McGinnis Woods School

Summer 2024

Uplift Academy provided students at McGinnis Woods School in Alpharetta, GA a 3 week summer camp in June 2024. Through personalized hands-on projects and interactive lessons taught by our insightful volunteers, students were able to learn foundational coding skills and apply them, expressing their creativity along the way.

Week 1 Students were introduced to the basics of coding through the use of the platform Scratch. After a thorough understanding on how to use the platform, students created their own games using text-based programs in Scratch.
Week 2 Through the use of Python, students learned computer science theory and how to use different modules. The students applied this knowledge to draw their own unique picture in the module Turtle.
Week 3 Website building was the main goal of this week as students learned basic concepts of front-end languages such as HTML and CSS. Furthermore, students broke up into teams and built informative and enjoyable websites on topics of their choice.

Fall 2024

Uplift Academy is partnered with McGinnis Woods School in Alpharetta, GA for a 7 week Scratch course which will run until the mid of November. Students will be learn the basics of programming along with using critical thinking to create their own unique game. 

Week 1 Students got hands-on with Scratch, diving into the basics like setting up the stage, using sprites, and writing scripts. They explored the programming palette, getting comfortable with creating their first animations.
Week 2 We challenged the students to put their skills to the test by creating games like Crossy Road. This project helped them build their coding confidence, combining creativity with practical coding concepts in a fun, interactive way.
Week 3 This week, students focused on planning their own games. They brainstormed ideas, mapped out their game, and created flowcharts to visualize how their games would work.
Week 4 This week was all about letting students’ imaginations run wild as they began creating their own games. They applied the coding principles they'd learned and started bringing their ideas to life.
Week 5 Students had the chance to continue working on their game. By the end of this week students had finished creating the base framework of their game and even started adding more details, such as new levels.
Week 6 Students worked on finsihing up game and making sure that the game ran smoothly without any errors.
Week 7 In the final week of the program, students showcased their code to their peers and invited them to try out and enjoy their games.