Year 8 Virtual Library

The virtual library is full of extra resources such as tutorials, ideas, books, articles and videos. They cover each of the topics you do in class, as well as some you don’t. If you love Computer Science or want to find out more about something then use this library to help you.

This topic covers the basics of the Python programming language. You will use this language throughout Year 8 and 9 and if you choose Computer Science for GCSE it will form a very important part of the skills you need to get a good grade.

Learn Python Website

Hopefully you have learnt the basics of Python in class, however if there are areas you would like to cover again or you want to go further and find out more then you can check out this website: https://www.learnpython.org/

It has interactive tutorials on all the areas of the programming language that you need to know about.

Scientific Computing with Python

Python is one of the most popular, flexible programming languages today. You can use it for everything from basic scripting to machine learning.

In the Scientific Computing with Python Certification, you’ll learn Python fundamentals like variables, loops, conditionals, and functions. Then you’ll quickly ramp up to complex data structures, networking, relational databases, and data visualization.

https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn

Learn Python – Full Course for Beginners Video Tutorials

This set of video tutorials starts how to install Python on your computer at home and then guides you through all the aspects you need to know.

This topic looks at how we can use problem solving techniques used in Computer Science to solve all kinds of problems. By using abstraction, decomposition and identifying patterns nearly all problems can made easier to understand and solve.

How anyone can use computer science principles to solve everyday problems

Computer science teaches a problem-solving paradigm that can be very useful for finding innovative solutions to everyday challenges. Based on his own experience of inventing the world’s first non-invasive flu vaccine, Virji tells us how he used computer science to identify a problem, tailor a solution to those who needed it most, and recognize when he needed to think out-of-the-box.

Problem Solve Like a Computer Programmer

Computers are stupid. From this strong opening statement, Kyle explores how thinking through a problem like a computer programmer can help you in your work and your everyday life. He shows how to properly define a problem with a step by step computer science demonstration and through his personal journey of self-improvement.

Extra Flowol Activities

Try out some extra Flowol activities here:

SQL Murder Mystery

SQL or Structured Query Language is the language used by developers to create and interact with databases in the real world. Go to this link to solve a murder mystery using SQL commands.

https://mystery.knightlab.com/walkthrough.html

Lost at SQL

You are lost at sea and need to escape your sinking ship, use SQL to solve the puzzles.

https://lost-at-sql.therobinlord.com/

Select Star SQL (SQL Tutorial)

“This is an interactive book which aims to be the best place on the internet for learning SQL. It is free of charge, free of ads and doesn’t require registration or downloads. It helps you learn by running queries against a real-world dataset to complete projects of consequence. It is not a mere reference page — it conveys a mental model for writing SQL.

I expect little to no coding knowledge. Each chapter is designed to take about 30 minutes. As more of the world’s data is stored in databases, I expect that this time will pay rich dividends!”

https://selectstarsql.com/

This topic covers artificial intelligence, it’s origins, where it is now and the possibilities going into the future.

AI Experiments with Google

Google has a collection of AI experiments that explores machine learning, through pictures, drawings, language, music, and more.

https://experiments.withgoogle.com/collection/ai

How many robots does it take to run a grocery store?

In Ocado’s grocery warehouses, thousands of mechanical boxes move on the Hive. Are they all individual robots? Or is this one giant hive mind?

Magic Sketchpad

Draw things with machines! Every time you lift your pen up, a machine learning algorithm tries to finish that stroke and match the category you’ve selected. Try drawing multiple categories on the same page!

Click here to have a go: https://magic-sketchpad.glitch.me/

AI Dungeon

Play and create adventures with infinite possibilities, brought to life with one of the most advanced AIs in the world. You can do and say anything in these virtual stories set in fantastical or sci-fi worlds, see how the AI storyteller deals with your actions and moves the story on.

https://play.aidungeon.io/

In this topic you investigated different layers of computing systems:

• From programs and the operating system
• To the physical components that function together as a system to execute these programs
• To the fundamental binary building blocks that these components consist of

The Little Man Computer

This is the ‘little man computer’, or LMC. It’s an instructional model of a computer, created in 1965. It models a simple Von Neumann architecture, with all the basic features of a modern computer. We can program the LMC using ‘machine code’. Machine code is normally binary numbers that represent instructions to the computer. However, with the LMC, we use denary numbers.

Use the buttons below to download a help sheet and go to a website that has guides on how you can use this to see in depth how computers work.