’s point of view
  • Accessible Python instruction: Including students with special educational needs and disabilities
  • …and lots more!

For information can be found on the following web pages — make sure you check them out and join us:

Tickets

Raspberry Pi Code Club Cardiff City Hall PyCon UK 2017

Tickets are just £5 for children and include a picnic lunch. Parents and guardians accompanying children do not require a conference ticket. Educators (see above for description) and those in full-time education should pay at the Education rate on the main ticketing page.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Raspberry Pi Code Club Sonic Pi

Get groovy with Sonic Pi

You asked, and we delivered: today, we are introducing our six new Sonic Pi projects for Code Clubs!

What is Sonic Pi?

Sonic Pi is a programming environment that lets you create music and other sounds with code while learning programming concepts at the same time.

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Despite the name, you don’t need a Raspberry Pi to get started with Sonic Pi. If you do have one, Sonic Pi is included with Raspbian, but it is also available as a free download for MacOS, Windows, and Linux.

Our new Sonic Pi projects

Some of you already have experience with Sonic Pi, so it’s no wonder that so many of you asked for some projects for your clubs in our last survey! The scope of what you can make with Sonic Pi is incredible – from live DJ sets, to indoor musical rocketry, to a winning Pioneers entry!

So what do we have for you to get your groove on?

Compose Your Own Tune

Code Club Raspberry Pi Sonic Pi

Bored of the standard buzz or ring of your doorbell? Get creative and code your own personalised chime. You can even download the tune and make a ringtone for your phone or notification sound for your tablet or PC!

Drum Loop

Code Club Raspberry Pi Sonic Pi

Get more boom for your tish with the Drum Loop project, in which you will learn to create a drum solo, with added intro and outro. Whatever you compose, it will always need more cowbell!

Special Effects

Code Club Raspberry Pi Sonic Pi

You’ve already been coding games in Scratch, and now it’s time to add a wow factor by including some special effect sounds. Suspense, horror, action, and more — whatever your game’s genre, Sonic Pi will make it stand out from the rest.

Code the Tetris Theme Tune

Code Club Raspberry Pi Sonic Pi

The world’s most infectious earworm is now yours to create. Learn how to convert sheet music into code and mix your own version of the classic Tetris theme tune: the Russian folk dance Korobeiniki.

Musical Round

Code Club Raspberry Pi Sonic Pi

From music class to school trips, everyone had practiced their skills at singing in the round. With the Musical Round project resource, you will learn how to stagger code to play the same tune at different times. Frère Jacques, anyone?

Live DJ

Code Club Raspberry Pi Sonic Pi

Sam Aaron, the creator of Sonic Pi, uses his software to code live music for the audience of his events. Be like Sam Aaron using the Live DJ project, in which you will learn how to add and edit code without stopping the music.

Do more with Sonic Pi

If you’re itching to get lost in the world of Sonic Pi, or to improve your skills, you could also check out The MagPi Magazine’s Sonic Pi Essentials guide. As with all publications from The MagPi team, the Essentials guides are available as a free PDF download online, or in physical form for £3.99 via The Pi Hut.

We can’t wait to see what awesome Sonic Pi creations come from Code Clubs across the UK! Make sure to tag us and Sonic Pi on Facebook and Twitter with any music you think we’d like to see, and always keep your Code Club Regional Coordinator in the loop — they love to show off the creativity of their clubs.