This capstone lesson takes students through the process of designing, developing, and …
This capstone lesson takes students through the process of designing, developing, and showcasing their own Play Lab projects! To ensure this process goes smoothly, we have provided a step-by-step structure for students to follow, from planning on paper to coding on our website. In addition, we offer ideas to help teachers facilitate a showcase finale!
This lesson helps children to recognize that it is essential to tell …
This lesson helps children to recognize that it is essential to tell a trusted adult if something online makes them feel angry, sad, or scared.
Students learn that other people can sometimes act like bullies when they are online. They will explore what cyberbullying means and what they can do when they encounter it. After reading a scenario about mean online behavior, students discuss what cyberbullying is, how it can make people feel, and how to respond. Finally, they use their knowledge to create a simple tip sheet on cyberbullying in their journal.
Students explore why people use passwords, learn the benefits of using passwords, …
Students explore why people use passwords, learn the benefits of using passwords, and discover strategies for creating and keeping strong, secure passwords.
Students learn password tips, test their existing passwords with an interactive game, and create new passwords using guidelines for powerful passwords.
Using a set of symbols in place of code, students will design …
Using a set of symbols in place of code, students will design algorithms to instruct a "robot" to stack cups in different patterns. Students will take turns participating as the robot, responding only to the algorithm defined by their peers. This segment teaches students the connection between symbols and actions, the difference between an algorithm and a program, and the valuable skill of debugging.
Using characters from the game Angry Birds, students will develop sequential algorithms …
Using characters from the game Angry Birds, students will develop sequential algorithms to move a bird from one side of a maze to the pig at the other side. To do this they will stack code blocks together in a linear sequence, making them move straight, turn left, or turn right.
Debugging is an essential element of learning to program. In this lesson, …
Debugging is an essential element of learning to program. In this lesson, students will encounter puzzles that have been solved incorrectly. They will need to step through the existing code to identify errors, including incorrect loops, missing blocks, extra blocks, and blocks that are out of order.
In this series of puzzles, students will continue to develop their understanding …
In this series of puzzles, students will continue to develop their understanding of algorithms and debugging. With a new character, Laurel the Adventurer, students will create sequential algorithms to get Laurel to pick up treasure as she walks along a path.
In this lesson, students will take control of the Artist to complete …
In this lesson, students will take control of the Artist to complete drawings on the screen. This Artist stage will allow students to create images of increasing complexity using new blocks like `move forward by 100 pixels` and `turn right by 90 degrees`.
Binary is extremely important in the world of computers. The majority of …
Binary is extremely important in the world of computers. The majority of computers today store all sorts of information in binary form. This lesson helps demonstrate how it is possible to take something from real life and translate it into a series of ons and offs.
Building on the initial "My Robotic Friends" activity, students tackle larger and …
Building on the initial "My Robotic Friends" activity, students tackle larger and more complicated designs. In order to program their "robots" to complete these bigger designs, students will need to identify repeated patterns in their instructions that could be replaced with a loop.
This lesson demonstrates how conditionals can be used to tailor a program …
This lesson demonstrates how conditionals can be used to tailor a program to specific information. We don’t always have all of the information we need when writing a program. Sometimes you will want to do something different in one situation than in another, even if you don't know what situation will be true when your code runs. That is where conditionals come in. Conditionals allow a computer to make a decision, based on the information that is true any time your code is run.
Up until this point students have been writing code that executes exactly …
Up until this point students have been writing code that executes exactly the same way each time it is run - reliable, but not very flexible. In this lesson, your class will begin to code with conditionals, allowing them to write code that functions differently depending on the specific conditions the program encounters.
By the time students reach this lesson, they should already have plenty …
By the time students reach this lesson, they should already have plenty of practice using `repeat` loops, so now it's time to mix things up.
_While loops_ are loops that continue to repeat commands while a condition is met. `While` loops are used when the programmer doesn't know the exact number of times commands need to be repeated, but does know what condition needs to be true in order for the loop to continue repeating. For example, students will be working to fill holes and dig dirt in Farmer. They will not know the size of the holes or the height of the mountains of dirt, but the students will know they need to keep filling the holes and digging the dirt as long as the ground is not flat.
In this lesson, students will learn about `until` loops. Students will build …
In this lesson, students will learn about `until` loops. Students will build programs that have the main character repeat actions `until` they reach their desired stopping point.
Students will practice `while` loops, `until` loops, and `if / else` statements. …
Students will practice `while` loops, `until` loops, and `if / else` statements. All of these blocks use conditionals. By practicing all three, students will learn to write complex and flexible code.
Though many people think of binary as strictly zeros and ones, students …
Though many people think of binary as strictly zeros and ones, students will be introduced to the idea that information can be represented in a variety of binary options. This lesson takes that concept one step further as it illustrates how a computer can store even more complex information (such as images and colors) in binary, as well.
In collaboration with Common Sense Education, this lesson helps students learn to …
In collaboration with Common Sense Education, this lesson helps students learn to think critically about the user information that some websites request or require. Students learn the difference between private information and personal information, distinguishing what is safe and unsafe to share online.
Students will also explore what it means to be responsible and respectful to their offline and online communities as a step toward learning how to be good digital citizens.
By "programming" one another to draw pictures, students get an opportunity to …
By "programming" one another to draw pictures, students get an opportunity to experience some of the core concepts of programming in a fun and accessible way. The class will start by having students use symbols to instruct each other to color squares on graph paper in an effort to reproduce an existing picture. If there’s time, the lesson can conclude with images that the students create themselves.
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