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Iowa Tech Apps and Coding

Lessons

  1. Programming with Turtle Graphics

    1. 1.1 Intro to Python with Tracy the Turtle

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students are introduced to coding with turtle graphics. Students will begin to recognize programs as sequences and groups of commands. Students will learn a few basic commands and then apply them right away by writing their first program.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Define programming/coding
      • Use basic Tracy commands
      • Write their first program
    4. 1.2 Tracy's Grid World

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students will be introduced to the layout of Tracy’s grid world and will learn how to use coordinate pairs to locate Tracy on the coordinate plane. They will add to the list of commands they know and can use to create Tracy graphics.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Locate Tracy on the coordinate plane
      • Use the penup(), pendown(), and backward() commands in their programs
    7. 1.3 Turning Tracy

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn how to use the left and right commands in order to move Tracy to more locations on the canvas. They will now have many commands that can be used to have Tracy create more complex graphics.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use the left and right commands in order to move Tracy around her grid world
    10. 1.4 For Loops

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students are introduced to for loops. They learn how for loops simplify the process of making small changes to a program and help avoid repeating code. For loops are written like this:

      for i in range (4):
          // Code to be repeated 4 times
    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Create for loops to repeat code a fixed number of times
      • Explain when a for loop would be a useful tool
      • Utilize for loops to write programs that would be difficult / impossible without loops
    13. 1.5 Turning Tracy Using Angles

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students are introduced to the ability to turn Tracy at any angle. With this feature, Tracy can now draw diagonal lines which opens up the possibility to draw multiple shapes that weren’t previously available.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use angles inside turning commands
      • Turn Tracy at angles in conjunction with for loops
    16. 1.6 Comments

    17. Description

      In this lesson, students learn how to use comments to describe their programs. Comments are helpful because they allow programmers to leave notes about the programs they are writing. Students will also learn about the different types of comments that can be used and the benefits of using them.

    18. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use comments throughout their program
      • Describe why comments are helpful for both themselves and anyone else looking at their code
    19. 1.7 Naming Guidelines

    20. Description

      In this short lesson, students will be introduced to the rules for naming elements in their code. Variables and functions that are used inside their programs will be named by students, so the following guidelines should be obeyed to be sure that the programs written are readable and successful.

    21. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Name elements of their code by following specific guidelines and rules in order to create readable and working programs
    22. 1.8 Functions

    23. Description

      In this lesson, students are introduced to functions. They start with the basics of defining a function and why we need them and will revisit a program they coded earlier in the unit to rewrite it using functions.

    24. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Define a function
      • Call a function
      • Explain why functions are used
    25. 1.9 Artistic Effects

    26. Description

      In this lesson, students are able to add some flair to their turtle graphics programs by controlling color, pensize, and fill. These new commands are added to the list of commands that have been already practiced in order to allow for more creativity in student programs.

    27. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use the extended circle() command to draw different shapes
      • Use the color(), pensize(), begin_fill(), and end_fill() commands to add more creativity to their programs
    28. 1.10 Top Down Design

    29. Description

      In this lesson, students are introduced to the concept of Top Down Design. Top Down Design is the process of breaking down a program into functions or smaller parts to avoid repeated code and to make our programs more readable.

    30. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Break a large problem down into smaller pieces
      • Write functions to solve each smaller problem
      • Solve a complicated problem using Top Down Design
    31. 1.11 Variables

    32. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn about a fundamental aspect of every programming language: Variables. A variable is something that stores information in a program that can be used later.

    33. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Describe what variables are
      • Discuss why variables are used in our programs
    34. 1.12 User Input

    35. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn how to incorporate user input into their programs. Students will learn how to request user input as both strings and integers, where the input is stored, and how to convert strings and integers.

    36. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Incorporate user input into their code in order to customize their programs
    37. 1.13 Parameters

    38. Description

      In this lesson, students will dive deeper into the concept of functions by exploring how to use parameters to customize their code.

    39. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Incorporate parameters into their functions in order to adapt their functions to multiple situations
    40. 1.14 Using i in For Loops

    41. Description

      In this lesson, students will expand their knowledge of for loops. They are aware that for loops execute the same lines of code a given number of times but will learn that i is actually a variable that can be used to control commands inside the loop as it is running.

    42. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use i as a variable inside their for loop to control different commands
    43. 1.15 Extended Loop Control

    44. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn the extended parameters that can be used to control the value of i in for loops. They will then be able to use the variable i to control much more of their code by setting specific values.

    45. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Control the value of i using extended parameters
    46. 1.16 If Statements

    47. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn how to use If Statements which will allow them to use conditions to determine how their code should run.

    48. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use if statements in order to tell Tracy how to make decisions
    49. 1.17 If/ Else Statements

    50. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn how to expand on If Statements by including a way to have Tracy make decisions between multiple scenarios.

    51. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use if/else statements in order to have Tracy make decisions between multiple scenarios
    52. 1.18 While Loops

    53. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn that while loops allow code to be executed repeatedly based on a condition. They will also be warned that infinite loops are created if the exit condition of the while loop is never met, causing the code inside the while loop to repeat continuously which causes the program to crash.

    54. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Effectively use while loops in their programs
      • Identify infinite loops
    55. 1.19 Putting Together Control Structures

    56. Description

      In this lesson, students will put together all the concepts they’ve learned thus far. They will be able to use top down design and to write programs that will solve complex problems.

    57. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Identify the different control structures we can use to modify the flow of control through a program
      • Combine control structures to solve complicated problems
      • Choose the proper control structure for a given problem
    58. 1.20 Using Data to Refine Game Mechanics

    59. Description

      In this lesson, students learn about game mechanics and the importance of collecting user data to refine a game’s mechanics. Students go through the data collection and analysis process as they add game mechanics to their Guess a Number 2.0 program.

    60. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Define game mechanics
      • Collect and analyze data to determine the effectiveness of a game’s mechanics
      • Combine control structures to solve complex problems
      • Choose the proper control structure for a given problem
    61. 1.21 Intro to Programming with Turtle Graphics Quiz

    62. Description

      In this lesson, students review content with a 25 question End-of-Unit Quiz.

    63. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Prove their knowledge of control structures and coding concepts through a multiple choice quiz
  2. What is Computing?

    1. 2.1 History of Computers

    2. Description

      When was the first computer made? What did it look like, and what was it used for? In this lesson, students will explore the creation and evolution of computing machines that now permeate our day-to-day life.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Identify important historical events in the development of modern computers
      • Explore individual’s contributions to the development of the computer and discuss who gets to be included in the computer innovators group
    4. 2.2 Computer Organization

    5. Description

      How are computers organized? What are the main components of a computer?

      In this lesson, we will explore how different organizational structures of computers interact with each other to make computers functional.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand the main parts of a computer
      • Differentiate the difference between hardware and software
      • Identify input and output devices
      • Learn different types of networks
    7. 2.3 Software

    8. Description

      What kinds of software do computers use and need?

      In this lesson, the topic of software is broken down into types of software, how they interact, and the specific functions of the different types of software.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand and identify different types of software and their functions
    10. 2.4 Hardware

    11. Description

      What is hardware? How does hardware work?

      In this lesson, hardware is broken down into the different physical components of computers and how they contribute to the function of the computer as a whole.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand and identify the physical components of a computer & their roles in computer functionality
    13. 2.5 Future of Computing

    14. Description

      Where is computing headed? What is Artificial Intelligence and what are the potential impacts that this might have on our world?

      In this lesson, students learn about Artificial Intelligence and how the landscape of computing might change in the future. Students will discuss how these future developments might impact our society.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Discuss the future of technology and computers in the world
    16. 2.6 Troubleshooting

    17. Description

      In this lesson, students learn about troubleshooting methodology and go through the process of solving an issue with a printer.

    18. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Systematically troubleshoot an issue with a computing device
    19. 2.7 What is Computing? Quiz

    20. Description
    21. Objective
  3. Intro to micro:bit

    1. 3.1 Welcome to micro:bit!

    2. Description

      In this first lesson, students will be introduced to their micro:bit device and the MakeCode editor, where they will build and test programs throughout the course. They will also be guided through the process to download programs from the editor to their device and will learn a few basic commands to get started writing micro:bit programs.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Articulate what physical computing is
      • Download and run programs on their micro:bit device in order to physically view programs as they create them throughout the course
      • Use the showNumber and showString commands in micro:bit programs
    4. 3.2 Setting Up your micro:bit

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students will take a deeper look at developing, testing, and running programs on the micro:bit simulator and on their devices. They will learn how the 5x5 grid system is laid out and will utilize more commands to light specific LEDs on the screen.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Develop, test, and run programs both on the micro:bit simulator and on physical devices
      • Use the MakeCode grid numbering system to light specific LEDs on the 5x5 LED screen
      • Use the led.plot, led.unplot, and basic.pause commands in micro:bit programs
    7. 3.3 Comments & Pseudocode

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn about comments and pseudocode, why they are important, and how they help organize and plan programs. They will also learn the basic difference between analog and digital components and how to use the plotBrightness and clearScreen commands in their programs.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use comments to write more readable programs
      • Develop pseudocode in order to properly plan and organize their programs
      • Use the plotBrightness and clearScreen commands in micro:bit programs
    10. 3.4 Variables

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students will build their first physical circuit using their micro:bit devices. They will learn to use variables to control components, along with the analogWritePin and digitalWritePin commands.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Articulate what a variable is and why they are used
      • Assign and utilize variable in their programs
      • Create a simple circuit using micro:bit pins
      • Control an external LED by using the analogWritePin and digitalWritePin commands in micro:bit programs
    13. 3.5 Intro to micro:bit Quiz

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students review content with a 15 question Unit Quiz.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Prove their knowledge of basic coding concepts through a multiple choice quiz
  4. Digital Citizenship and Cyber Hygiene

    1. 4.1 Digital Footprint and Reputation

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students understand how they can control and protect their footprint. As students use the Internet, they are building their digital footprint. This includes social media posts, emails, picture and video uploads amongst other online activities.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand how their online activity contributes to a permanent and public digital footprint
      • Articulate their own social media guidelines to protect their digital footprint
    4. 4.2 Cyberbullying

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn about and discuss cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to harass or target someone. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand the impact of cyberbullying, and identify unacceptable bullying behavior
      • Identify proper actions to take if they are victims of cyberbullying or if they observe someone being cyberbullied
    7. 4.3 Internet Safety

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn to recognize online predatory behavior and strategies on how to avoid and respond to it. The Internet is a great place to socialize, but it is important to be aware of risks. Common sense and following safety guidelines can help students stay safe online.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Identify predatory behavior and how to respond to it online
    10. 4.4 Privacy & Security

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students will discuss and examine policies regarding privacy and security. Using best practices like setting strong passwords, reading privacy policies, and using https can help in staying safe online.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use best practices in personal privacy and security, including strong passwords, using https, and reading privacy policies
    13. 4.5 Project: Public Service Announcement

    14. Description

      Now that students have learned about digital citizenship and cyber hygiene, they will take what they have learned and create a PSA to inform members in the community about a topic!

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Create a public service announcement for members of their community about a topic in digital citizenship or cyber hygiene
      • Use google sheets to store and analyze data, and create a data visualization.
    16. 4.6 Digital Citizenship and Cybersecurity Quiz

    17. Description

      In this lesson, students complete a summative assessment of the unit’s learning objectives.

    18. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Prove their knowledge of digital citizenship and cyber hygiene concepts through a multiple choice quiz
  5. The ABCs of Cryptography

    1. 5.1 Cryptography, Cryptology, Cryptanalysis

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn how basic encryption and decryption works. There is a need for secrecy when sending and receiving personal information. Encryption and decryption are used to protect personal information.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Define cryptography, cryptology, and cryptanalysis
      • Explain the need for encryption and how basic encryption and decryption works
      • Relate encryption with how it affects the CIA Triad
    4. 5.2 History of Cryptography

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn the history of cryptography. Humans have always had reasons to hide information, and throughout history they have used crypto systems of varying complexity to keep information safe.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain the purpose of cryptography and how different crypto systems have been used throughout history
    7. 5.3 Basic Crypto Systems: Caesar Cipher

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn and practice using the Caesar Cipher. The Caesar Cipher is an encryption method that predates computers in which each letter of the message is shifted by a certain amount, called the key.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Encrypt and decrypt messages using the Caesar Cipher
    10. 5.4 Basic Crypto Systems: Cracking Caesar

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students will practice using brute force and letter frequency to crack the Caesar Cipher. The Caesar Cipher is an encryption method in which each letter of the message is shifted by a certain amount, called the key. Cracking the Caesar Cipher with brute force (trying every combination) is a trivial matter for modern computers.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain why the Caesar Cipher is so easy for a computer to crack
      • Use basic letter distribution analysis to decrypt a simple message
    13. 5.5 Basic Crypto Systems: Vigenere Cipher

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn and use the Vigenère Cipher. The Vigenère Cipher consists of several Caesar ciphers in sequence with different shift values based on a keyword, so brute force and letter frequency analysis do not work.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain how the Vigenère Cipher works and why it is not as easy to crack as the Caesar Cipher
    16. 5.6 The ABCs of Cryptography Quiz

    17. Description
    18. Objective
  6. Web Design

    1. 6.1 Introduction to HTML

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students will be introduced to HTML: the language for building web pages. Students will discover why HTML is important and how it works in order to start building their own web pages.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Identify the purpose and applications of HTML
      • Create their first simple web page
    4. 6.2 Structure of an HTML Page

    5. Description

      In this lesson we upgrade from simple tags to full HTML documents. We learn some new tags that let us put information in different places on the web page, and we learn about the nested tree structure of an HTML document.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Discern the various parts of an HTML page
      • Create fully formed HTML pages
    7. 6.3 Formatting Text

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students learn about formatting tags that let them modify the appearance of text and make their web pages look clear and aesthetically pleasing.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Apply formatting tags in order to modify the appearance of text and make web pages look clear and aesthetically pleasing
    10. 6.4 Links

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students learn how to add hyperlinks to their web pages using the <a> tag.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Add and utilize hyperlinks on their webpages
    13. 6.5 Images

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students learn how to add images to their own web pages using the <img> tag!

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Embed an image in HTML
    16. 6.6 Copyright

    17. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn what copyright laws are and how to avoid copyright infringement. They will explore why copyright laws are important and how they protect the creators. They will practice finding and citing online images.

    18. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain what copyright laws are and why they are important
      • Find images they are legally allowed to use in their projects
      • Accurately attribute images they find and want to use
    19. 6.7 HTML Lists

    20. Description

      In this lesson, students learn how to add lists to their web pages and practice making different kinds of lists.

    21. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Incorporate different kinds of lists to their web pages
    22. 6.8 HTML Tables

    23. Description

      In this lesson, students learn how to create and add tables to their web pages!

    24. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Create tables in their web pages
      • Explain the benefits of including tables on web pages
      • Compare various ways of displaying information and choose the appropriate format
    25. 6.9 Viewing Websites

    26. Description

      In this lesson, students learn what a URL is and what happens when they visit a URL.

    27. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Describe the process that occurs when typing in a URL, from sending a request and response over the Internet to viewing a webpage
    28. 6.10 Project: Your First Website, Pt 1

    29. Description

      In this lesson, students will create a personal homepage and host it at their own custom domain.

    30. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Create their own website from scratch, hosted at their own custom domain
    31. 6.11 HTML Styling

    32. Description

      In this lesson, students will use HTML styling to make their pages visually appealing and unique.

    33. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Apply HTML styling to make their web pages more visually appealing and unique
    34. 6.12 Introduction to CSS

    35. Description

      In this lesson, students will begin using CSS to add styling to their HTML pages.

    36. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Describe how CSS adds styling to HTML pages
    37. 6.13 CSS Select by Tag

    38. Description

      In this lesson, students use CSS tag selectors to select all elements of the same kind (<table>, or <h1> for example) and give them all the same style.

    39. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use CSS tag selectors to select all elements of the same kind and give them all the same style
    40. 6.14 CSS Select by Class

    41. Description

      In this lesson, students learn to use CSS class selectors to apply CSS styling to all HTML elements that share a specified class which allows students to be more specific when applying their styling.

    42. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use CSS class selectors to apply CSS styling to all HTML units that share a specified class
    43. 6.15 CSS Select by ID

    44. Description

      In this lesson, students will use CSS Selectors by ID to select a single element to format on a webpage.

    45. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use CSS Selectors by ID to select a single element to format on a webpage
    46. 6.16 Project: Your First Website, Pt 2

    47. Description

      In this lesson, students will apply CSS styling to their personal HTML homepages.

    48. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Add CSS styling to HTML elements via ID, Class, and Tag
      • Create more personalized, stylish homepages!
    49. 6.17 Web Design Quiz

    50. Description
    51. Objective
  7. Project: Designing for Impact

    1. 7.1 Intro to Design Thinking

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students learn the basics of Design Thinking. Design Thinking is a step by step process that helps developers and entrepreneurs develop their products while considering their end-users and testing out products before releasing them.

      Throughout the module, students will use the design process to develop a web page that provides a solution to a community issue. In this lesson, students will brainstorm and choose their topic.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Describe and define the steps of Design Thinking
      • Describe the characterstics of an effective user interface
      • Explain the role accessibility plays in designing technology
    4. 7.2 Empathy

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students learn in more depth about the first principle of Design Thinking: Empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, and is the most important tenet of Design thinking. Students will practice building empathy by interviewing classmates and evaluating the accessibility of existing web pages.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Define and use Empathy in creating products
      • Successfully interview peers and users
      • Identify accessibility issues in web design products
      • Collect and analyze survey data to gather data about user needs
      • Collect survey data using a computational tool
      • Clean survey data to increase the data reliability
    7. 7.3 Define

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students will take the information that they gathered in their interviews with peers to define a specific problem that needs to be solved. Students will create Point of View statements and composite characters to make a profile of the users who are in need of a fix to the problem that students define.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Define a problem related to user needs
      • Create a composite character
      • Create and articulate Point of View Statements
    10. 7.4 Ideate

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn strategies to help them ideate solutions to the problems they have been exploring throughout the Design Thinking module. Students will spend class time brainstorming with classmates, and encouraging one another to come up with out of the box solutions.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Effectively brainstorm solutions with a team
      • Articulate the purpose of ideating, and strategies to make the ideation process work
    13. 7.5 Prototype

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students learn the basics of prototyping. Students will create a prototype based on ideas they came up with for their design project, and present prototypes to classmates for critiquing.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Create prototypes
      • Narrow brainstorms to just a few concrete and realistic ideas
    16. 7.6 Test

    17. Description

      In this lesson, students will test one another’s prototypes and provide constructive feedback about its usability and aesthetic appeal. Students will also ask thoughtful questions of the testers to get a better understanding of their experience interacting with the prototype.

    18. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Provide appropriate feedback after testing prototypes
      • Ask users thoughtful questions about their user experience
      • Articulate how to best test products on users
    19. 7.7 Build Your Website!

    20. Description

      In this lesson, students use all of their HTML and CSS knowledge to build the website they developed throughout the Design Process.

    21. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Utilize multiple HTML structures to design a website: images, links, organizational structures
      • Use CSS rules strategically to professionally style a website
      • Break a large project into benchmarks and create a timeline to complete each benchmark
      • Design a website that addresses a specific community issue
  8. Digital Information

    1. 8.1 Intro to Digital Information

    2. Description

      How do computers store and manipulate information? In this lesson, students learn how computers abstract complicated information into manageable chunks that they can then store and manipulate.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explore and explain abstraction and the different ways that we can represent digital information
    4. 8.2 Number Systems

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn what a number system is, the difference between the decimal number system and the binary number system, and how to convert between decimal and binary.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Represent numbers in different number systems
      • Understand how to convert between the decimal and binary system
    7. 8.3 Encoding Text with Binary

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn what a number system is, the difference between the decimal number system and the binary number system, and how to convert between decimal and binary.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to :

      • Understand the binary system
      • Encode various types of information using binary
    10. 8.4 Pixel Images

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn how computers break down images into concrete values that can be stored. Students will learn how images are represented digitally using pixels.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand how images can be encoded as data
    13. 8.5 Hexadecimal

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn about the hexadecimal number system, and how it is useful in storing digital information. They will also learn how to convert numbers from the hexadecimal system to binary and vice versa.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand how to convert between the hexadecimal and binary system
    16. 8.6 Pixel Colors!

    17. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn how the RGB encoding scheme allows us to encode colors as numeric data. It defines the amount of red, green and blue light in a pixel.

    18. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Encode colors
      • Encode color images as data
    19. 8.7 Digital Information Quiz

    20. Description
    21. Objective
  9. The Internet

    1. 9.1 Intro to the Internet

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students will have a high level discussion about what the internet is and how the internet works. The topics of anonymity and censorship will also be discussed.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand what the internet is
      • Understand how the internet works
      • Discuss the issue of anonymity
      • Understand the legal and ethical concerns surrounding internet censorship
    4. 9.2 Internet Hardware

    5. Description

      In this lesson, we explore the hardware that makes up the internet and explore characteristics of that hardware that define our experience on the internet.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Discuss and answer questions about the hardware that powers the internet
    7. 9.3 Internet Addresses

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students will explore how internet hardware communicates using Internet Addresses and the Internet Protocol.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Discuss the necessity of internet protocols
      • Recognize the hierarchy of elements in an IP address
    10. 9.4 DNS

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students will explore the DNS system and how it maps human readable domain names into actual accessible IP addresses.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand the DNS system and how it works
      • Recognize the DNS system as an abstraction
    13. 9.5 Routing

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students explore how messages get from one address on the internet to another.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain how computers communicate using routers
      • Explain what considerations are made when choosing a route
      • Discuss how routers are fault-tolerant because of redundancy
    16. 9.6 Packets and Protocols

    17. Description

      In this lesson, students learn about the last piece of the puzzle for how the Internet works: Packets and Protocols. All information sent over the internet is broken down into small groups of bits called packets. The format for creating and reading packets is defined by open protocols so that all devices can read packets from all other devices.

    18. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain the packet process and how protocols (TCP/IP and HTTP) are vital to the exchange of information on the Internet
      • Explain the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
    19. 9.7 The Impact of the Internet

    20. Description

      In this lesson, students are presented with different ways that the Internet impacts their lives. The Internet affects the way that people communicate (emails, social media, video chat) and collaborate to solve problems. It has revolutionized the way that people can learn and even buy things. Because the Internet is present in almost every facet of people’s lives, there are severe ethical and legal concerns that derive from the Internet.

    21. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Analyze the different ways that the Internet impacts their lives by learning about how the Internet contributes to collaboration, communication, etc
      • Evaluate whether the Internet has a more positive or negative effect on their community by citing examples from the lesson
      • Explain what the digital divide is and articulate their own opinions related to it
    22. 9.8 The Internet Quiz

    23. Description
    24. Objective
  10. Project: The Effects of the Internet

    1. 10.1 Project: The Effects of the Internet

    2. Description

      In this performance task, students choose an innovation that was enabled by the Internet and explore the effects of this innovation. Students will produce a computational artifact (visualization, a graphic, a video, a program, or an audio recording that you create using a computer) and a written responses to several prompts. This lesson is meant to be a culminating project of students understanding of the Internet and its impact.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Research the impacts of an internet enabled innovation
      • Produce a computational artifact by creating a visualization, a graphic, a video, a program, or an audio recording using a computing device
      • Distribute tasks and maintain a project timeline
  11. Introduction to Programming with Karel the Dog

    1. 11.1 Introduction to Programming With Karel

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students are introduced to Karel the Dog and how Karel can be given a set of instructions to perform a simple task.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Recognize, explain, and use the commands that Karel can be given. These commands are: move(), putBall(), takeBall() and turnLeft().
    4. 11.2 More Basic Karel

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students build on their understanding of how Karel the Dog can be given a set of instructions to perform a simple task.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Recognize, explain, and use the commands that Karel can be given
      • Debug and rework their code as well as someone else’s code
    7. 11.3 Karel Can't Turn Right

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students are introduced to functions through the lens of teaching Karel a new trick - how to turn right! Students will learn how to define and call a function that teaches Karel how to turnRight.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Define and call functions
    10. 11.4 Functions in Karel

    11. Description

      In this lesson, functions will be used to teach Karel a new word or command. Using functions allows programs to be broken down into smaller pieces and makes it easier to understand.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Understand what functions are, how they are used and how using them improves programs
      • Design and implement their own functions to solve problems
    13. 11.5 The Start Function

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn the importance of writing readable code and how using the start function can help achieve this.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain the importance of writing readable code
      • Analyze and compare the readability of different programs
      • Use the start function to make their programs more readable
    16. 11.6 Top Down Design and Decomposition in Karel

    17. Description

      In this lesson, students learn top down design and decomposition as the processes of breaking big problems into smaller, manageable pieces. The functions improve the readability of the code and avoid repeated code.

    18. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Break a large problem down into smaller, simpler problems
      • Write functions that solve the simpler problems, and use them as building blocks to solve the larger problem
      • Compare programs and identify good vs. poor decomposition
    19. 11.7 Commenting Your Code

    20. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn how to utilize comments in their code to explain what their code is doing. Comments should include preconditions and postconditions. Preconditions are assumptions we make about what is true before a function is called in our program. Postconditions are what should be true after a function is called in our program.

    21. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain the preconditions and postconditions of a function
      • Create clear and readable comments in their code that help the reader understand the code
      • Explain the purpose of comments
    22. 11.8 Super Karel

    23. Description

      In this lesson, students will be introduced to SuperKarel. SuperKarel includes commands like turnRight() and turnAround() since they are so commonly used. These commands come prepackaged with the SuperKarel library (API).

    24. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Write programs that use SuperKarel instead of Karel
      • Utilize the new toolbox of commands that SuperKarel provides over Karel
    25. 11.9 For Loops

    26. Description

      In this lesson, students learn how to use for loops in their programs. The for loop allows you to repeat a specific part of code a fixed number of times.

      A for loops is written as follows:

      for(var i = 0; i < 4; i++)
      {
          // Code to be repeated 4 times
      }
      
    27. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Create for loops to repeat code a fixed number of times
      • Explain when a for loop would be a useful tool
      • Utilize for loops to write programs that would be difficult/impossible without loops
    28. 11.10 If Statements

    29. Description
      • A condition is a function that returns a true/false answer.
      • JavaScript uses if statements as a way to make decisions and execute specific code. If statements are helpful in writing code that can be used in different situations.
    30. Objective

      Students will be able to…
      * Use conditions to gather information about Karel’s world (is the front clear, is Karel facing north, etc)
      * Create if statements to only execute code if a certain condition is true

    31. 11.11 If/Else Statements

    32. Description

      If and if/else statements allow Karel to handle different types of worlds and allow us to solve more general problems.

    33. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain the purpose of an If/Else statement
      • Create If/Else statements to solve new types of problems
      • Identify when an If/Else statement is appropriate to be used
    34. 11.12 While Loops in Karel

    35. Description

      While loops allow us to repeat a section of code as long some condition is true.

    36. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain the purpose of a while loop
      • Create while loops to repeat code while a condition is true
      • Utilize while loops to solve new types of problems
      • Test their solutions on different Karel worlds
    37. 11.13 Control Structures Example

    38. Description

      In this lesson, students take a look at all of the control structures. Control structures can be selective, like if and if / else statements and are based on a condition. Other control structures are iterative and allow for repeated code like for loops and while loops. Basically, control structures control the way the commands execute.

    39. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Identify the different control structures that can be used to modify the flow of control through a program
      • Combine control structures to solve complicated problems
      • Choose the proper control structure for a given problem
    40. 11.14 More Karel Examples and Testing

    41. Description

      In this lesson, students will test their knowledge of control structures in preparation for the upcoming Karel challenges. Control structures (like loops and if statements) are useful in building programs that can be applied in various Karel worlds.

    42. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Analyze a solution to a problem and explain why it works
      • Use control structures to create general solutions that work on all Karel worlds
    43. 11.15 How to Indent Your Code

    44. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn the proper way to indent their code. Indentation is especially important when using multiple loops, functions, and if statements to show the structure of the code. Indentation provides a good visual approach to see which commands are inside vs. outside of a loop or if statement.

    45. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Explain why it is important to indent code
      • Identify proper indentation
      • Modify a program to have proper indentation
      • Write programs with proper indentation
    46. 11.16 Karel Challenges

    47. Description

      In this lesson, students will synthesize all of the skills and concepts learned in the Karel unit to solve increasingly challenging Karel puzzles.

    48. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Define a problem in their own words and plan out a solution to the problem
      • Break a large problem down into smaller pieces and solve each of the pieces, then use these solutions as building blocks to solve the larger problem
      • Utilize the proper control structures to create general solutions that solve multiple Karel worlds
      • Write clear and readable code using control structures, functions, decomposition, and comments
    49. 11.17 Intro to Programming with Karel the Dog Quiz

    50. Description
    51. Objective
  12. Extra Karel Puzzles

    1. 12.1 Extra Karel Puzzles

    2. Description
    3. Objective
  13. What is Cybersecurity?

    1. 13.1 Module Overview - Cybersecurity

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students learn that since the Internet is used to send, receive, and store valuable personal information, users are put at risk of having this information stolen through cyber attacks. Cybersecurity is a field that involves several disciplines of computer science. It is valuable to build basic computer science literacy no matter what field you eventually enter.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Set individual learning goals for themselves in the cybersecurity course
      • Explain why it is important to learn computer science, regardless of their goals in college and career
    4. 13.2 What is Cybersecurity?

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn what is meant by cybersecurity and explore a few news worthy cyber attacks. They will also discuss the Internet of Things and the increase in connected devices.

      Cybersecurity is the protection of computer systems, networks, and data from digital attacks. Increased connectivity via the Internet of Things and reliance on computer devices to send and store data makes users more vulnerable to cyber attacks.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Define cybersecurity
      • Describe how the Internet of Things makes people more vulnerable to cyber attacks
      • Reflect on recent cyber attacks and identify the financial and societal impact of the attack
    7. 13.3 Impact of Cybersecurity

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn and examine recent cyber attacks. Cyber attacks result in financial loss, lowered trust, disruption of important services, and more. There is a growing need for cybersecurity experts, and careers in the field are lucrative with high-impact.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Evaluate recent cyber attacks and understand the negative consequences of these attacks
      • Understand career opportunities in the field of cybersecurity
    10. 13.4 The CIA Triad

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn about The CIA Triad. The CIA Triad is a widely-accepted security measure that should be guaranteed in every secure system. It stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.

      • Confidentiality is the protection of information from people who are not authorized to view it.
      • Integrity aims at ensuring that information is protected from unauthorized or unintentional alteration.
      • Availability is the assurance that systems and data are accessible by authorized users when and where needed.
    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Identify what the CIA triad is and how it relates to cybersecurity
      • Identify which part of the CIA triad has been broken in a given scenario
    13. 13.5 What is Cybersecurity? Quiz

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students complete a summative assessment of the unit’s learning objectives.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Prove their knowledge of basic cybersecurity concepts and its impacts through a multiple choice quiz
  14. micro:bit Unit 2: Program Control

    1. 14.1 For Loops

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students will connect a speaker to their physical circuit to play music using their micro:bit! They will learn to use for loops to control components, along with the playNote command.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use for loops to control the flow of their programs
      • Control an external speaker by using the playNote command in micro:bit programs
      • Understand the correlation between frequency values and the pitch of a tone
    4. 14.2 While Loops

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn how to use the built-in buttons to control their programs and will learn to use while loops to control components.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use while loops to control the flow of their programs
      • Use buttons to control their programs
    7. 14.3 Operators

    8. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn about sensors and why they are so important in physical computing. They will use various internal sensors to detect attributes of the micro:bit’s environment and write programs that will complete certain tasks based on these values.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use operators to control the flow of their programs
      • Use the reading of internal sensors to control commands in micro:bit programs
    10. 14.4 If/Else Statements

    11. Description

      In this lesson, students will connect a micro servo motor to their physical circuit and control its location using their device. They will learn to use conditionals to control components, along with the servoWritePin command.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use conditionals to control the flow of their programs
      • Control the position of a servo motor by using the servoWritePin command in micro:bit programs
    13. 14.5 Functions

    14. Description

      In this lesson, students will use their first external sensor, an ultrasonic range finder, to measure distance and control components in the programs. They will develop and use functions with and without parameters to more clearly organize their code and make it more reusable.

    15. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use functions with and without parameters to create more organized and reusable programs
      • Use an ultrasonic range finder to sense distance and control components in their micro:bit programs
    16. 14.6 Program Control with micro:bit Quiz

    17. Description

      In this lesson, students review content with a 14 question Unit Quiz.

    18. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Prove their knowledge of basic coding concepts through a multiple choice quiz
  15. micro:bit Unit 3: Advanced micro:bit

    1. 15.1 micro:bit Challenges

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students will learn why and how breadboards are used to build more complex circuits. They will experiment with different built-in Gestures and will use all of the concepts they’ve learned up to this point to complete their first larger projects- a digital watch and an Inchworm.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Use control structures to develop readable, concise, and effective programs
      • Use breadboards to build more complex circuits
    4. 15.2 Explore a New Sensor

    5. Description

      In this lesson, students will research, develop, and present a lesson to their peers on the use of a new sensor with their micro:bit devices.

    6. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Research how to use a new sensor with their micro:bit devices
      • Develop and present a lesson to their peers instructing them on how to use a new sensor in their programs
    7. 15.3 Follow a Step-by-Step Project

    8. Description

      Students will get a chance to follow instructions written by someone they’ve never met to replicate a project in this lesson. They will then evaluate and improve these directions to make them more effective for a target audience.

    9. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Follow step-by-step instructions to build complex circuits using breadboards
      • Evaluate the clarity and effectiveness of given instructions
      • Improve directions to more effectively serve a specific audience
    10. 15.4 Final Project

    11. Description

      In this final lesson, students will put together all of the concepts learned throughout the course to create a project of their choice. They will work individually, or with partners or groups to creatively develop a program of their choosing.

    12. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Synthesize concepts and skills learned in the course to create their own final project
      • Scope their project (eliminate features that aren’t necessary) so that it fits in the timeframe allotted
      • Present their project to their classmates and talk about how the project was developed
  16. Tech Apps and Coding Midterm

    1. 16.1 Tech Apps and Coding Midterm

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students review content from the entire semester by completing a midterm exam.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Demonstrate mastery of a variety of computer science concepts covered in the Tech Apps and Coding course
  17. Tech Apps and Coding Final

    1. 17.1 Tech Apps and Coding Final

    2. Description

      In this lesson, students review content with a final exam.

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Demonstrate mastery of a variety of computer science concepts covered in the Tech Apps and Coding course
  18. What is Computing? Original Material

    1. 18.1 History of Computers

    2. Description
    3. Objective
  19. New Material (2020-2021)

    1. 19.1 History of Computers

    2. Description

      When was the first computer made? What did it look like, and what was it used for? In this lesson, students will explore the creation and evolution of computing machines that now permeate our day-to-day life.

      Note: This course was updated on October 7, 2020. You can find the original material in the Supplemental Module titled “Original Material: What is Computing?”

    3. Objective

      Students will be able to:

      • Identify important historical events in the development of modern computers
      • Explore indivdiual’s contributions to the development of the computer and discuss who gets to be included in the computer innovators group