HAPI - The Human API

What if you could teach coding without a single computer?

HAPI (Human Application Programming Instruction) is a groundbreaking approach to computer science and STEM education that turns coding into a physical, interactive, and unforgettable experience. Instead of sitting silently behind screens, students get up, move, and become part of the program itself. One student becomes the "actor," while classmates become "programmers," issuing commands in plain language that mirror the structure of real code. Together, they learn how to think logically, break problems into steps, debug mistakes, and celebrate the creativity behind coding.

At its core, HAPI is about removing barriers. Many schools face limited access to computers, uneven Wi-Fi, or classrooms where expensive technology simply isn't an option. HAPI solves that problem. With nothing more than open space and imagination, teachers can deliver rigorous, TEKS-aligned and Common Core-aligned lessons that introduce programming concepts in a fun and approachable way. HAPI ensures that every classroom can be a coding classroom.

This book is packed with classroom-ready tools:

• A full set of commands that function like a "human programming language."
• Warm-ups, bell ringers, and quick games to start class with energy.
• Structured activities that teach logic, sequencing, and problem-solving.
• Projects that scale from a single lesson to multi-day challenges.
• Substitute-friendly lessons that require little prep and no technology.
• Reflection prompts, rubrics, and teacher pacing guides to make grading simple.

But HAPI is more than just a teaching method-it's a mindset. It encourages students to collaborate, laugh, and take risks. Mistakes are not failures but debugging opportunities. Every student has a role: the coder, the actor, the debugger, the collaborator. Even reluctant learners find themselves engaged because learning becomes a game, a performance, and a puzzle all at once.

Best of all, HAPI builds a bridge. The unplugged activities lay the foundation for more advanced work in Python, robotics, engineering, and beyond. By physically acting out programs, students internalize the flow of coding before ever touching a keyboard, making the transition to real-world programming seamless and far less intimidating.

Whether you're a veteran STEM teacher, a new educator, or a substitute looking for something that just works, HAPI equips you with the tools to bring computer science alive. It doesn't matter if your classroom has one laptop or thirty-HAPI proves that coding is for everyone.

Engaging. Accessible. Transformative. HAPI makes programming human.