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

🚀 2025 #BPSCoders Contest is here! 🚀

This year's contest features 6 challenges with something for everyone. Please take a look at our website or 1 page flyer for more information. 

• Challenges for all levels from beginners to advanced, for all CS-related activities including Scratch, app development, robotics, and more. 

• Students may submit projects done during school or outside of school.

• Prizes for best projects in each category, by grade bands. 

The contest will be open from December 8, 2025 to January 9, 2026 to give students plenty of time to enter. Entry form will be on our website on December 8th.  

Don't know what to create?  Read these ideas to spark your imagination. Remember to start small, you can totally enter with a small project!   Iterative development: make backup copies of stable versions, and grow your project as big as you want if you have enough time.

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, 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.

Extension: GIMKIT Scratch Questions

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 and journaling

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

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:  Health Chat - 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 tooth grow crooked.

Today 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.

Week 7

10/14 - 10/17

K1  Shapes . Learn about shapes with Pete the Cat. 

iPads: 

1. 1. Review the volume and home buttons and expectations: stay on task

   2. Play PBSKids Peg and Cat -> The Highlight Zone.  Find the shapes in the drawings. (perfect)

   3. Draw & Tell:  Blank drawing: write your name and draw something made of shapes (house, car, pine tree, robot, face, pizza…)

   4. Draw & Tell: Coloring pages (these include shapes too)

Backup Plan: Read the book Bear in a Square and use the printed coloring pages that include tracing shapes and coloring pictures that include shapes.

K2  Code.org (course A).  BrainPop Jr Shapes, abcya Skill -> Same or Different (matching shapes), then abcya Letters -> Monster Mansion Match, Alphabet Match (choose Letter names, Show me)

1st grade: Code.org (course B) Lesson 6, Unplugged lesson: Getting Loopy

2nd grade: Typing.com. Animal Research on Pebble Go. Journaling. This time, be specific in your journal.  Name of the animal, what does it look like (photo), habitat, food, plus at least one more fun fact.  Another day you will use your notes to make a google slides presentation about this animal.

3rd grade: Let's start Scratch coding Lesson 0 Say Hello

4th and 5th grade:  Scratch coding - Lesson 1:  Health Chat - two characters will talk to each other about a health topic. Code your project and submit it in the Exit Ticket.  Update your CS Journal.

Week 8

10/20 - 10/24 Diwali

K1  Review Shapes. iPads: Play PBSKids Peg and Cat The Highlight Zone (Find the shapes in the drawings) then ABC Kids LetterTrace. Cleanup time: Peg + Cat Shapes, Sizes and Much more (shapes: pentagon girls 5:50 - 9:08)

K2  Code.org (course A). 

1st grade: Code.org (course B) Lesson 7 Loops (steps 1-6). Step 3 is a video intro to using loops in code.org

2nd grade: Typing.com, Google Slides.  Planets Presentation. Make the first two slides (out of the required 4 slides: Planets, Mars, Jupiter, Resources) then do Typing.com

3rd grade: Finish: Scratch coding Lesson 1 Health Chat.  Please use the wait blocks to coordinate the characters wait for each other to finish their sentences. Don't just put in random wait times. Here is an example: Losing a Tooth

4th and 5th grade:  Scratch Lesson 2 Surprise - Broadcast and Receive

1. Create your second program on Scratch titled "Surprise".  Learn Broadcast and Receive. Requirements: have at least 4 characters, some hiding and then doing something exciting when it's time for the surprise.  Use the Broadcast and Receive blocks to trigger the surprise.  Also use the Hide, Show, motion blocks and visual effects.

2. Extension: Add music, sounds or any other fun stuff to your Surprise project only after you finished the basics.

Week 9

10/27 - 10/31

K1  Patterns. Watch BrainPop Jr. Patterns, iPads: Peg + Cat — “Chicken Dance Pattern Recognition” game. cleanup time: Peg + Cat Shapes, Sizes and Much more (patterns: spaceship with shape patterns: 9:08 - 12:20) or movement Break patterns dance: "Banana Banana Meatballs"

K2  Code.org (course A).  Loops: BrainPop Jr Loops.  Abcya.com FuzzBug Patterns, extra time: Pumpkins

1st grade: Code.org (course B) Loops refresher: BrainPop Jr Loops

2nd grade: Typing.com, Google Slides.  Planets Presentation.  Finish your last two slides for Planets (Jupiter and Resources) practice using Ctrl C and Ctrl V for copying and pasting the URL (the address) of the websites where you found the information about planets.

3rd grade:  Finish Scratch Lesson 1 Health Chat - Submit it today in the Exit Ticket.

4th and 5th grade:  

1. Term1 Progress Self Check and make up time: What do you need to do to get a 4?

2. Finish Scratch Lesson 2 Surprise - Broadcast and Receive

1. Please check your Surprise project.  Does it have a Broadcast block in one sprite (to send a signal) and a When I Receive block in the other sprite? Does the other sprite do something upon receiving the signal?

2. Extension: mini lesson: animate a sprite.  If you have extra time, You can add an animated sprite, music, sounds or other fun stuff to your Surprise project, or you can work on your own project that you might submit one day for extra credit.

3. Write in your Journal

Week 10 - Dia De Los Muertos is celebrated on Nov 1st and 2nd

11/3 - 11/8

K1  Shapes and animals. Watch BrainPop Jr. Caring for a pet. Activity: Build various animals using our Kid K'NEX sets.

K2  Code.org (course A).  GoNoodle Patterns Dance:  Banana Banana Meatballs

1st grade: Code.org (course B).  BrainPop Jr. Parts of a Computer.  Hardware vs Software.

2nd grade: Typing.com.  Google Slides: Finish the 4 required slides (Planets, Mars, Jupiter, Resources).  

Make sure you Share your slides with ablake@bostonpublicschools.org today.  

Extension: If you have extra time you can add extra planets.  Planets song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQrlgH97v94

3rd, 4th and 5th grade: Scratch Lesson 3 Events 

Read how to use Events in Coding 

Watch PBS Dia de los Muertos

Remix this Sample Ofrenda project: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/323737554/. 

Click on the Right sprite to show there are no scripts. Click on the Middle sprite and drag the when green flag clicked script from Middle to Right. Show the Right’s scripts again.

What happens if you click on Grandpa?

What happens if you click on Grandma?  

Can you add the missing code to make Grandma say and do something when you click on her?

Scratch Skills: 

• Use different events in your code, such as When this sprite is clicked or When the Spacebar is clicked to trigger different actions.

• Learn how to copy scripts from one sprite to another with drag and drop.

• Learn how to Remix a project (and give credit to the original creator)

Week 11

11/10 - 11/14

K1  - K2 World Kindness Day, observed annually on November 13, is dedicated to promoting awareness of global goodwill by encouraging people worldwide to perform acts of kindness every day.  

Watch BrainPop Jr. Empathy episode. Activity: sharing and practicing kindness while building with our Kid K'NEX sets and our classroom Shapes sets.  If K1 students need examples, show How to make Shape Animals

1st grade: Code.org (course B).  Watch Hello Ruby Input or Output. Paper cutout activity: cut out the input and output devices. Sort them to the correct place.

2nd grade: Typing.com.  Google Slides: Finish the 4 required slides (Planets, Mars, Jupiter, Resources).  

Make sure you Share your slides with ablake@bostonpublicschools.org today.  

Extension: If you have extra time you can add extra planets.  Remember to include a picture of the planet, three facts and the link to where you found the information on the internet. Tip: Use Control C and Ctrl V to copy and paste the address of the website where you read facts about the planets. 

Planets song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQrlgH97v94

3rd, 4th and 5th grade: Scratch Lesson 3 Events 

Read how to use Events in Coding 

Remix this Sample Ofrenda project: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/323737554/. 

Extension:  Catch Game.  

If you finished and submitted your Ofrenda remix, then make a catch game, or work on your own game or project. 

Watch the video: How to make an Apple Catch Game or use the Catch Game Cards from the Scratch Coding Cards Box.

Write in your journal what you are working on.  If it's your own game, explain what it's about and what will happen in your program when a user plays your game, or clicks the flag to see your animation / story.

Week 12

11/17 - 11/21

K1  BrainPop Jr. Frogs.  iPads:  Trace your letters, then Write and draw about frogs.Cleanup time: Wild Krattz Aqua Frogs

K2  Code.org (course A).  BrainPop Jr Frogs.  Lexia (if available) or Draw what you know about frogs on abcya Paint.  If you still have time, try the OUT-OF-SIGHT WORDS game.

1st grade: Code.org (course B).  BrainPop Jr Mammals.  Scratch Jr Lesson 1, Drive Across the City.

2nd grade: Typing.com   Work in pairs: Create an animal presentation (Practice Round). 

3rd, 4th and 5th grade: Scratch coding.  Lesson 4 - Cloning. Learn how to use the "create a clone of myself" block and the "When I start as a clone" blocks.

1. try the two new blocks on the cat in a new project.  what happens? Make 4 clones of the cat, when the Flag is clicked.  Move the clones to random positions using "When I start as a clone".  What happens when you click the green flag? what happens when you click the red stop button?

2. We studied together the 5 lessons of the Fish-Catch game in the Learning Scratch by Eating Fish studio (created by William Blake).  Now that you saw how the game works without clones and with clones, I want you make your own version (do NOT REMIX).  

3. Start a new project and get the shark to catch first one fish, then two fish, but do not use clones yet.  One this works, save it as Catch Fish version1. Then make a copy of the game, call that Catch Fish version 2, and use one fish Sprite that you clone 4 times.  This is what you will submit for Lesson 4 in the exit ticket next week.

Week 13 (short week for Thanksgiving)

11/24 - 11/26

K1  BrainPop Jr. Community episode. Activity: Learn how to use Cubetto, a cute programmable floor robot.  Use move forward, turn left and turn right coding blocks to make the robot move to certain locations on the floormat.

K2  Code.org (course A). 

1st grade: Code.org (course B), Scratch Jr. Lesson 2 Animals Race

2nd grade: Typing.com   Make your own slide show and share what you know about your special subject with another student. 

3rd, 4th and 5th grade: Scratch coding.  Cloning. Make v2 of your Eating Fish project, this time with clones.

Next week:  Learn  if / else conditionals.  Mini lesson: Math Practice. Do not remix my project, write yours from scratch.

3rd, 4th and 5th grade: Scratch coding.  Cloning. Make v2 of your Eating Fish project, this time with clones.

Next week:  Learn  if / else conditionals.  Mini lesson: Math Practice. Do not remix my project, write yours from scratch.

Week 14 

12/1 - 12/5

K1 Continue learning about Community and Community Helpers.   Practice programming Cubetto, the cute floor robot.  Community Helper Robots Lesson Plan

Activity: Draw community helpers and community places and put them on our floormats.  Use move forward, turn left and turn right coding blocks to make Cubetto move around the mat. Turn and talk: talk about community engagement.

Extra time: color a school bus, police car or fireturck online: https://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/school-bus-9?colore=online 

K2 - 2nd grade.  BrainPop Jr: Writing a Letter.  Extension: abcya Write a letter.

1st grade:

Scratch Jr coding - Lesson 3 & 4.  Can I Make the Sun Set? & Can I Make the Moon Rise?

Build background knowlege: BrainPop Jr. Habitats: Desert.

2nd grade: Typing.com  Writing a Letter.

3rd, 4th and 5th grade: Scratch coding.  Learn  if / else conditionals.  Mini lesson: Math Practice. Do not remix my project, write yours from scratch.

Lesson 5: Maze.  Program the arrow keys to move a character around in a maze.

Extension: BUGGY math practice: Can you fix it?  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1098245985/

Advanced Math Practice v3:  https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1097685448/

Week 15 - CSEdWeek

12/8 - 12/4

We are celebrating CSEdWeek with an Hour of Code / Hour of AI. 

K1 Cubetto floor robots. Community Helpers.

K2  Code Monkey Biever Achiever

1st grade: Choice of Scratch Jr (with teacher's help) or Code Monkey Biever Achiever

2nd to 5th grade: Hour of AI.  Watch Mix and Move with AI intro

Activity: 

1. Hour of AI Dance or

2. Hour of Code - Code Monkey choices: Coding Adventure, Space Adventure or Dodo Does Math.

Furthermore, you can enter the BPSCoders contest now, by creating and submitting a Scratch animation or game, or coding a robot:

🚀 2025 #BPSCoders Contest is here! 🚀

This year's contest features 6 challenges with something for everyone. Please take a look at our website or 1 page flyer for more information. 

• Challenges for all levels from beginners to advanced, for all CS-related activities including Scratch, app development, robotics, and more. 

• Students may submit projects done during school or outside of school.

• Prizes for best projects in each category, by grade bands. 

The contest is open from December 8, 2025 to January 9, 2026 to give students plenty of time to enter. 

Submit your project via this Entry Form by yourself (from home or in school), or ask Ms. Blake to submit it for you during computer specialty so she can submit most of the projects from our school at once (this way it's easier to keep track of who entered and won in our school, and easier for the evaluators to see all our projects in one place and judge them.)

Tip:  Make sure you click the orange Share button in your Scratch project, so the judges can see your project, and give clear instructions on the project page telling them how to run it or play it.