Objective: 

Students will create a simple sequence of actions to represent different emotions in response to music, using an algorithm to follow a step-by-step pattern of movements.

Materials Needed: 

• Music player

• Scarves or ribbons

• Markers

• Large paper

Steps:

• Introduction: Begin by discussing how music can express different emotions (e.g., happy, sad, excited). 

  • Play a short piece of music and ask the students to describe how it makes them feel. 

  • Explain that students will use movement to represent these emotions by following a simple algorithm, just like how computers follow instructions.

• Group Activity: 

  • In small groups, students will pick one emotion (e.g., happiness or sadness) and create a simple movement sequence (e.g., wave a scarf up and down, spin around, clap hands) to represent it.

• Creating the Algorithm: 

  • Students will organize their movements into a step-by-step sequence (algorithm) and practice following their algorithm while music plays. 

  • They can adjust the algorithm to match the tempo or mood of the music.

• Presentation: 

  • Groups will present their movement sequences, explaining the algorithm they created and how it connects to the emotions expressed in the music.

Equity and Access: 

Provide a variety of music options with different tempos and moods. Pair students with different movement abilities for collaboration.

Real-World Connection: 

Choreographers and dancers use algorithms to create dance routines, following specific steps and sequences to match movements to music and emotions, just as computer programmers write step-by-step instructions to solve problems or create animations.

CS Practice(s): 

• Collaborating Around Computing: Students work in pairs to create movement algorithms, collaborating to plan, test, and adjust their sequences, which mirrors how teams in the real world collaborate on coding projects to solve problems and create effective solutions together.

Standard(s): 

• CA Arts 1.DA.Cr2

• CA Arts 1.DA:Pr4

• CA Arts 1.DA:Pr5

• CA CS K-2.AP.10

Objective: 

Students will use Scratch Jr. or another coding platform to create an animated digital artwork that changes over time, representing a simple scene such as a sunny day turning into a rainy one. They will use coding blocks to control the timing and animation of each element.

Materials Needed: 

• Tablets or computers

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Discuss how artists use different elements (like color and shape) to show changes in a scene, such as a bright day becoming cloudy. 

  • Explain that students will code a digital artwork that shows this kind of transformation using coding blocks.

• Group Activity: 

  • In pairs, students will use a coding platform to create a scene (e.g., a sunny sky) and then animate it to change (e.g., clouds and rain appearing). 

  • They will use coding blocks to control the timing of each change, such as making the sun disappear and the rain appear.

• Creating and Coding: 

  • Students will arrange coding blocks in a sequence to control how and when each element in their scene changes, using loops or conditional blocks if needed to repeat or trigger certain actions.

• Presentation and Testing: 

  • Each group will present their animated artwork, explaining how they used coding to show the change in their scene. 

  • The class will discuss how computational thinking helped them control the timing and order of events in their animations.

Equity and Access: 

Provide pre-made coding templates for students who need additional support. Pair students with different levels of coding experience to encourage peer learning.

Real-World Connection: 

Digital artists and animators use coding to control timing, movement, and changes in scenes for animated movies, advertisements, and video games, similar to how students use a coding platform to bring their artwork to life through sequencing and animation.

CS Practice(s): 

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students use a coding platform to create animated artwork that changes over time.

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students break down their artwork into simple elements and use coding blocks to control the timing of changes.

Standard(s): 

• CA Arts 1.VA:Cr2.1

• CA CS K-2.AP.10