Mr. Z's

Teacher Page!

Welcome to my teacher page! I am the computer teacher at Stony Brook School for 4th and 5th grade! I love meditation, hiking, music, barbecuing, and working with students to code and create with technology. If you have any questions or concerns the best method of contact is email. You may email me at mzimmerman@branchburg.k12.nj.us.

Students should be prepared for class by knowing their Google username and password. Students should have a pair of headphones to focus and work quietly when doing independent work. I recommend a cheap pair of plastic/rubber earbuds that can fit in a pencil box or pocket but some students may prefer over the ear headphones. The majority of our class work is completed and accessed in the student's Technology Google Classroom where we will integrate discussion questions and activities.


In class, we are often working on longer term projects that address the topics outlined below. In addition, we spend time on Code.org, Tynker, and Khan Academy utilizing each program's block coding languages and some basic JavaScript where students think critically and problem solve. Each website offers students the opportunity to code at home and reinforce skills if they wish.


I highly recommend students learn to touch type appropriately. If students devote 15 minutes a day for a month or two to learn it correctly, it will benefit them in the long run and make them feel much more comfortable on a computer. Two free and great resources include BBC Typing and Typing.com.


Topics of the 4th and 5th Grade Curriculum include:

* Digital Citizenship/Online Safety

* The Google Suite/Research Integration/Jobs of the Future

* Technology and Design Projects

* Coding/Robotics


Welcome Students and Parents!


Unit 1:


Topic: Digital Citizenship>>>BASK in your Digital World. Be BRAVE, Be ALERT, Be SMART, Be KIND

4th Grade will focus on Digital Citizenship and touch on staying safe online and the difference between personal and private information. Students then learn how they can keep information safe online. Students are taught to find an adult and show them anything they may experience on the internet that makes them feel uncomfortable. In addition, students are introduced to email writing etiquette.


5th Grade will focus on Digital Citizenship and review staying safe online. The main focus is social media, the "digital footprint," and cyber-bullying. Students are taught to be an up-stander and that their digital footprint follows them around. Students will also think critically about their relationship they have with technology.


Unit 2:

4th Grade will focus on computer shortcuts and how a computer actually works. Then students will be introduced to Google Sheets. They will learn how to use the platform to make a class poll and learn important Google Sheets terminology. They will also learn how the program can find patterns and compute math equations.


5th Grade will focus on Google Sheets and climate change. We discuss how to interpret data and information on the internet carefully utilizing sources from NASA about climate change. We learn about the powers of the internet as a research tool. We build an advanced graph on climate change utilizing data from the Rutger's Climate Website. Then, we program our own artificial intelligence on Code.org.


Unit 3:

4th Grade will focus on block coding with a wonderful program called Tynker. Students will build greeting cards, solve problem solving puzzles, create comics, and start to understand how angles and patterns can create amazing art in a digital world.


5th Grade-Students work to complete Tynker coding curriculum at their own pace in a workshop and collaborative atmosphere. To learn more about the course please visit the Tynker Website.