Sun Terrace Technology Times
A monthly newsletter of tech tips, tricks and resources.
What we are working on in K-2
In March, students will continue their work in Scratch Jr and learn what events are and why they are useful in programs. They will first learn about the concept by participating in an unplugged lesson. Then, they will apply their understanding of events through programming in ScratchJr. Students will learn to use the start on green flag and end blocks, as well as how to choose new characters. In this lesson, students will complete the culminating project to the first ScratchJr unit module, an interactive collage (or animated scene).
Resources for you:
The standards we are working on are:
- CSTA 1A-CS-01: Select and operate appropriate software to perform a variety of tasks, and recognize that users have different needs and preferences for the technology they use.
- CSTA 1A-AP-10: Develop programs with sequences and simple loops, to express ideas or address a problem.
All lessons and resources used can be found at K-2 Computer Science Curriculum.
What we are working on in grade 3.
This month students will learn how to add sound as well as speech bubbles to their projects. They will also learn how to add a new page and the wait block to a project, by creating a story about their school day that involves multiple scenes (or pages). This lesson will prepare students for the story project by providing them with the ScratchJr tools they will need to make multi-page stories and make characters communicate.
Resources for you:
The standards we are working on are:
- CSTA 1A-CS-01: Select and operate appropriate software to perform a variety of tasks, and recognize that users have different needs and preferences for the technology they use.
- CSTA 1A-AP-10: Develop programs with sequences and simple loops, to express ideas or address a problem.
- CSTA 1A-AP-11: Decompose the steps needed to solve a problem into a precise sequence of instructions.
All lessons and resources used can be found at K-2 Computer Science Curriculum.
What we are working on in 4-5
This month students will be working on a Build A Band project.Students will extend their knowledge by producing a creative project in Scratch that incorporates elements of physical computing with MakeyMakey in the final product. Along the way, students will also debug problematic programs, critique each other's work, and reflect on their own progress.
Resources for you:
The standards we are working on are:
- CSTA 1B-NI-05: Discuss real-world cybersecurity problems and how personal information can be protected.
- CSTA 1B-CS-02: Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks.
- CSTA 1B-AP-10: Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals.
- CSTA 1B-AP-17: Describe choices made during program development using code comments, presentations, and demonstrations.
- CSTA 1B-AP-13: Use an iterative process to plan the development of a program by including others' perspectives and considering user preferences.
- CSTA 1B-AP-15: Test and debug a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.
All lessons and resources can be found at 3-5 Computer Science Curriculum
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Code.org FREE Online Professional Development
Teaching Computer Science Fundamentals is intended as an introduction to computer science fundamentals and the Code.org K-5 resources for teachers. Through reading, viewing videos, completing interactive puzzles and reflecting on your learning, you'll develop your own understanding while preparing to teach computer science in your classroom.
Learning Objectives
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- Learn the basics of computer science
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Pre-requisites
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Thanks for reading! Hope you found the resources useful.
Email: mourakd@mdusd.org
Website: karlymoura.blogspot.com
Twitter: @KarlyMoura