K-2.NI.4 Standard Breakdown

K-2.NI.4 - Model and describe how people connect to other people, places, information and ideas through a network.

Information is passed between multiple points (nodes) on a network. The Internet is a network that enables people to connect with other people worldwide through many different points of connection. Students model ways that people communicate, find information, or acquire ideas through a network. Students use a network, such as the internet, to access information from multiple locations or devices.

Connections

How do we connect?

What are ways that we connect?

In a world that is tech infused, there are so many different means of comunication that takes place. Even students in the primrary grades are well aware of social media, computers, cell phones, and other tech-infused equipment that allows for individuals to connect instantly!

Opening up the conversation to your young students with a possible "Notice and Wonder" dicussion or a "KWL", based on a possible video or picture that would spark interest of 21st Century Communication, can help see what students know about communication and possibly things they might want to know more about.

Cross-curricular Approaches

Creating cross-curricular approaches with Computer standards, is one way to make it a more comfortable teaching experience for teachers who may not be fully versed in Computer Science, and it also makes it a more tangible concept for students to grasp.
Using things like Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies, to connect to Computer Science is a great way to infuse real life and relevant scenarios to students. Giving real life examples of how people interact with technology through stories, makes the idea of Computer Science come into play of their own lives.

Writing

For example, students could utilize a cloud-based platform to access shared documents or note-taking applications for group research projects, and then create a model (e.g., flowchart) to illustrate how this network aids collaboration.

(CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy W.K.7, W.1.7, W.2.7)

Science

Alternatively, students could design devices that use light or sound to aid communication across distances (e.g., light source to send signals, paper cup and string “telephones,” and a pattern of drum beats) and then describe how networks build connections.

(CA NGSS: 1-PS4-4)

Reading

Students can also connect literature to the concept of exploring means of communication. Stories are a great way to ignite curiousity and connection to topics around how people learn about new things, get inspired by ideas, or develop relationships from people near and far.

(CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy RL.K.1, RL.1.1, RL.1.2)

Lesson Designing

Design Thinking as Lesson Plan Structure:

As we continue to transition and navigate through a new of way of accessing learning - we need to begin thinking of ways to engage, motivate, and challenge our learners and the principles of design thinking…

Design thinking can be found in many avenues of society, but what is really amazing is when we begin to incorporate it into education, and allow our students to be exposed to understanding, researching, brainstorming, and creating solutions for the future.

Using Design Thinking as a structure for learning experiences based around Computer Science Standards, will allow for students to immerse themselves into the concept of how Computer Science affects society as a whole... by providing Empathy, Research, Inquiry, Design, and Execution.

Within in K-2.NI.4 your students can explore ways that individuals communicate in the real world or even provide literature that shows communication as a theme. As students engage with the materials, they will naturally connect to their own lives, examples and deifintions of ways ideas are shared.

Sample Lesson

Using literature as the foundation of the your Computer Science Learning Experience, gives you the ability to create an empathetic experience to a topic. The following story "Archie and the Bear" by Zanni Louise & David Mackintosh is about about a boy who thinks he really is a bear. He then sets off to the woods where he makes other friends that are also not being heard too. A great connection to standard K-2.NI.4, by exemplifying communication in the world.

Using an Essential Question or Hook that focuses on how diverse individuals communicate with one another. Spark interest with the students with possibly showing pictures or a video about how people from different cultures or parts of the world communicate with one another.

Read the story Archie and the Bear, using comprehension questions throughout.

Once the story is completed, begin to ask questions that relate to who was in the book, what mattered to them, and what problem did the characters have.

Step 1: Empathize

Ignite a spark by including a video, KWL Chart, or maybe just an image…
Directed CLOSE Reading or Read Aloud of the story.
Closing thoughts to generate the empathy connection
- Who is in the book?
- What matters to them?
  - Constructed response could be a great way to incorporate writing… (Sentence Starters or modeled writing is suggested)

Continue the story another day, and have students dive even deeper into what Archie hopes for people to know him as, and also what Bear hopes for people to know him as.

Continue to provide constructed questioning that will connect to the importance of others understanding one another and communicating with one another.

Step 2: Define

This step should include a reread… partner read, have students record themselves when they read…
Then students will begin to analyze the information to understand what the problem might be for the people or situation… This really allows for inferencing skills.
Once students have answered these stemming questions, they will independently begin to think about what might the people/situations need based on their research.
Suggested for the first time around, go ahead and walkthrough and model how to complete this section.

Now stepping into the creative part of the process, begin to drive students thinking toward how we can create better ways of communication, so people are understood.

For the younger grades, this activity would work best as a whole class discussion. Students could share their ideas or possible solutions to help communication work better.

This might also be a great time to show different examples of how people communicate (cell phones, computers, mail, etc.)

Then come back to the discussion, and see if new ideas have been sparked!

Step 3: ideate

This step allows students to tap into their creative and critical thinking skills
This could be done as a whole class, small groups, partners, individual - think about how students could collaborate on a shared slidedeck to allow ideas to be shared with one another - plus support students who may have a hard time getting started…
After ideating everything they can think of, students could synthesize the information and create three ideas that could solve the problem…
Eventually these would

After conversations have taken place and ideas share, now we get to have students build upon their ideas of what they think would be a helpful new tool to support communication.

Students could draw their ideas, write about their ideas, or even build their ideas within a Makerspace like setting.

Step 4: Prototype

The true representation of Choice and Voice… students then design their prototype that will reflect the problems solution
Because my original execution for this Design Thinking process was packet based and intended to give options to students, who may not have technology accessible at home, my goal was to provide enough online and offline options that a student could share their design with
Other ideas could also be presented, and or allow students to make the decision as to what they would like to create.

The final step can be looked at as a way for students to present and share their creations. This would be a great time to implement a Gallery Walk, Flipgrid, or even a project to share at Open House Night, and allow students to present what they have created, how it works, and how it will help others.

Step 5: Test

This is the final step that allows for students to step back and review their product, describe their product, and also test to see if it works.
This is a great opportunity for students to present their work with others.
Here they are able to see what positives they have seen from the product, and even begin to generate ideas as to how they could make their product better.

(K - 2) Template Design Thinking Process

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