Our april 2020 Issue
Preparing for your Digital Mitzvah
When I first introduce the concept, I usually get a lot of quizzical looks. Wait! A digital mitzvah?…
How Antivirus Software Works
If you have antivirus software installed on your computer (and you should!) you’ll know that it stops viruses…
Questions to Ask Summer Tech Camps
Recently the iDTech summer camp blog posted an exhaustive article, 102 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Summer…
Circus Ball in SketchUp
SketchUp is a free and fun program for 3D modeling. You can use SketchUp to design just about…
Sundials and Watches
What would happen if the clock on your classroom wall didn’t exist? If watches and other ways to…
5 Computer Books for Programming
While it is true programmers use internet search engines as much as half the time to look up…
Tidbitz
Interesting stories about computer science, software programming, and technology for April 2020.
Lego Mindstorms and MicroPython
If your school has a Lego Mindstorms Club or if you have your own set at home, you…
Python Ciphers
Python Ciphers Introduction Take a look at the following four messages: gvlsjgqqszqovusuvamoomvixvpihtflqzplmqh deiruberasdnuopnoillimowtwolebteefytrof for tyf eet bel owt…
Internet of Things and Power
Weather-related devices, car computers, smart refrigerators and appliances, personal health monitors, and shipping container monitors are examples of…
Why Are Computer Mice Called That?
Computer hardware sometimes has silly names, but none as silly as the mouse you use to move the…
Exploring the Beginning of Life on Earth
What could have started life on Earth? It’s a broad question. Much broader than most scientists choose when…
Snap!: A More Powerful Scratch
Scratch is the biggest blocks-based programming language out there. But it’s not the only one! Today we’ll take…
Control an Arduino using Scratch
FOR THIS PROJECT YOU WILL NEED A computer running Windows An Arduino Uno or compatible The Arduino IDE…
Recursion: Following the Shape of Data
Recursion is one of the foundational tricks for solving problems, on a computer or otherwise. Even if you’ve…
How Computers Remember Things
You may have heard people talk about computers having “memory”. But what exactly is it? How do computers…
Sorting Algorithms
Whether it is books in a library or clothes in a closet, keeping data organized makes it easier…