“Youth-led Tech | Summer 2015” is a technology mentoring program in five Chicago neighborhoods: Austin, Englewood, Humboldt Park, North Lawndale, and Roseland. As part of this program, we’re teaching various classes on digital skills. We’ve open sourced our curriculum through a series of blog posts. We cover an introductions to WordPress, Wordpress dashboards, themes, how to post, and how to add media to your WordPress site. We also have set time aside each day for students to work on their typing skills. These are minute-by-minute guides on teaching the youth. If you want to start your own Youth-Led Tech program, this is the place to start. At Smart Chicago, we are dedicated to sharing all of our methods. Not just code published to Github (though we do that, too), but whole swaths of templates, resources, and guides that help spread the practice of community technology.

1. Youth-Led Tech Curriculum
Day 22: Setting up App Inventor II
Content Goals: Develop an understanding of design software, GIMP, as well as
an understanding of aesthetics and type. Interpret the use of
open source software as a solution to an inflated market of for-
pay software. Construct a series of designs that show how to
create imagery for various platforms (Facebook, Twitter,
business cards, printed flyers).
Leadership Goals: Team-building activities with a focus on communication
Materials:
10:00 AM Sign-in
Use the online attendance sheet to mark students as present and
note any issues.
10:05 AM Mood Check/Icebreaker Question
It’s important to start every session with an opening activity, such
as a Mood Check-in, where students state their mood on a scale of
1-10. We often pair this with an icebreaker question that each
student answers.
10:15 AM Balloon bop
It’s important to start every session with an opening activity, such
as a Mood Check-in, where students state their mood on a scale of
1-10. We often pair this with an icebreaker question that each
student answers.

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10:40 AM Setting Up App Inventor II
You can set up App Inventor and start building apps in minutes.
The Designer and Blocks Editor now run completely in the browser
(aka the cloud). To see your app on a device while you build it (also
called "Live Testing"), you'll need to follow the steps below.
You have three options for setting up live testing while you build
apps
If you are using an Android device and you have a wireless internet
connection, you can start building apps without downloading any
software to your computer. You will need to install the App Inventor
Companion App for your device.
Choose Option One below. This option is STRONGLY
RECOMMENDED
If you do not have an Android device, you'll need to install software
on your computer so that you can use the on-screen Android
emulator. Choose Option Two below.
If you do not have a wireless internet connection, you'll need to
install software on your computer so that you can connect to your
Android device over USB. Choose Option Three below. The USB
Connection option can be tricky, especially on Windows. Use this
as a last resort.
Option One - RECOMMENDED
Build apps with an Android device and WiFi Connection (preferred):
Instructions
If you have a computer, an Android device, and a WiFi connection,
this is the easiest way to test your apps.
Option Two
Don’t have an Android device? Use the Emulator: Instructions
If you don’t have an Android phone or tablet handy, you can still

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use App Inventor. Have a class of 30 students? Have them work
primarily on emulators and share a few devices.
Option Three
No WiFi? Build apps with an Android device and USB Cable:
Instructions
Some firewalls within schools and organizations disallow the type
of WiFi connection required. If WiFi doesn’t work for you, try USB.
11:10 AM App DIY
Youth have been playing with the MIT app inventor tool for the past
two days. They have already chosen their issue and interviewed
people to discover what is needed to meet their needs. Now is time
for the youth to build their own app. Today they will have the
freedom to build with your support as needed.
Here’s a link to MIT cheat cards to add features for youth.

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http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/sites/all/files/ConceptCards/
ConceptCards.pdf
12 NOON Lunch
1:00 PM Eye Run
1. Students get into a circle
2. One person is “it” and they stand in the middle of the circle
3. Students that make up the circle have make eye contact
with another student (NOT the “it” person)
4. When you make eye contact you have to run to their spot
and they run to your spot before the “it” person can take
your place on the circle
5. If the “it” person gets to a person’s spot then the person left
in the middle is now “it”
1:20 PM Typing club
1. Log on to http://youthledtech.typingclub.com
2. Allow youth to practice/develop their typing skills. This
could be a useful time for facilitators to catch up on
paperwork or setup for the next activity
3. Facilitators can track the students progress to make sure
that they are actually on the right site
2:10 PM Break
2:20 PM App DIY Continued
Youth have been playing with the MIT app inventor tool for the past
two days. They have already chosen their issue and interviewed
people to discover what is needed to meet their needs. Now is time
for the youth to build their own app. Today they will have the
freedom to build with your support as needed.
Here’s a link to MIT cheat cards to add features for youth.
http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/sites/all/files/ConceptCards/
ConceptCards.pdf
3:40 PM Thunder Props reflection
1. Everyone log on to your Twitter account
2. Today we are going to give props to our peers in the
#youthledtech program
3. We have created a prompt for you to fill in on your Twitter
account and on 3 we will all send our tweets at the same
time.
a. PROMPT: “My app will address_______ because
___________ #youthledtech”
b. Make sure they use the hashtag so that we can view

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all of the tweets
4. READY??
5. After you read the prompt give students 1 minute to
complete and tell them to raise their hand once they have
typed their message. Tell them “DO NOT hit send until I say
so.”
6. Once everyone has constructed their tweet then count down
3, 2, 1, SEND!!
7. Read a few tweets from the screen and then do a live
Thunder clap.
3:55 PM Sign out
Make sure each youth is accounted for.

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