<div dir="ltr">I agree with Phil Funk&#39;s comment. I use Scratch with grades 4-6, Alice 2x with grades 7-8, and Alice 3x with grade 9. It&#39;s a nice transition up to Alice 3x and Java.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br>

<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 5:10 PM, Funk, Philip <span dir="ltr">&lt;<a href="mailto:P.Funk@snhu.edu" target="_blank">P.Funk@snhu.edu</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">

Regarding question from Susan in Vol 46 Issue 5, I completely agree with the response from Marilynn regarding using Alice 2.x vs. Alice 3.x.  Don&#39;t worry about students who have done some Java programming.  That probably means they are aware of the need for syntax considerations such as semi-colons and braces.  Alice eliminates those needs.<br>


In terms of teaching principles and concepts, there is a lot more to be learned from a semester with Alice than there would be from two semesters with Java (obviously my opinion - based on some experience - here).<br>
If you are beginning with sixth graders, you might consider starting out with Scratch (<a href="http://scratch.mit.edu" target="_blank">http://scratch.mit.edu</a>) and then transitioning to Alice.<br>
        Phil Funk<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: alice-teachers-bounces+p.funk=<a href="mailto:snhu.edu@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">snhu.edu@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:alice-teachers-bounces%2Bp.funk">alice-teachers-bounces+p.funk</a>=<a href="mailto:snhu.edu@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">snhu.edu@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a>] On Behalf Of <a href="mailto:alice-teachers-request@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers-request@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a><br>


Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2014 12:00 PM<br>
To: <a href="mailto:alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a><br>
Subject: alice-teachers Digest, Vol 46, Issue 7<br>
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Today&#39;s Topics:<br>
<br>
   1. Re:  Alice 2 or 3 for middle schoolRe: s Digest, Vol 46,<br>
      Issue 5 (Susan Stein)<br>
<br>
<br>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Message: 1<br>
Date: Wed, 07 May 2014 11:17:18 -0400<br>
From: Susan Stein &lt;<a href="mailto:susan@susanstein.org">susan@susanstein.org</a>&gt;<br>
Subject: Re: alice-teacher Alice 2 or 3 for middle schoolRe: s Digest,<br>
        Vol 46, Issue 5<br>
To: Marilynn Huret &lt;<a href="mailto:mhuret@mindspring.com">mhuret@mindspring.com</a>&gt;,     Alice educators<br>
        &lt;<a href="mailto:alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a>&gt;<br>
Message-ID: &lt;<a href="mailto:536A4E7E.9010500@susanstein.org">536A4E7E.9010500@susanstein.org</a>&gt;<br>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=&quot;utf-8&quot;<br>
<br>
I do have the occasional student who is already programming in Java.<br>
<br>
&gt; Marilynn Huret &lt;mailto:<a href="mailto:mhuret@mindspring.com">mhuret@mindspring.com</a>&gt; May 7, 2014 at 10:19 AM<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; If you are introducing it to middle schoolers, Alice2 would be most<br>
&gt; appropriate since it involves language and abilities geared to that<br>
&gt; age group. alice 3 is not an upgrade, it is a more enhanced version<br>
&gt; leading to development in java.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; Marilynn Huret<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; <a href="mailto:mhuret@mindspring.com">mhuret@mindspring.com</a> &lt;mailto:<a href="mailto:mhuret@mindspring.com">mhuret@mindspring.com</a>&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; -----Original Message-----<br>
&gt; &gt;From: <a href="mailto:alice-teachers-request@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers-request@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a><br>
&gt; &gt;Sent: May 7, 2014 9:32 AM<br>
&gt; &gt;To: <a href="mailto:alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a><br>
&gt; &gt;Subject: alice-teachers Digest, Vol 46, Issue 5<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;Send alice-teachers mailing list submissions to<br>
&gt; &gt;<a href="mailto:alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a><br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<br>
&gt; &gt;<a href="https://lists.andrew.cmu.edu/mailman/listinfo/alice-teachers" target="_blank">https://lists.andrew.cmu.edu/mailman/listinfo/alice-teachers</a><br>
&gt; &gt;or, via email, send a message with subject or body &#39;help&#39; to<br>
&gt; &gt;<a href="mailto:alice-teachers-request@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers-request@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a><br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;You can reach the person managing the list at<br>
&gt; &gt;<a href="mailto:alice-teachers-owner@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers-owner@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a><br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<br>
&gt; &gt;than &quot;Re: Contents of alice-teachers digest...&quot;<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;Today&#39;s Topics:<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt; 1. Re: Alice 2 Workshop -- Introduction To Alice (Susan Stein)<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;---------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
&gt; &gt;-<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;Message: 1<br>
&gt; &gt;Date: Wed, 07 May 2014 08:45:06 -0400<br>
&gt; &gt;From: Susan Stein<br>
&gt; &gt;Subject: Re: alice-teacher Alice 2 Workshop -- Introduction To Alice<br>
&gt; &gt;To: Alice educators<br>
&gt; &gt;Message-ID: &lt;<a href="mailto:536A2AD2.5090209@susanstein.org">536A2AD2.5090209@susanstein.org</a>&gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;Content-Type: text/plain; charset=&quot;iso-8859-1&quot;<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;Hi Don,<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;I teach middle school technology (6-8th grades), I want to<br>
&gt; &gt;incorporate Alice into my curriculum next year. So I was wondering if<br>
&gt; &gt;it would be better for me to take Alice 2, Alice 3, or both. I&#39;m a<br>
&gt; &gt;beginner and have very little experience with Alice.<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;Thanks<br>
&gt; &gt;Susan Stein<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; Don Slater<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; May 7, 2014 at 8:15 AM<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; June 28th-July 2th, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; Registration Page:<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt;<br>
&gt; <a href="https://web.campusservices.cmu.edu/conferences/registration.taf?ID=201" target="_blank">https://web.campusservices.cmu.edu/conferences/registration.taf?ID=201</a><br>
&gt; 4alice<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; Carnegie Mellon will host an Alice 2.4 Institute for middle/high<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; school and college instructors. Alice,an innovative 3D programming<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; environment developed at Carnegie Mellon University, is designed as<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; an instructional tool for teaching and learning computational<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; thinking and introductory programming concepts. With Alice,<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; students learn fundamental programming concepts in the context of<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; creating animations, videos, and simple games.<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; Alice 2.4 features a new set of 3D models from the Garfield?<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; comics, courtesy of Paws, Inc. This workshop will explore the Alice<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; 2.4 programming environment as an effective and engaging tool to<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; introduce students in middle school through first-year college to<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; fundamental programming concepts and Computer Science. We will also<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; explore how Alice 2.4 can be used in multidisciplinary K-12 classroom settings.<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; This workshop will be presented by nationally recognized curriculum<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; experts in Alice.<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; _______________________________________________<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; alice-teachers mailing list<br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; <a href="mailto:alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a><br>
&gt; &gt;&gt; <a href="https://lists.andrew.cmu.edu/mailman/listinfo/alice-teachers" target="_blank">https://lists.andrew.cmu.edu/mailman/listinfo/alice-teachers</a><br>
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&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;------------------------------<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;_______________________________________________<br>
&gt; &gt;alice-teachers mailing list<br>
&gt; &gt;<a href="mailto:alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu">alice-teachers@lists.andrew.cmu.edu</a><br>
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&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;<br>
&gt; &gt;End of alice-teachers Digest, Vol 46, Issue 5<br>
&gt; &gt;*********************************************<br>
&gt;<br>
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