Computer Science is essentially programming, or coding. Students learn how to build simple programs and the basic logic of "if" this "then" that, which is how all program code is written and executed.
Students will mainly start learning how to code using Scratch! This is a block-based programming site that allows students to focus more on the basics of quickly building code and developing logic, and less on worrying about syntax
To see the presentation with information I provided during parent night, click here!
I will host a virtual Zoom meeting every time this class is scheduled to meet.
I do my best to limit the amount of Zoom time to what the district has suggested for synchronous meetings -- 25 minutes on a Monday and 45 minutes on a Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday
The rest of the class time is dedicated to finishing the assignments we have begun in the Zoom meetings together
I take attendance through the Zoom meeting. If students are present and their names are on the list of participants for the Zoom meeting, they will be marked present.
Students who are absent MUST message me in Schoology to notify me! That will ensure I know to go back and mark them present.
Homework will generally be a continuation of what we're doing in class. Since the only way to learn programming is by doing it, students should be practicing their programming at home and making progress on their coding at home.
Here are some examples of what that will look like:
Students were assigned to build a program using instructions from "CS First" (an introductory programming course provided by Google). We started building the code together in class, students are expected to finish their code and introduce two "add-ons" to their program.
Students were taught the basics of "If" blocks in Scratch, and have a "Homework" assignment where they are asked to build things in Scratch and then answer questions about what they have built.
Students were assigned to play an introductory coding game called "Code Combat." Any levels they haven't yet finished in class should be finished at home
My grading scale is as follows:
A: 90% - 100%
B: 70% - 89.999%
C: 50% - 69.999%
D: 30% - 49.999%
F: 0.00% - 29.999%
When I grade students' work, I grade on an "all-or-nothing" policy.
All work will be checked to see whether it has been finished to the best of a student's ability.
Incomplete work will be given a zero.
Incorrect work will be returned with feedback and the opportunity to correct it.
Work that has been plagiarized (in any aspect) will receive an immediate, nonnegotiable, permanent zero. I have no tolerance for cheating.
Students can contact me outside of school through e-mail or by messaging me in Schoology. I will respond within 24 hours, most of the time much sooner.
For most assignments, students will have an extended and extremely generous amount of time to complete the work. Most assignments can be turned in anytime during the 5-week grading window.
When I assign a due date (which will be rare), it is firm and nonegotiable.
All other assignments are not time-sensitive so student absences will not prevent them from completing them. Students can find those assignments in the gradebook.
Some examples of the kind of thing you'll produce in this class: