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Creative coding with p5.js: Examples and project inspiration

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Creative coding with p5.js: Examples and project inspiration

We recently launched a new course — Learn p5.js. This course is a great place to start for anyone interested in creative coding and will introduce you to creating generative visualizations, interactive experiences, and multimedia graphics with code.

Creative coding is a type of programming in which the goal is to make something expressive, instead of something functional. Creative coding can be used to create visual art, data visualizations, immersive experiences, interactive films, games, and so much more.

There’s virtually no limit to what you can express with code! And to help you get inspired, we put together a few examples of how artists and programmers are using p5.js for creative coding.

What is p5.js?

p5.js is an open-source JavaScript library used for creative coding. It has pre-written code that makes it incredibly simple to program interactive visuals that run on your web browser.

With p5.js, you can build visualizations using shapes, text, images, videos, and sounds. You can add sophisticated animations and interactions to your programs. And it’s easy to get started, even with only a basic knowledge of web programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

In fact, p5.js was designed to make coding accessible to artists, designers, educators, beginners, and anyone else. It’s a great way to build a strong foundation in code, or to flex your coding muscles in a different way.

So whether you’re just starting out on your coding journey, or you’re looking to express your artistic side with code, we hope these examples will help you get inspired about what’s possible with p5.js.

p5.js examples

We’ve put together some p5.js examples from three different artists: Codecademy Content Contributors Mark Lam and Morgan Mueller and Codecademy Curriculum Developer Jiwon Shin. Mark, Morgan, and Jiwon all worked on our Learn p5.js course. You can check out their stories and p5.js creations below.

Mark Lam

Mark Lam is an artist and self-taught developer interested in exploring the ways networked technology mediates the relationship between the self and the other. He is currently a Content Contributor at Codecademy and Front-end developer at United Nations, working to improve data exchange.

Mark’s project, Down Up, morphs two opposite words into one another. He says it’s inspired by the themes of duality and transformation, and by curiosity about how type is rendered onto a screen.

Down Up by Mark Lam

To make this, Mark used p5.js as a drawing tool to sketch out each word. Using OpenType.js, he deconstructed the words into a collection of paths that could be modified. He programmed one set of paths to transform into another, animating the back-and-forth transformation with p5.js.

Mark’s second project, Asemics Writing, translates an audio recording into abstract writing. Mark says it was inspired by asemic writing, a style of writing that is wordless yet resembles written language.

“I think of it as kind of a naive interpretation of language, like a baby trying to write without having learned language yet. I took this form and applied it to a recording of Buckminster Fuller speaking about the possibilities of human imagination, and encoded his voice into the appearance of a written language using p5.js.”

To make this, Mark used the p5.js audio library to load the recording, and a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm to analyze the recording. The FFT algorithm translates each spoken word into a set of waveforms, and a function draws the waveform onto the web page.

We asked Mark what he finds most exciting about creative coding. He tells us:

“What I like most about creative coding is its endless possibilities, and technology’s relatively new history as a creative medium. My background before coding was in studio art, and I became interested in coding as a way to incorporate interactivity into my art work.

As I grew in my development practice, I began to be exposed to different sub-topics around technology, such as the history of computing, open source software, and networking.

I really enjoy the aspect of learning and understanding technology at a deeper level, and a lot of the work that I do now is to take these technical topics and bring them to the forefront for people who aren’t well versed in these fields.”

Morgan Mueller

Morgan Mueller is an Artist and Researcher based in Brooklyn, New York. His artistic practice examines infrastructural systems in the context of labor, resource extraction and global trade.

Ever wonder what happens to nuclear waste? Morgan’s project, Nuclear Waste Futures, is a critical art piece that explores this question. Through a set of time-lapse videos, Morgan shows us how nuclear waste persists over decades, contributing to postnatural landscapes across the U.S.

It also raises questions about how we should store nuclear waste as we consider future generations.

Nuclear Waste Futures by Morgan Mueller

For this project, Morgan used p5.js as a prototyping tool. “Most of what I ended up doing with p5.js is using it for quick prototyping, testing, and designing interactions before I decide whether or not to incorporate them [onto the site].” He collected the images using the Google Earth API (for the years 1990–2019), and created the time-lapse videos using FFmpeg.

When asked what he likes about creative coding, Morgan says:

“I like that creative coding can help people with limited technical literacy feel more empowered to learn about and be excited to continue programming. I also like that it can help give new dimensions of interactivity and creativity to artworks that may otherwise be limited.”

Jiwon Shin

Jiwon Shin is an educator and a creative coder. She is a Curriculum Developer at Codecademy and Adjunct Professor at New York University where she teaches web development and creative coding. Her most recent works focus on building interactive experiences that combine live motion capture with dynamic visualizations.

Many things we do online—whether it’s checking the weather, or looking up directions to a local restaurant—is made possible by satellites that orbit the earth.

Jiwon’s project, Around Us, maps out this satellite infrastructure in a series of 3D visualizations. Once launched, the satellites are no longer visible to us. In response, the project aims to raise awareness of this satellite infrastructure, which makes digital communication and media distribution possible.

It also questions whether we truly know how many satellites are orbiting earth and what they’re used for.

To create the 3D visualization, Jiwon used p5.js and Three.js. The satellite cards were generated and exported as image files using Processing. And the satellite data was sourced from the Union of Concerned Scientists.

We asked Jiwon what she likes about creative coding. She shared:

“Creative coding makes programming more relatable and less intimidating. Looking at all the amazing creative coding works out there, it makes you realize that you don’t have to use programming to build tools. You can use programming to express your thoughts and feelings and to share messages that you think are important. The change in perspective invites a more diverse group of prospective coders.”

Getting started with p5.js

Interested in getting started with creative coding? Check out our Learn p5.js course, or check out these other courses related to creative coding:

You can also check out a list of Resources for Creative Coding in the Codecademy Forums.

Share with us what you create in the comments below!

How to get manager approval for Codecademy for Teams

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How to get manager approval for Codecademy for Teams

Thinking of asking your manager or leadership team to sign up for Codecademy for Teams but not sure how to approach the conversation? We know it can be tricky to pitch something to your boss, but we’re here to help! We’ve put together some tips on what to include in your pitch so that you can successfully convince your team or leader to get on board.

We’ve also put together a one-pager that you can download to share with your manager or leadership team. Use the following form to download the PDF and read on to learn more about how to frame your personal pitch.

First things first: Do some research

It’s always a good idea to do some research before introducing something new to your team or approaching your leadership with an ask. Here are a few things you can do to familiarize yourself with how the process works at your organization:

  • Ask around if anyone has done something similar in the past. If so, ask them how it went!
  • Do a quick search into the types of resources your organization has previously invested in for their employees.
  • Look into whether your company offers educational stipends.

This knowledge can help you frame the pitch in an appropriate way and in line with the expectations of your organization. If you’re the first person to ask for something like this, that’s okay too! Think of it as paving the way for those who come after you.

How to structure your pitch

1. Start with your “why”

A good way to start your pitch is to lead with your personal reasons for bringing up Codecademy to your leadership. Here are a few tips on how to express yourself uniquely and genuinely:

Be specific

Maybe mention which language or framework you’ve been learning, and connect the dots to how those skills have helped you execute in your role or accomplish certain tasks.

Connect Codecademy for Teams to your organization’s goals

Take a look at the performance metrics or objectives that your organization is working to accomplish. How can Codecademy help your organization reach those goals?

For example, Michael is a Senior Marketing Programs Manager. In 2020, he began learning about data science and web development with Codecademy and he is already thinking about how he can use this knowledge to help his organization. In 2021, he says, “I want to use my new data skills to help the team become more data-driven.”

Let your enthusiasm shine through

Nothing is as inspiring as seeing someone passionate about what they’re learning, and that alone speaks volumes. Be honest and embrace the excitement that comes with learning a new skill and applying it to your day-to-day tasks.

2. Give an overview of  Codecademy for Teams

After laying out your “why,” it’s a good idea to give some context into what Codecademy for Teams is, and the features that set us apart from other platforms. Here’s some information that you can incorporate in your pitch to explain what Codecademy offers.

Codecademy for Teams is a Codecademy for Business offering that helps organizations provide technical training and education for their employees. We launched this product to help organizations — across all industries — unlock their potential by elevating technical skills and digital literacy for their teams. We do this through an interactive platform, which delivers a hands-on learning experience to help people learn and retain their new skills.

Some of our key features include:

  • Skills Paths to help learners get started with a language or framework based on their goals and interests.
  • A high quality catalog that includes courses in data science, web development, and machine learning.
  • An interactive platform that includes quizzes, refreshers, video walkthroughs, and real world projects to help learners apply their skills and build on them.
  • Access to community support where learners can collaborate, share resources, and ask questions.
  • Progress reporting for Account Managers, which gives visibility into skills efficacy and course completion.

Over 500 organizations are currently enrolled with Codecademy for Teams, from Fortune 500 companies to financial institutions, universities, and startups. Our customers include IBM, The Guardian, The Motley Fool, Mixpanel, Paradox, and more.

3. Explain the benefits of technical training for teams

Now that you’ve given some background on Codecademy for Teams, it’s time to dive into how it can help your organization. Part of pitching Codecademy to your leadership is showing them the benefits of technical training — you want to help them see the value of the investment as it relates to your work, your team’s work, and the goals of the organization as a whole.

Here are a few benefits that you can mention:

  • Bolster cross-functional collaboration: Equipping employees in less technical roles with a basic understanding of code can go a long way in promoting alignment across engineering, Data, Product, Sales, Marketing, and Operations teams.
  • Encourage employees to take initiative: When you allow employees to broaden their technical skillset, it can produce an incredible byproduct: confidence. Learning technical skills gives employees the courage to jump into problems that may have seemed daunting or “too technical” in the past.
  • Promote innovative problem solving: Technical training helps employees add tools to their toolbox to approach problems through a fresh new lens. Thinking differently can help people identify new opportunities within the “same old problems” which lead to innovative, creative solutions that push the boundaries of what’s possible.
  • Strengthen the culture of continuous learning: At an organizational level, supporting employees in their pursuit of technical skills says to them, “We encourage you to keep growing here!”

4. Share details about the cost

As the decision maker, your boss will need to know how much Codecademy for Teams costs — here’s how you can talk about those details:

  • Codecademy for Teams is an annual membership starting at $240 per seat, for a minimum of 5 seats. Our 2-week free trial offers an opportunity to try it out before purchasing.
  • If you work for a larger organization, we also offer flexible enterprise pricing for 50+ seats.
  • Membership includes unlimited access to all Codecademy content, with certificates for completed courses.

The benefits of technical training outlined above will likely help your boss see the positive impacts of this investment on your organization. But, you can also dive into the specifics of the return on investment if you feel it’s necessary:

  • The demand for technical skills is growing at an extremely fast rate.
  • When organizations nurture their tech talent in-house, they get high-skilled employees with experience specific to their needs, which reduces the need for hiring new technically skilled employees and cuts costs in recruitment, loss of productivity, and salary.
  • Codecademy is an affordable option for technical skills training, especially compared to finite training programs that only last a few weeks but cost more, per seat. If you do the math, our year-long memberships are less than a dollar per person, per day!

Pitching something to decision makers can seem daunting, but at the end of the day, it’s important to remember that your leaders just want what’s best for their employees and the organization. With these tips in mind, you’re well equipped to sound confident and get your point across.

In case you missed it above, we’ve put together a PDF that you can share with your manager or leadership, highlighting the benefits and features of Codecademy for Teams. Download it here, and feel free to reach out to our sales team if you have any questions along the way!

Word + Quiz: hapless

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Word + Quiz: hapless

: deserving or inciting pity

_________

The word hapless has appeared in 134 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Nov. 11 in “Ring Recalls Video Doorbells After Several Catch Fire” by Maria Cramer:

Ring has advertised itself as a company that provides “simple, proactive whole home security.”

On Twitter, the company has posted videos of Ring doorbell owners who praised the devices for helping them scare strangers off their property or who captured neighborhood oddities, like a tarantula climbing down a wall or a hapless woman using a leaf blower with a broken bag.

_________

What Students Are Saying About Summer School, Outspoken Athletes and Zoom Mishaps

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What Students Are Saying About Summer School, Outspoken Athletes and Zoom Mishaps

The National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and several major sports leagues attract millions of fans from across the country and the world. It isn’t expected for athletes to only be athletes with these huge platforms. I believe athletes can use their platforms to spread important messages and act as influencers. More importantly, condemning racism and speaking out for the victims of police brutality. I do think there can be limits to what athletes say in terms of harming other minority communities. For example, DeSean Jackson, a professional football player, commented on the Jewish community saying they will “extort” and “blackmail” America crosses the line. However, not all athletes feel this way nor would blatantly hurt a community with their millions of followers. Athletes represent their organizations, but they also represent themselves, their views, their values, and their communities.

— Anya, Buffalo, NY

Since the foundation of the first American colony in 1607, Americans have been adamant about speaking out against political issues they disagreed with and social movements they supported. Now, it is not any different. With social media allowing a bigger platform to spread messages, it is no wonder that issues regarding society have been mainstreamed. Like any other celebrity or famous person, athletes have been gifted the ability to not only do what they love, but also inspire and spread messages; why should it be any different with talking about political issues?

— Maria, American School of Recife, Brazil

In my opinion, athletes deserve the right of speaking out against political and social issues because they are capable of spreading the message that confronts the issues like everyone else. Especially if the issue is bothering or connected to them in a way, athletes should be able to address the problem in a way that will effectively inspire others, especially considering Lebron James and his actions regarding social movements. Just like actors, authors, and artists, athletes also have an opinion towards a particular issue so they should also be able to freely express their views on it as others. I don’t find that the activism of athletes is an interference with my enjoyment of the actual sport since they’re just trying to raise awareness about the problems we face in our societies. Athletes are not just meant to demonstrate their physical capabilities all the time, after all, they can have a far bigger in influencing people through their voice.

— Rishab, Illinois

I definitely think that athletes should speak out on social rights issues with the intention of spreading awareness or “to make people start talking,” as Osaka said. I think that part of being such a public figure is that you use your voice to raise awareness. The saying “shut up and dribble” objectifies players because it’s saying that they are only of value because they can play basketball. I agree with Osaka when she said “Do people see us as no more than bodies — individuals who can achieve what’s physically impossible for nearly everyone else, and who entertain fans by pushing ourselves past our limits?” I think everyone should respect athletes enough to value their opinions and views.

— Sarah, Leavenworth, WA

I have never understood why athletes shouldn’t speak out about social and political issues. Athletes aren’t just pawns in a sport, they are real people with real thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and passions. They don’t just exist for other people’s entertainment. In addition, athletes typically have big platforms with thousands, even millions of followers on social media. They can reach a lot of people, and inform them on these issues they feel are important. The people that say they should “stick to sports” are the ones who don’t want to hear what they have to say. These people have a right to free speech and freedom of expression, and that in no way affects the people who get mad about it or the sport they play.

— Juliana, Block 3

Athletics have a huge dominance over American culture. Sports, and professional athletes, are common in our daily lives. From having conversations about the local football team to seeing it in our Twitter feed, it is ever present in our lives, and quite honestly, a nice distraction from the world we face today. That said, professional athletes are being paid to play sports. They are not being paid to share their opinions.

— Tarin, Buffalo, NY

While it is essential for people to be aware of issues that may affect our community, I don’t believe it’s beneficial for such topics to be heard from an athlete’s perspective. Many politicians and intellectuals have the job of researching such issues, so it’s way better if the population hears from them rather than from someone who isn’t actively aware of current situations. In conclusion, while athletes provide entertainment for large groups of people, I believe stirring conversation to political discussions requires a change in audience; mixing sports with politics isn’t a good idea.

— Sofia, Escola Americana do Recife, Brazil

Would You Volunteer for a Covid-19 Vaccine Trial?

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Would You Volunteer for a Covid-19 Vaccine Trial?

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Most teenagers are not yet eligible to receive Covid-19 vaccines. But a few have volunteered to take part in clinical trials that assess the efficacy and safety of these vaccines for children ages 12 through 17.

Would you participate in one of these trials? If so, what would motivate you? Possible immunity? Financial compensation? Or just the opportunity to help science or be a part of history? If not, why would you be reluctant?

In “To Get Their Lives Back, Teens Volunteer for Vaccine Trials,” Jan Hoffman explains why some teenagers have chosen to enroll:

To get out of ninth-grade science period one recent Friday, the King twins had an excuse that is so very 2021.

Alexandra and Isabelle, 14, had to miss class — including a test — because they were participating in an actual science experiment: a clinical trial of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine to evaluate whether the shot is effective and safe in children ages 12 through 17.

“In science we’re learning about, like, genetics and stuff like that,” said Alexandra during the monitoring period after they’d gotten their shots at a Houston clinic. “So maybe the teacher will say, ‘Oh, you really shouldn’t have to take the test, because you’re contributing to science already.’”

Teenagers contract the novel coronavirus almost twice as often as younger children but vaccines authorized in the United States are mostly for adults — Moderna’s for 18 and older, Pfizer’s for 16 and up. While teenagers don’t become severely ill from the virus as often as adults, research suggests that because they are often asymptomatic and casual about social distancing, they can be efficient spreaders — to one another as well as to adults like parents, grandparents and teachers. Although vaccinating educators will be an important factor in keeping schools open, vaccinating students will also be a key element.

Bottom line: If widespread immunity to the coronavirus is to be achieved, adolescents are critical links. They need a Covid vaccine that works for them.

The article continues:

Sam, 12, who entered the Pfizer trial at Cincinnati Children’s hospital, said he wanted to participate “because it would be helping science and beat the pandemic. And it was my way of saying thank you to the frontline workers who are keeping us healthy.”

His sister, Audrey, 14, who is also in the study, said, “I thought this would be a really good story I could tell my children and grandchildren — that I tried to help create the vaccine.”

“And I also thought it is important to have people of different ages and races represented,” added Audrey, who, like her brother, is Asian. (Their mother, Rachel, a nurse researcher who volunteered for a vaccine trial, asked that their last names be withheld for privacy reasons.)

Overall, the teen trials may be less diverse, because results from adult trials showed no discernible difference in outcome by race. And because the adult trials were so successful, up to two-thirds of teenagers may be offered the actual vaccine rather than a placebo.

Pfizer, whose trial is fully enrolled, expects results from its trials for children ages 12 through 15 in the first quarter of this year, which it will then submit to the Food and Drug Administration for review. Moderna is still recruiting for its adolescent trials, with data anticipated sometime this summer. Other companies expect to start adolescent trials soon. Shortly after, researchers will open trials for children as young as 5, most likely with more modest doses.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

  • Would you volunteer for a clinical trial of a Covid-19 vaccine? Why did the young people quoted in the article choose to participate in the trials? What did you think of their reasoning?

  • What do you see as the benefits of enrolling in such a trial? What are the possible downsides? Would you have any fears? Overall, do you think the upsides outweigh the downsides?

  • How important do you think it is that a Covid-19 vaccine is quickly evaluated and distributed among teenagers? Why do you think that teenagers are more “difficult to wrangle” than adults in these trials? How could researchers make it easier for teenagers find out about the trials and participate in them?

  • What are the ethical considerations of enrolling participants in a clinical trial at any age? Are these considerations different when the participants are teenagers, or even younger? If you were to enroll in a trial of a Covid-19 vaccine, do you think you would be able to have a thorough enough understanding of the potential risks?

  • The author writes that teen trials may be less racially diverse than trials of adults, despite higher rates of coronavirus cases and deaths among Black and Latino people. Do you think that this is a problem? Why or why not? If so, how do you think the trials should be altered?

  • When vaccines are eventually approved by the F.D.A. and available for teenagers, will you get one? Why or why not?

A New National Park

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A New National Park

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

The United States has a new national park, its 63rd. The National Park Service, created in 1916, oversees more than 400 areas across the country, including national monuments, seashores and battlefields as well as parks, which together total more than 85 million acres. But “national parks” are considered the crown jewels of the park system.

Have you ever visited any of these parks? What was the experience like? Which would you most want to visit that you haven’t yet?

Tell us in the comments, then read a related article to learn more.

About Picture Prompts

• Find all our Picture Prompts in this column.
• Have an idea for a Picture Prompt? Tell us about it.
• Teachers, discover more ways to teach with our Picture Prompts and learn how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Lesson of the Day: ‘“What’s the Point?” Young People’s Despair Deepens as Covid-19 Crisis Drags On’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘“What’s the Point?” Young People’s Despair Deepens as Covid-19 Crisis Drags On’

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Featured Article: “‘What’s the Point?’ Young People’s Despair Deepens as Covid-19 Crisis Drags On” by Isabella Kwai and Elian Peltier

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect countries around the world, mental health professionals are concerned about the mental well-being of young people. Experts say that lockdowns and school closings have created a “mental health pandemic” that should be treated as seriously as containing the coronavirus.

In this lesson, you will learn about why so many young people seem to be struggling. Then, you will think about how friends, parents and schools can better support young people’s mental health and well-being.

Note to teachers: The featured article deals with anxiety, depression and suicide in young people. Please read it and this lesson plan to make sure they are appropriate for your class.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, and you live in the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). You can find a list of additional resources at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources. Additional resources in other countries can be found here.

The featured article begins with the story of Philaé Lachaux, a 22-year-old business student in France. Read this quote from Ms. Lachaux, who talks about the loneliness and despair she has been facing:

“The pandemic feels like a big stop in our lives,” she added. “One that puts us so low that I wonder, ‘What’s the point?’”

In your journal, reflect on Ms. Lachaux’s words:

  • What does this quote mean to you? How do you understand what Ms. Lachaux is expressing? How does it make you feel?

  • Does any part of the quote resonate with how you feel or how you have felt at any point during the pandemic? Does it make you think of things that friends or family members have expressed feeling?

  • What insight does this quote give us into the experience of young people during the pandemic? Why might teenagers and young adults, in particular, be feeling this way?

Read the article and then answer the following questions:

1. What are some of the causes of the mental health issues that young people are facing? Are there any other reasons, not listed in the article, that you would add?

2. What have mental health professionals across Europe noticed about the pandemic’s toll on young people’s mental health?

3. Dalia Al-Dujaili, 21, a student at the University of Edinburgh, says that one good thing about her generation is that “everybody talks about their therapists and their meds.” Do you and your peers talk openly about mental health? Do you agree with Ms. Al-Dujaili that this is a good thing?

4. How do social class and poverty intersect with mental health issues for young people?

5. Choose one of the solutions detailed in the section headlined “A search for remedies” and evaluate it. Do you think this is an effective strategy to support young people’s mental health? Why or why not?

6. Choose one statistic from the article that you find particularly meaningful, troubling or interesting. Then, explain why you chose it and what it illustrates about young people and mental health.

Option 1: Create an emotional well-being tool kit.

It’s important to take care of your mental health, especially in challenging times like these. While we will all have times when we are stressed, anxious, sad or angry, there are things we can do to help ourselves feel grounded, balanced and supported.

Create an emotional well-being tool kit to help you navigate challenging moments. These might be strategies you can employ yourself (“I can reach out to a friend” or “I feel calmer when I take a walk”), or they might be forms of support you need from others (“I would like my family to check in with me regularly” or “It’s easier for me to share when I know someone will listen without judgment”).

First, brainstorm a list of strategies that have worked for you in the past when you have struggled with your mental health.

Then, read some of the advice from experts in one or more of the following articles. Add any ideas that resonate with you to your list.

If you are in a classroom context, you might share your ideas with the class to create a crowdsourced list of strategies that you can draw on anytime, whether to help yourself in times of need or to support a friend.

Option 2: Brainstorm community solutions.

How can society — schools, the government, the media — better support young people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, loneliness or depression during the pandemic?

The article includes several suggestions, such as reopening schools, offering free therapy sessions for students and sharing resources on TV or social media. Do you think any of these ideas could be particularly helpful? What else do you think should be done to help young people?

On your own or with your class, brainstorm some steps your community could take. You might consider:

  • Your school. What resources does your school offer to support students’ mental health? How could the administration better support students? For example, should counseling be more widely available? Should students get mental health days off from school? If schools are closed, should they reopen? What else?

  • The federal or local government. What responsibility, if any, do you think the government has in ensuring the mental health of young people during the pandemic? Do you know of any government programs or services that support young people and mental health?

  • The community. How might your community come together to support young people? What could parents at your school do? How might institutions like the library, the recreation center or local businesses help?

Then, write a letter to your school administration, government or community leaders that explains how you have felt emotionally during the pandemic and provides three suggestions for how they can better support you and other young people.

Option 3: Discuss: Is this a moment for vulnerability or strength?

Do you think that the pandemic has been a time for young people to become stronger and more resilient? Or has it been a painful year that shows the importance in being emotionally vulnerable and OK with experiencing sadness and loneliness? Is it both?

Look at these two perspectives on the pandemic’s effects on young people. The featured article ends with these words from Philaé Lachaux, the 22-year-old business student in France:

Still, some young people see a silver lining. “At least the pandemic has given us the right to be sad,” said Ms. Lachaux, the French student. “We don’t have to show all the time how strong we are.”

Another article about young people’s mental health ends with these two paragraphs from Laura Anthony, a child psychologist and an associate professor:

Much as the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II forged what is known as “the Greatest Generation,” she said the challenges of the pandemic could strengthen today’s young people.

“I think we are going to have a generation of really remarkably resilient kids and teens who grow up to be really remarkable human beings as adults.”

Discuss with your classmates or reflect on your own in writing:

  • What do you notice about the difference in opinion between Ms. Lachaux and Ms. Anthony? Why do you think they might have different perspectives on this moment?

  • Do you tend to agree with one viewpoint more than the other? If so, which one and why? If not, how do you see this moment and why?

About Lesson of the Day

• Find all our Lessons of the Day in this column.
• Teachers, watch our on-demand webinar to learn how to use this feature in your classroom.

Introducing the Black and Brilliant & Codecademy AI Accelerator

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Introducing the Black and Brilliant & Codecademy AI Accelerator

Here at Codecademy, we believe that the future is brighter when the power of technology is equally attainable by all. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with Black and Brilliant on an Artificial Intelligence Accelerator program, starting March 15, 2021.

Training a new generation of AI superstars

The Black and Brilliant Advocacy Network is united in creating a more diverse workforce and this 10-week AI Accelerator course seeks to upskill the next generation of AI Superstars. “AI is both a once in a generation opportunity, and a threat for Black and Brown communities,” says Black and Brilliant co-founder Tony Effik. “Now is the time to prepare a new generation of Black and Brown superstars for the world of AI to benefit from the upside and to also protect from the downside.”

“We want to upskill people who have potential to be the next generation of AI Superstars — regardless of their backgrounds or educational attainment. This ranges from people that did not graduate High School, to those with advanced STEM degrees looking to change lanes. We believe in human potential. We believe people with aptitude and drive can achieve great things when given this kind of opportunity.”

Codecademy CEO Zach Sims shares, “When I met Tony, we connected over our shared belief that education can transform people’s lives. That’s why we’re thrilled to collaborate with the Black and Brilliant team on this one-of-a-kind course, which will empower students with both the technical skills and confidence to accomplish big things in AI.”

Participants will make their way through Codecademy’s Data Science curriculum to hone their programming and data science skills. Plus, participants will explore topics including AI Ethics and Social Justice, the Business of AI, and User Experience with the assistance of industry coaches.

Coaches include industry leaders in AI, Data Science, Emerging Experiences, Research, and Design including Marc Maleh, Quincy Olatunde, Toju Duke, Dr. Claudia Igbrude, Matthew Adeiza, Bashir Mohammed, Mahir Yavuz, Sakinah Adebola Abdul-Ibiyeye, Michael Horn, and others.

How to participate

Interested in taking part? Fill out the application to let us know more about your previous technical experience and why you want to participate.

Ten applicants with previous technical experience will be selected to participate in the full program with one-on-one mentoring from industry coaches. There will also be a self-guided second track for 100 applicants without existing technical experience that are looking for an on-ramp into the world of AI and machine learning.

Applications for the course are open here through the end of the month.

Learn more about Black and Brilliant

The Black and Brilliant advocacy network was started in 2020 by Tony Effik, a global managing director at Google and adjunct professor at Columbia University, and his wife, educator Perky Noah-Effik. Check out the interview below for more from Tony on the organization and the inspiration behind the AI Accelerator course.

Q: What inspired you to start Black and Brilliant?

A: My wife and I have always been passionate about inclusion, but we worked in small private ways. Last year when George Floyd happened that was a turning point for us. My 13 year old daughter was distraught and we were giving her “The Talk” all Black parents give to their children. We were tired of it. We marched but felt that was not enough.

Perky and I did a Linkedin post debunking the myth of the lack of Black talent out there by tagging people we believed were Black and Brilliant, and the hashtag went viral across Linkedin. A core of around 100 of us jumped on a call and started to organize. That was the genesis of the organization.

Q: What have you focused on with Black and Brilliant so far?

A: We’ve focused on being a kind of virtual mentor by sharing insights and access. That’s manifested in the form of panels, networking events, and content.

We believe there are cheat codes for every career and industry, so we share ideas about those from people who have broken through the middle and have ideas to share. These cheat codes and careers are usually hidden. I talk about careers behind fences. You can see them, but can’t access them. Cheat codes and allies help you get over the fence and start to dismantle the fence.

Breaking Through the Middle is one of our key themes. Too many talented individuals never ever make it through the middle, which creates problems at the top and at the bottom.

Another key theme is AI as a key industry and career path. We did several live events on Are You ready For AI? last year. [These events can be viewed here and here.]

Q: Why did you choose a course on AI specifically?

AI is generating huge interest in how it will impact the “future of work and jobs.” I’ve been fascinated with AI since I was a child reading about Marvin Minsky at Media Lab and as a child attempting to code a chess game on my Commodore CP64.

AI is too important and too big to be ignored. When we say AI, we use the name liberally to also embrace specific disciplines in machine learning and data analytics — it depends on where you on-ramp from.

There will be jobs across the whole economy impacted by AI from new jobs in project management to law, analytics, and strategy, through to jobs in systems, as well as in engineering.

To learn more, visit the Black and Brilliant website or join The Black and Brilliant Advocacy Network on LinkedIn.

Word + Quiz: modus operandi

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Word + Quiz: modus operandi

: an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

_________

The term modus operandi has appeared in 36 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Feb. 11 in “‘To All the Boys: Always and Forever’ Review: Love Sweet Love” by Maya Phillips:

The final installment of the Netflix rom-com (adapted from the book by Jenny Han) about a high school romantic’s secret love letters and her faux-fling-turned-real-thing with a popular jock finds our star couple in their senior year … Lara Jean and Peter are still going strong and have a plan for college: They’ll both go to Stanford, natch. But when Lara Jean is rejected from Stanford and starts considering the other shapes her future could take, happily ever after gets a bit more complicated.

“This is a little dramatic, even for you,” says Kitty (Anna Cathcart), Lara Jean’s little sister and professional heckler, observing the conflict. But that’s also this trilogy’s modus operandi: Its drama consists of adolescent trifles that never have real stakes, especially in the eyes of those who have left high school far behind. It doesn’t matter if you can see the tiny heartbreaks and grand gestures of love from a thousand miles away. “Always and Forever,” directed by Michael Fimognari with candy-cute sets, distressingly stylish costumes and vivacious cinematography, doesn’t have a hint of cynicism. Like Lara Jean herself, this bright-eyed pubescent lovefest is an earnest romantic, admiring every rote route to “I love you.” (The references to “Say Anything” and “Pride and Prejudice” are almost too much.)

_________

Are Sports Just Not the Same Without Spectators in the Stands?

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Are Sports Just Not the Same Without Spectators in the Stands?

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1.

Are you a sports fan? Have you been watching many games this year?

When professional sports resumed after their seasons were cut short or delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, there were few fans, or no fans, present in the arenas and stadiums. How much does this matter to you as you watch the games from home? How do you think the athletes feel about this change? What role, if any, do you think the audience plays in the sports you love?

In the essay “Trust Me, Sports Without Fans Is Not Sports,” Matthew Futterman, a veteran sports journalist, writes about covering the 2021 Australian Open, first from the stands and then during the “snap lockdown” when he watched the matches on television. The essay begins:

MELBOURNE, Australia — For roughly the past two decades, the analytics crowd has peddled the idea that sports is essentially math, that what unfolds on the field of play is predictable and intelligible if viewed through a proper algorithm. Occasionally that crowd has even been right. And in many ways the pandemic sports environment was an analytics aficionado’s dream, a chance for games to unfold in a laboratory, free of the noise, both literal and figurative, that can turn an expected outcome into a beautiful mess.

Now, nearly a year into the coronavirus pandemic, we really do know the roar of the crowd is as vital to sports as a ball or a net. The artificial crowd noise that Major League Baseball, the N.F.L., the N.B.A. and the N.H.L. have piped in, both for those in the stadiums and arenas and for people watching at home, is a terrible facsimile that makes the spectator-free games feel nothing like sports at all. What stage actors refer to as the “fourth wall” — the metaphorical barrier between performers and spectators — doesn’t exist in sports. A crowd’s passion can seemingly help power comebacks. Its scorn can smother one, too.

For five glorious days at the 2021 Australian Open, I got to experience that noise again, because government officials allowed up to 30,000 fans, about 50 percent capacity, to attend the tournament each day. It was both a joy and a revelation to rediscover the power of what quantum physicists call the “observer effect” — the fact that any observation, however passive, alters an outcome — even in a half-capacity crowd of tennis fans. Sports felt like Sports once more.

Then on Friday, the coronavirus did what it has done so relentlessly for the past 11 months: It shut down the party. A recent outbreak was what much of the world would consider a nuisance. But in Australia, which has managed the pandemic more effectively than any other major economy, it qualified as a critical mass.

The cluster of coronavirus cases grew to more than a dozen, and the state government of Victoria, where Melbourne is, declared a “snap lockdown” of five days, beginning at midnight Friday.

Everyone, except those deemed essential workers, must stay home, though two hours of outdoor exercise and one hour to go to the grocery store or pharmacy are permitted. Players and people considered essential in running the Australian Open will be allowed at Melbourne Park. Spectators, sadly, must stay away until perhaps the singles semifinals, scheduled to start Thursday.

The essay concludes:

So, here is one big reveal of the past week: All those star athletes who have always insisted they are so locked in that they do not hear the crowd? Well, it seems pretty clear they have been lying.

Here was Novak Djokovic, who has won this championship eight times. He has described Rod Laver Arena as his backyard. He was getting ready to play a game the other day, when a clump of women with a Serbian flag stood up and serenaded him with the “Ole-Ole” tune, culminating with, “Novak Djokovic is hot, hot, hot!”

Djokovic gave up on trying to play cool. He stepped back from the court, started giggling, then shook his head to regain his focus.

Here was Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia, trying to serve out the third set for what would have likely been the biggest win of her career, an upset of Simona Halep, the No. 2 seed. She was in front of a hometown crowd that carried her all night but couldn’t will her to victory.

“I felt that rush of people just cheering for you,” Tomljanovich said, her voice breaking following the loss. “I’m afraid to say it, but it could be the highlight of the year with the atmosphere and the crowd.”

She is not the only one. I do not know what I am dreading more about the end of this assignment — the last freezing month of a winter in the Northeast, or the largely empty version of sports that the pandemic has wrought.

It’s something, yes, but it is not sports.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • Mr. Futterman writes that “the roar of the crowd is as vital to sports as a ball or a net.” Do you agree? Are sports just not the same without spectators in the stands? Do you miss the screams and boos and the roaring of the crowd? Or is the thrill of the game still a source of comfort and joy during these difficult times?

  • What do you think about the use of artificial crowd noise or cardboard cutouts of fans in the stands to recreate the feeling of packed stadiums and arenas? What other creative ideas would you recommend to sports leagues and teams to bring the excitement of crowds to live events?

  • Mr. Futterman mentions the “observer effect”: Any outcome will be different if there is a person or people present and watching. When have you experienced this? Was it in athletics or a performance of another kind? What do you think would have been different in your experience if there had been no audience present?

  • The essay states, “All those star athletes who have always insisted they are so locked in that they do not hear the crowd? Well, it seems pretty clear they have been lying.” What do you think about that? Do you think athletes play differently when the crowd cheers them on — or tries to get under their skin? Have you ever experienced this? Can fans give their team energy, or it that wishful thinking?

  • Do you have a favorite memory as a sports fan — either cheering in the stands or watching on television? What stands out and why? How does that memory compare with sports spectating during the pandemic?

About Student Opinion

• Find all of our Student Opinion questions in this column.
• Have an idea for a Student Opinion question? Tell us about it.
• Learn more about how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

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