3rd Grade Computer Science
- Level Elementary School
- Number of Lessons 32
- Grade 3rd
This course is designed to provide computer science instruction aligned to CSTA standards for 3rd grade students. It is meant to be taught approximately once a week by a designated computer science teacher.
See the full syllabus for all topics and activities, or explore the course to try it out.
UNITS - 12 (32 lessons)
Reviews CodeHop login and playground basics alongside computational thinking skills, such as designing an obstacle course, to prepare students for 3rd grade content.
Follows a story-driven Scout expedition in which students use basic programming commands, sequences, events, loops, and motion blocks to animate a narrative.
Teaches students to build programs with parallel sequences and animated costumes and backdrops while introducing the design thinking process to improve accessibility.
Covers how loops repeat instructions, compares different loop structures, and builds remixing and debugging skills, including giving credit to original creators.
Introduces if/then conditional logic and applies it to designing, programming, and debugging a platform game with keyboard-controlled movement.
Teaches students to create variables and use comparison operators and lists to build an interactive I-Spy style activity.
Introduces functions and has students use them to organize and sequence dance moves that align with music.
Explores how devices communicate over networks and teaches students to identify the parts of a computing system and troubleshoot simple hardware and software problems.
Teaches digital footprint awareness, cybersecurity basics, and healthy screen-time habits to help students make safe and responsible online choices.
Guides students to evaluate data for reliability and complete an inquiry project that collects and visualizes survey results in a bar graph.
Examines how technology and culture influence each other through a technology timeline project and exploring computer science careers in health and fitness.
Introduces how AI systems make decisions based on training data and teaches students to write clear prompts and evaluate whether AI responses are reasonable.
Explore a sample lesson from this course!
3rd grade students create animated stories and games in CodeHop Blocks, learning parallel sequences, loops, conditionals, variables, lists, and functions. Projects include a platform game, an I-Spy activity with lists, and a dance choreographed with functions, and students practice debugging, design thinking, and remixing programs with proper credit. Students also learn about computing systems, networks, cybersecurity, and screen time balance, analyze data in a bar graph project, and explore how AI is trained and how to ask AI tools better questions.
3rd Grade Computer Science includes 36 lessons, each about 45 minutes long, providing a full year of instruction when taught once a week. Every lesson is built in a ready-to-teach format, with step-by-step videos that walk students through the lesson. Lessons are designed to be teacher-led using an "I do, we do, you do" format, and a self-paced option is also available. The course mixes hands-on programming projects with unplugged activities, with module quizzes to check understanding. Optional review lessons at the start of the course can be used as warm-ups and are not counted in the 36 lessons. Teachers have flexibility in pacing, and the lessons required to fully meet CSTA standards are identified in the course syllabus.
No. There are no prerequisites, and the course is designed to support all learners regardless of prior computer science experience. Optional review lessons at the start of the course help students who are new to CodeHop learn the basics before moving into 3rd grade content.
3rd Grade Computer Science focuses on programming, with most lessons spent building block-based programs, animations, and games, along with lessons on computing systems, online safety, data, impacts of computing, and AI. 3rd Grade Digital Literacy & AI focuses on digital skills such as productivity software, online safety, research, and AI, with less time spent on programming. Some lessons appear in both courses, so schools can choose the course that best fits their goals.
3rd Grade Computer Science is aligned to state computer science standards and CSTA standards.
