GRADE 1

Robotics

We used LEGO robotics kits to create and iterate. We chose projects that we wanted to build with the help of tutorials. Then, we coded our creations to make them move!

Parts of a Computer

We discussed the parts of a computer in terms of hardware inputs (e.g., keyboard, mouse, microphone), hardware outputs (e.g., screen, speakers, printer), and software. 

Graphing Our Favorite Fruits and Vegetables with Google Slides

We made graphs in Google Slides, which allowed us to practice other skills: changing cell colors in a table and copying/pasting images with keyboard shortcuts like ctrl + c to copy, ctrl + v to paste, and ctrl + z to undo—because sometimes we do make mistakes!

Digital Sand Art

We flexed our creativity to create colorful landscapes with a digital sand art tool on thisissand.com.

Keyboarding and Using the Home Row

We practiced typing using the home row keys. Did you know that there are ridges on the "f" and "j" keys to help us know where to place our index fingers? We realized we could spell a lot of words using just the letters on the home row, including a lot of words with an “a”: dad, dash, lad, fad, salad, all, and fall.

We completed 12 keyboarding modules in the fall and winter.

Coding in Scratch

We started coding in Scratch. We used a loop or "forever" block as well as move and turn block to make food sprites spin around the screen.

For another lesson, we used the if on edge, bounce block and two finger clicks to duplicate sprites to create spinning fruits, tacos, etc. In a third lesson, we asked the program to check the x-position of our sprite and then change the backdrop when the sprite reached the edge of the screen.

We explored how to use if/then blocks to check for whether a sprite (cat) is touching another sprite (taco). We also used the loop or "forever" block and the change size block to make the cat grow every time the taco touched it.

We used Scratch to try out the create a clone block each time we clicked a sprite. We also directed the sprite to a random position and changed the color of the clones.

Engineering and Taking a Break from Screens

We took a break from our screens to build food-inspired designs with LEGOs. Some of us built foods like sushi and pizza. Others built houses with a special kitchen. Some of us built stores, trucks, or boats that sold food, like a pizza shop and an ice cream boat.