Week at a Glance for Computer Specialty at JQES

2025 - 26 Computer Specialty Weekly Plan

Computer Specialty Teacher:  Andrea Blake

Questions?    Email ablake@bostonpublicschools.org

• Exit Ticket to show what you learned

• Computer Science Vocabulary you need to know 

• JQES 2024-25 Scratch Studio (Last Year): sample student projects

Week 1

9/4 - 9/5

Welcome Back to School!   Let's talk, get to know each other, review expectations, explore tools in BPS Clever. 

Week 2 

9/8 - 9/12

Orientation and icebreaker:  

• Watch: CS is Everywhere https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpZW6SPnX8M 

• Why do we learn computer science in elementary school? 

- We’re here to learn about computer science, and it’s not just about using computers – it’s about being creative, solving problems, and making things happen!  Learning these skills now opens up a whole world of possibilities for your future. Even if you don’t become a computer scientist, you’ll find that knowing how to think like a programmer helps in all kinds of jobs. If you want to be a doctor, computer science can help with medical technology. If you want to be an artist, you can use it for digital design. Engineers, musicians, architects, and even athletes use computer science in ways that make their work better and more exciting

• Expectations in computer class: F.I.R.E values, take care of your device, behavior, deadlines for projects, submit weekly exit ticket +keep a journal of your own learning every week.  The journal will serve you as a reference and a self reflection tool, and a way to show your teacher what you learned.

K1  BrainPop Jr episode: Kindergarten (get to know each other and expectations), Digital Citizenship: My Online Neighborhood. 

K2  Digital Citizenship: Meet the digital citizens, Lesson 1:  Arms - Balance your media use time.  Chromebook: how to sign in with your badge, our routine, practice opening an app and clicking on things using the touch screen and the track pad (abcya connect the dots).  How to put the chromebook away.

1st grade: Welcome, FIRE values and expectations, Our routine: go to code.org (if you have access to it), then go to abcya.com if you have extra time.  Try Submarine spelling.

2nd to 5th grade: Typing.com. Create a Google Document: My Computer Specialty Journal.  Write your first entry in your journal:  Day 1: About Me.  Take a selfie, write 3 sentences about you. Here is a SAMPLE About Me. Finish your Day 1 entry with a section on Computer Skills I Learned (or Practiced) Today.  Write down what you learned today.

Day 1 - Google Document Learning Objectives:  By the end of this lesson I will know how to:

1. Find the google drive

2. Create a folder named Computer Specialty

3. Create a Google document named My Computer Specialty Journal

4. Use the Normal Text / Title / Heading… dropdown

5. Rename the label “Untitled Document” so I can 

find my document next time

6. Use the camera to insert a photo of myself in my document

4th & 5th grade Extension: If you have extra time, create a name tag in Adobe Express, take a screenshot and add that to your About Me.  

Week 3

9/15 - 9/19

K1  BrainPop Jr episode: School.  Sharing. iPads: ABC Kids, trace capital letters

K2  code.org (course A).

1st grade: Code.org (course B). How to work in pairs: Driver & Navigator roles.

2nd grade: Typing.com. Google Doc Journal

3rd, 4th & 5th grade:  Create a Nametag in Adobe Express.  Take a screenshot and upload it into your computer specialty journal for Day 2.  Finish your Day 2 entry with a section on Computer Skills I Learned (or Practiced) Today.  Write down what you learned today.

Day 2 - Learning Objectives:  By the end of this lesson I will know how to:

1. Create a Nametag in Adobe Express

2. Use the Generative AI text effects in Adobe, to decorate my name

3. Take a screenshot of my nametag 

4. Find my google document named My Computer Specialty Journal on the google drive

5. Add a Day 2 entry and upload the screenshot of my nametag.

If you have extra time: create and Animate a Creative Creature: https://new.express.adobe.com/design/template/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:1c43a2a1-ca3d-505d-a836-177daa30ecd6?learn=exercise%3Aexpress%2Fhow-to%2Fin-app%2Ftest%3A-1&category=search

Don't forget to write a note about doing this extra activity in your journal, so you can get your extra credit. if you completed the animated creature you can also include a link to the final product.

Week 4

9/22 - 9/26 - Hispanic Heritage month

K1  BrainPop Jr. Seasons. iPad: Draw and Tell HD.  Draw what you like about the fall. Sign your name!

K2  code.org (course A). BrainPop Jr. Seasons.  Abcya.com - Alphabet Zoo.  If you have extra time, play Dress for the Weather.

1st grade: Code.org (course B).  BrainPop Jr. Seasons.  Abcya.com - Alphabet Zoo (refresher), Dress for the Weather (refresher)

2nd grade: Typing.com. Research on Pebble Go -> Famous People -> Hispanic Heritage month. Google Doc Journal: Write down what you did today in Computer Class.

3rd & 4th grade: Finish Adobe Nametags, Finish your Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 entries in your Computer Specialty Journal.

If you have extra time:  Help someone who needs help with creating their name tag in Adobe (such as English Learners, or people who were not in school last week), then go on Typing.com.

If you finished all the typing lessons already, please do Beginner Review 1 and show Ms. Blake your results. 

5th grade:  Scratch coding  - Lesson 0:  The point is to verify that you can share a project, submit the link in the Exit Ticket and the teacher can view your project.

1. Sign in to your Scratch account. 

2. Create a new project. 

3. Make the cat say Hello. 

2. Click the Share button (if you don't have the Share button, or it doesn't work, let me know, and i will give you another account that I created for you and it works. Don't try to send the confirmation email to fix the sharing problem yourself, and don't try to create another account, because BPSTech blocked the confirmation email in BPS student emails, so you won't be able to. Sorry.)

3. Fill out the Exit Ticket on the top of the JQES computer specialty website.

Next: Write an entry in your Computer Specialty Journal: Day 3 - Scratch coding. We started Scratch coding. Describe your level of Scratch knowledge:  1. Never tried to make a Scratch project before, 2. I know a little, 3. I know a lot, I created many projects already,  4. I am an expert.  If you have made a great project in the past, please include a link to it in your journal (and remember to click Share in scratch, so the teacher can view it.)

Extra Credit: If you have extra time, fix this Buggy Project:

1. Click Race to the Finish

2. Sign In on Scratch, then Click the Remix Button. This will make a copy for you.

Week 5

9/29 - 10/3  Hispanic Heritage Month: BrainPop Jr. Pat Mora. Gracias / Thank you read aloud by Pat Mora (5:45) 

K1  BarinPop Jr Pat Mora. iPads: Trace the letter, then Math Kids count. Berenstein bears week at grandma, 2nd half (while cleaning up) 

K2  code.org (course A)

1st grade: Code.org (course B)

2nd and 3rd grade: Typing.com. 

4 th and 5th grade:  Let's practice what you will do if Ms. Blake is out sick:

1. BrainPop. Find and watch the episode I assigned to you, then take the Quiz

2. Scratch Coding:

   1. Beginners: Make a clicker game: follow the Clicker Game tutorial

   2. Advanced: Work on your own game. You will have to explain in your journal what it does.

3. Journal: Write down in your Computer Specialty Journal what you did today.

Week 6

10/6 - 10/7  Hispanic Heritage Month: BrainPop Jr. Pat Mora. Gracias / Thank you read aloud by Pat Mora (5:45) 

October is Digital Citizenship Month.  Review Internet Safety

K1  Digital Citizenship: Internet Safety on BrainPop Jr.  iPad: Math Kids, counting game, then letter tracing. Practice taking turns.

K2  code.org (course A) Internet Safety on BrainPop Jr.  Extra Time: abcya Adventure Man, Counting by 1s.

1st grade: Code.org (course B) Internet Safety on BrainPop Jr.  abcya Draw and Paint: how to be safe online. draw about it. Extra Time: abcya Adventure Man, Counting by 2s.

2nd & 3rd grade: Typing.com, PebbleGo research an animal of your choice. Write in your Journal about what you did in computer class today. Share your journal:  Click Share in the right upper corner of the Journal google document, type ablake@bostonpublicschools.org, (leave me as an Editor), click the "Send" button.

4th & 5th grade:  Scratch coding - Lesson 1:  A Discussion - We will make a Scratch Project in which two characters will talk to each other about a health topic.

Today we will do the PreWork: Choose any subject in the Health Category on BrainPop Jr (or BrainPop).  After watching the movie, write in your Journal about which health topic you chose, and what will happen in your Scratch project. 

For example: Day 5 - Scratch coding Lesson 1

I will make a scratch project about Loosing a Tooth.

In my project, a boy and a girl will talk about loosing a tooth.  This will be their conversation.

Boy: Oh no!  What's wrong with my tooth?

Girl: Let me see. Nothing is wrong. It's just wiggly.

Boy: Why?!

Girl: Don't worry! It's normal. We all loose our baby teeth, and grow bigger and stronger permanent teeth instead.

Boy: Should I yank it out?

Girl: No. It's better to let it fall out on its on. If you yank it out too early, the root might break off and make your new trooth grow out crooked.

Today you must you must share and submit your journal in the Exit Ticket:

1. Click Share (in the upper right corner of your Computer Specialty Journal document)

2. type ablake@bostonpublicschools.org, click Send

3. Click Share again, click the link sign to copy the link to your document

4. Click the Exit Ticket (on the top of Ms. Blake's computer specialty website)

5. click in the Link to Your project field, and do CTRL + v to paste the link.

6. type Sharing my Journal in the What did you Learn today field

7. Fill out the rest of the form and click Submit.

Next week you will make your Scratch Project in which two characters will talk to each other about this subject.  If you have extra time AFTER YOU SUBMITTED your JOURNAL, you can start coding today.

1. Sign in to your Scratch account. 

2. Create a new project

3. Get two characters from the Sprite library

4. Use the Flag, Say for (x seconds) and Wait blocks to have the characters take turns talking about something. Each character should speak at least twice.

5. Make sure you Share your project and submit it in the exit ticket 5 minutes before computer class is over.

6. How to get a 4 on this project?  Extension: if you still have time, add more facts, supporting images, maybe an animation to make it more interesting. Stay on topic.

Extension: GIMKIT Scratch Questions