Objective:

Students will create a storyboard that represents a family’s history or a historical family’s journey, focusing on different locations where the family has lived. They will use sequential graphic organizers to decompose the family's moves into simpler steps, reinforcing computational thinking and story sequencing.

Materials Needed:

• Storyboard templates (paper)

• Markers, crayons, or pencils

• Pictures or symbols to represent family locations and events

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by discussing how families often live in different places over time and the stories behind those moves. 

  • Ask students, “Where has your family or another family lived, and how did they end up where you or they live now?” 

  • Explain that they will create a storyboard to illustrate the family’s history, leading to their current residence.

• Group Activity:

  • Students will work individually or in pairs to complete their storyboards, illustrating important locations in their family’s history.

  • They will break down the story into simple steps, focusing on why and when their family moved, such as relocating for a job or to be closer to school.

  • Encourage students to decompose the story into key events that explain the family’s journey in a clear and organized way.

• Creating the Plan:

  • As students build their storyboards, they will break down the sequence of events and goals (e.g., moving to find a better home). 

  • They will think through how each location connects to the next and identify expected outcomes, such as “My family moved closer to school.”

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each student or pair will present their storyboard to the class, explaining the steps they chose and why the events were important.

  • Lead a class discussion on how organizing the story into clear steps helps to understand the family’s history and how this is similar to how computers or people break down problems into manageable steps.

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-drawn symbols or templates for students who need extra guidance in drawing or organizing their storyboards. Pair students who need more support with those who can help guide the process.

Real-World Application:

Discuss how stories of people moving between locations are common in history, such as migration patterns, and how maps and storyboards help us understand the movements and decisions people make.

CS Practice(s):

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students break down their family story into key locations and events, simplifying a complex journey into understandable parts.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify the important steps needed to explain their family’s story clearly, mirroring how computers sequence instructions to solve problems.

Standard(s):

• CA HSS 2.1.1

• CA CS K-2.AP.14

Objective:

Students will use Scratch Jr. or another coding platform to create an animated sequence that represents their family’s history or the history of a historical family of their choice. They will plan the sequence of events, explain key moves or transitions, and animate these steps, developing computational thinking through problem decomposition and sequencing.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets or computers

• Images or icons to represent family locations and events

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Introduce the lesson by asking students to think about how a family moved from one place to another and why. 

  • Explain that today, they will create an animated digital story using a coding platform to show the sequence of the family’s moves.

• Group Activity:

  • In pairs or small groups, students will outline the main events of their family’s story, choosing characters, backgrounds, and movements that represent each location or event.

  • They will use a coding platform to create animations, programming characters to move across the screen to represent a move from one place to another.

  • Students will add text or narration to explain the transitions, ensuring the story flows logically from one event to the next.

• Creating the Animation:

  • Students will break down their family’s history into key steps and code each one.

  • For example, they might animate “Our family moved from an apartment to a house,” using blocks to move characters and add dialogue or sound effects.

  • Encourage students to use loops, sequences, and events to make the animation more interactive and visually engaging.

• Testing and Refining:

  • Once students complete their animations, they will test the sequences to ensure that the movements, dialogue, and timing make sense.

  • Allow students time to revise their projects, adjusting the animations or adding more details as needed.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will present their animated story to the class, explaining how they planned and organized the sequence of events.

  • Lead a discussion on how breaking the family’s history into steps helped students better organize and tell the story, and how coding tools like Scratch Jr. are used in storytelling.

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-made templates or icons for students who need extra support. Pair students with different levels of coding experience to encourage peer collaboration and ensure that everyone can participate in the project.

Real-World Application:

Connect the lesson to how animations are used in media, history presentations, or family stories, demonstrating how digital tools help bring important stories to life through sequences and coding.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students use Scratch Jr. to create digital animations that represent their family’s history.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students test their Scratch Jr. animations and refine their sequences for better flow and clarity.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students decompose their family’s story into key events and code sequences to solve the challenge of representing these transitions clearly.

Standard(s):

• CA HSS 2.1.1

• CA CS K-2.AP.14