Story and photos by Sam Gabrielson ’29
Students in the AppMakers Academy are not only learning the importance of designing the aesthetics of a mobile app, but also the coding and assembling behind it that not all of us see in an app. They are using a platform called “Thunkable” which allows the students to assemble a mobile application. In Thunkable, students assemble buttons, backgrounds, pages, and so much more while connecting the code blocks to make the app interactive. They have made multiple types of apps, such as translation apps, music soundboard apps, and even an app that MICDS students can use to quickly access their resources for athletics, academics, and arts. Middle School History Teachers Blake Whitney and Berta Simic, both instruct the students and are available to help the students create their apps and learn code.
On the first day of AppMakers Academy, the students started on a web-based block coding site called “Scratch.” After figuring out block coding as well as building casual games, the class transitioned to using Thunkable. The first day of using Thunkable involved the students making a translation app. They put together buttons and translate boxes using code. After the translation app, the class began work on a music button soundboard app. When students were asked about the process of creating the app, Harper Pook ’28 said, “It was difficult but fun at the same time. It gave me a challenge; I learned a lot more about coding than I knew.” Wyatt Giles ’28 reflected, “It’s hard, definitely challenging, but when you get it done, it is satisfying and makes you feel good.” Mr. Whitney even said, “It is making everyone troubleshoot and problem solve; like a puzzle, and they need to figure out how to make the puzzle work.” The students in this class need to constantly extend what they learn from one day’s coding to the next when they are constantly learning how to code different types of apps for a diverse audience. When asked about the final project for this course, Ms. Simic said, “Because they made apps that we walked them through, they chose their own apps to design in Thunkable.” The students can use a variety of resources such as Thunkable, Canva, and tutorials to help them build their own apps.
This course was very fun and engaging for the students to get the opportunity to learn this important skill. Ms. Simic got the inspiration to create the class from last year. “In the seventh-grade innovation unit, we made an app-making option for one of the projects, and the students really liked it, so we made it into a course.” When students were asked what they wanted to learn by the end of the course, Wesley Schell ’29 said that he wanted to “Make cool things I’m proud of, and things I can use in the future,” and Sofia Huffman ’28 said, “I want to increase my coding skills.” Look out Rams! We may have some App Makers in our school!
