Browser tool to teach kids how to code! Features a character Shellby who moves in a grid space and can do things like eat leafs distributed on the grid. Shellby is controlled by a Lua script. Lua was chosen because it does not require a lot of symbols that childen who havent had typing classes may not know how to type on the keyboard, instead the instructor can just use words and tell the kids how to type symbols in the instances where they are required beforehand. I would like to add the option to use C++ and javascript in the future. Its a very simple tool without a lot of complex setup or unnecessary trinkets on the website allowing for ease of use and focus. Currently kids can achieve goals and go through a set of hard coded levels. I plan to add the ability to save code, create levels, as well as have different exercises in the future (in browser terminal with simulated file system, game/simple graphics programming, etc.) and allow teacher access to the kids accounts (currently there are no accounts). This tool was designed to be a browser tool because it can:

• Run on a Chromebook
• Be accessible to children who may not have a computer of their own

This tool differentiates from tools like Scratch in that it was designed to use real code (in an easy way) as opposed to a graphical language giving a better understanding to kids about how programming works and can potentially help them start to develop an actual useful skill and develop real applications. It allows kids to actually probe into the roots of what makes a program actually work rather than using "magic" to make things appear on the screen. The philosophy is that kids who are interested will go off and continue learning on their own or ask mentors for help in doing so, while providing a sufficient education for those who are not as interested.