short programming projects for kids

[André Roberge]

bobdc wrote:
> I will be teaching an "Introduction to Programming" class to some
> middle school aged children and will be using Python, obviously. Does
> anyone have suggestions for simple little programs to create and
> analyze with them after I get past turtle graphics?
> 
> Turtle graphics will be plenty for the first session, and I will leave
> time to ask them what they'd like to do in later sessions, but I was
> curious if anyone on the list has experience picking pedagogical
> programming examples appropriate for twelve-year-olds' attention spans.
> thanks,
> 
> Bob
> 
While it is not python per se, I suggest you have a look at GvR
(Guido van Robot) (The app is written in Python but is too complicated
for beginners).  It is hosted on sourceforge (gvr.sourceforge.net).
It is a very interesting way (imho) to learn about programming, in
a pythonic way.

(somewhat shameless plug follows:)
A 'more advanced version' of GvR which uses the full Python syntax
is RUR-PLE  (rur-ple.sourceforge.net).  The version currently hosted
there does NOT work under Linux (untested on Mac).
It uses wxPython 2.4 and will not work with 2.5.
An updated release that will work under both Linux and Windows,
and under both wxPython 2.4 and 2.5 will come out very soon, I hope.

I'm working on it :-)  I have two kids (ages 11 and 13) and plan to use
rur-ple to teach them about programming.   Note that, even though
I plan it to be suitable for motivated children (with some guidance),
the end product (to be finished in a year?) is planned to be suitable 
for a complete first-year university computer science.

Andre Roberge