Activities/Pippy

Pippy is a simple IDE for the Python programming language. It provides a menu of sample files, a text editing window, and simple controls for running and stopping the selected code.

To create a new program,

1. Click Clear.
2. Begin entering code.
3. Rename the session (default Pippy Activity) to yourname.py
4. Click Keep, and select As Pippy Document. (If you have not given it a Pythonic name, Pippy saves it as a Write document.)
5. Click the Journal entry to resume editing and testing.

Python, like other programming languages with sufficiently simple syntax, can be taught starting in third grade. The general plan is to let children use several interesting programs for some time, and then show them how to make simple changes in text strings and variable values. Then, over the next few years, gradually show them how to make ever-more significant changes until they can write programs on their own.

Note that the programmable tiles in Turtle Art provide an environment in which children can start with simple Python expressions and work their way up to full programming.