Learning to Program With Python

I created a two-part course for beginners to learn programming using Python, where each session lasted three hours.  The course was first offered through Girl Develop It! Ottawa in June 2014.  Day 1 of the course was also use for Go Code Girl in 2014 and 2015.

The goal of the course is to give participants a basic understanding of four key concepts in programming: variables, conditionals, iteration, and functions.  The first session uses Python's turtle module to give a visual context to the concepts, and the second session reinforces these concepts by building up a simple text adventure game.  In both sessions, lots of time to try small challenges and experiment is given in between relatively short bursts of instruction.

Course Outline

Day 1: Turtle Graphics

• Introduction to computer science and computational thinking
• Thinking like a computer: CS Unplugged activity on programming languages
• Turtle Graphics
• Repetition
• Variables
• More Turtle Commands
• Challenges (more complex drawings to try)
• True, False, If
• Functions
• Exercises
• Challenges

Day 2: Text Adventure

• Introduction to Text Adventures
• Basic User Input
  • Review of variables
• Lists
• Checking User Input
  • Review of if/else
  • Addition of elif
• Loops and User Input
  • Review of reptition
  • Introduction of while loop
• User Input Functions
  • Review of functions with parameters
• Functions for Places to Go
• Putting it All Together
  • Game Loop

Course Materials

Slides and links are available on the GDI course's webpage.  An updated version of Day 1 is available on my Go Code Girl course page.