Getting Started - Data Duck

Sep 29, 2026

Kids Get Coding: Programming Awesome Apps uses an approachable, block-based coding approach to introduce how apps work and how children can plan and build their own apps. Guided by a friendly character, the material explains what an app is, what apps do in everyday life, and how instructions inside blocks help computers perform tasks. It also prepares learners for online practice activities and introduces concepts for testing, debugging, publishing, and extending learning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Getting Started

Data Duck

What Is an App?

What Do Apps Do

Heather Lyons KIDSGETCODINGPROGRAMMINGAWESOME APPS Lerner Heather Lyons llustrations by Alex Westgate &Dan CrispLerner Publications◆Minneapolis Contents 346 Getting StartedWhat ls an App?What Do Apps Do?Let's Plan an App!The DesignWhat if...Rewards 8 10 12 14 16 Looking for BugsPublishing Your AppApps Help People!Extension ActivitiesWords to Remember22Activity Answers23Index24 18 20 22 Children will need access to the Internet for most of the activities in this book.Parents or teachers should supervise Internet use and discuss online safety with children. # Getting Started Hi!I′m Data Duck!I'm going to help you learnwhat apps are and how you can create your own.In order to make an app,we need to understandhow to write code.Writing code is what we dowhen we give a computer instructions.These instructions are saved withinapps.They tell computers how to0do all the different things weuse apps for every day. # DATA DUCK In this book,we will be using block-basedcode.These are instructions for computersthat are stored in blocks.We can move andrearrange the blocks to write code.The blocks look like this:when this character is clickedask "What's yourparrot's name?"and waitsay join(answer)"What a great name!" There are lots of activities in the book for you to try out.There are alsosome online activities for you to practice.For the online activities,go towww.blueshiftcoding.com/kidsgetcoding and look for the acivity withthe page number from the book. # What Is an App? "App"stands for application.An application is a programthat tells your computer how to do a certain job.For example,a web browser is an app that shows you web pages on theInternet.We use other apps to play music and watch videos. We can put apps on any type ofcomputer:a laptop,a phone,atablet,or even a watch!In thisbook,we're going to learn how touse code to make our own apps DATA DUCK A computer is like a hugetoolbox,and the apps thatwe put on it are the tools.We can use each tool to doa particular job.So adding anew app to our computer islike adding a new tool toour toolbox! | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | Top App | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Think about your favorite app.What does | | | | | | it do?Write down three changes to the | | | | | | app that would make it even better. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | # What Do Apps Do From browsing the Internet and checking football scoresto sending emails and listening to music,we can use appsfor almost anything! We use different kinds of apps forTo find out about the world around us ordifferent kinds of things:what the weather will be like,we canWe use gaming apps to play anduse information apps.have fun.Communication apps help us to call orIf we want to practice math problems orsend messages to our friends.find out about science,we can use anWe can watch a video or listen to aeducational app.song on an entertainment app.

FAQs

What does the book mean by an “app”?

An app is an application, meaning a program that tells a computer how to do a certain job, like a web browser for showing webpages.

How do kids create code in this book?

The book uses block-based code, where instructions are stored in movable blocks that learners rearrange to write programs.

What kinds of things can apps help with?

Apps support many activities such as browsing and checking information, playing games, communicating with messages, watching or listening to media, and practicing learning topics through educational apps.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Emma Wilson