SFU Rocket Science presents: ConnectCode- A Python Coding Workshop! This program is an immersive educational experience designed to ignite young minds with the wonders of engineering, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The Python Coding Workshop is designed for highschool students from grades 8 - 9, and will provide budding engineers with hands-on experience as they create a virtual Connect 4 board game.
Under the guidance of experienced instructors and mentors, young engineers will explore the principles of engineering and coding. They will gain valuable insights into problem-solving strategies, critical thinking, and teamwork as they collaborate with their peers to overcome challenges and achieve objectives.
Join us for a thrilling 12 hour program that will take place over the course of two days.
Day 1: Mastering Python Foundations by Building a Connect 4 Game
On the first day of the ConnectCode Workshop, students will embark on a journey into the fundamentals of coding using Python. This information will not only serve as a foundation for the current project but also for future coding endeavours. Through hands-on exercises and interactive learning, students will gain knowledge in essential coding concepts such as variables, functions, loops, and conditional statements. The ultimate goal of the day is to equip students with the skills necessary to bring their creative coding ideas to life. After learning about the basics in Python, students will create an interactive version of the family-favourite board game: Connect 4.
Day 2: Unleashing Creativity with Intelligent Bots
Building upon the solid foundation laid on Day 1, students will go beyond the fundamentals and create an intelligent “bot” to play Connect 4 with. The thought processes, strategy and cunningness of the bot will be designed using the knowledge of the previous day along with the student's creativity and imagination. Once that is completed, a friendly tournament will take place between all of the bots created by the students.
The CodeConnect Workshop will not only stimulate the technical proficiency of the students but also encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and friendly competition. By the end of the day, students will proudly witness the results of their hard work, celebrating the diverse and innovative approaches taken to craft their very own Connect 4 game.
Note that this is designed as a 2 day program but the second day is optional - building upon the game created in day 1 with more advanced concepts and room for creative algorithm design.