This is how I went through the process. Everything here is subjection only; you should adapt them to your scenario in your school.
Let’s warm up with the Hour of Code video. If you don’t know what it is, visit HourOfCode (or wait for my post about it).
You may like to paste the posters around your school’s campus, involve parents, promote the activity in the morning assemblies, etc. Well, you would need permission first, and I suggest you talk to the school’s leaders in advance, so you have more chance to captivate students’ attention by making the activity something popular and the big thing (as it is! come on, it’s global!)
Talk to your school leaders
I wrote an email before talking to them informally after cooking the idea with my head of the department.
The test highlighted in yellow means guidance through email. The text highlighted in brown is for this post’s tips.
Get their attention by showing how amazing this activity can impact the school.
Dear leaders, Every year during December 5-11, the world’s schools, universities, and companies celebrate Computer Science Education Week. I would love our students to participate and put our school on the map.
CSEdW is an annual call to action to inspire K-12 students to learn computer science, advocate for equity in computer science education, and celebrate the contributions of students, teachers, and partners to the field (CSEdW, 2022). You can watch the introduction video by clicking here. I have attached the Heroes posters as well.
Example of posters (All posters come from the official activity page CSEdWeek)
(if you are in China and your school doesn’t have a VPN, provide a link that works. Here is an example).
Show them you are already working on it and know how to make it happen.
I offer to create/prepare activities and integrate them into different lessons, and I would appreciate your permission and support. In fact, I have already started planning and testing activities available for our kids. Please take a look at the following ideas that require your authorization.
Time to give them actions to take.
Remember that this should be adapted to your school, so you can even start small and cut many of these tasks.
Present the event during the assembly (4 minutes would do it).
Invite a professional to hold an online Q&A section with students or talk about the experience online. I already have a volunteer who can speak English and Chinese.
Send an email from the CSEdWeek organization on other ways to support the activities.
Send the Hour of code Parent Guide to our parents so they can play at home.
Hold some activities together with another school in China. I have already seen some schools that will participate in the event.
Use it as BLC for Y7-Y9.
Email the Upper Secondary teachers to see if they are interested in integrating it into their classes and support them.
Help Marketing to promote the activity.
Always give them options.
Whole week plan: Promote the activity day (a document I have already created, attached as “CSEW 2022 heroes activities”), run the activity for 2-3 (where the students would do lessons in different subjects), Hour of code, and Closure day for reflections.
Minimalistic plan: Host the Hour of Code. Here are all the details. There will be a How-to guide, resources, and everything we need for the activity.
Intermediate plan: Promotion, Hour of code, and any other activity you allow.
End this shortly, so they keep thinking about the options.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Please let me know if there are any questions or suggestions.
Best regards,
[your signature]
Again, this is how I did it. If you are planning the activity or have done it in the pass, please share your tips and good practices.
Cheers!
Would you like to learn how I promoted the activity [Part 2]?
Yes!
No
I prefer guidance in another step.